Late July 2017: Back On Our Own Boat

TUE 25-JUL

The Next Ghost Rider

We are back in familiar territory: sitting on our new-to-us boat at Old Port Cove Marina in Palm Beach, Florida, moving stuff aboard and discussing the punch list with Yacht Tech personnel.  Since arriving back in the USA on 03-July we had been busy checking out a Nordhavn 50 and ultimately, following surveys and sea trial, we purchased our second Nordy.  We are either stubborn or crazy….likely both.

Previously this boat had been known as Boundary Waters, then Sea Fox, and lastly The Getaway, and in each case had received lots of care and numerous upgrades.  We got lucky; we had seen Getaway when she accompanied the N60 (Relish) that we were taking to Nassau back in late April '17 in preparation for the Atlantic crossing (NAP-2017).  At the time we both had commented on her pristine condition and agreed if that boat ever came on the market again, we wanted a shot at it. Fast forward just two months, still aboard Relish as we were approaching our last Atlantic crossing port near Malaga, Spain. Michelle was trolling the Internet – still a few miles offshore – and quite serendipitously found her in a new listing.  Her relatively new owners wanted a bigger boat.  Just over a month later we were back in the USA and finalizing the purchase.

Ghost Rider II is a Nordhavn 50, constructed in 2002, hull number 21 (out of 26 produced before the model was discontinued in 2005.)  For more details and specs on her, click HERE to visit our “About the Boat” web site page.  You'll find links to a video and some pictures of the vessel there.

Chelle & Her New Toy During
the Survey Haulout

While in excellent condition for a 15 year old boat, we nonetheless have a punch list to work through based on surveys, sea trial and our own personal preferences.  We’re in the process of prioritizing (and quantifying) the list, and we expect that will take a few weeks to work through.  After that our near term plan is to spend a few months cruising the east coast of the USA - once again in shakedown mode - hopefully staying north of any tropical storm activity.  The Chesapeake area seems like a suitable destination given its attractions and options for repair yards should that be needed, plus we have good friends cruising there now.  And several more we'd like to visit along the way.  We'll come back to Florida later in the year once the weather and storms have cooled down, likely early November.

Based on our inability in the past to refrain from blogging, it's a safe bet we'll have more postings in the future as we progress down this new path.  So stay tuned.