Dudùdue at mooring

Dudùdue at mooring
Before ext. renovation
This Blog is dedicated to my boat and to her renovation

She is moored in San Nicola L'Arena, Sicily (IT)

Introduction


Since I was a teenager, I loved to sail. I attended my first sail course when I was 14. During the High School and University, I have sailed by classic laser, 470 and IOR Yacht class.
As I started to work, my spare time began ridiculous. But at that time I didn't know what will happen as I got married and then with kids!
Someone says that it should be necessary born twice . . . and it is dramatically true!

My desire to own a sailboat to spend a week end with family, coming up. So, in 2002 I started to search for a boat.
My research was very long because of the variables of the problem were - as very often happens - in contradiction themselves (good LWA, but to much expensive, good price but . . . it looks like a dinghy, and so on).
The Net was an extraordinary tool for my research, much better than magazines as you can see.
In a short time I realized that the Italian Used Market was ridiculous, both for the conditions of the boats on sale and their prices (i.e. quality, price ratio). It could appears strange, but that's situation it is worse in Sicily (where I live), in spite of it's - as you know - an island.
I visited a great deal of websites, and I discovered a multitude of models not diffused in Italy. One of these was Westerly.
Finally, at the end of 2003, I found the boat that I always dreamed, and - in my opinion - matched well to my family needs, and, above all, to my budget . . . .
A night of december 2003, I was surfing on the Net, around the websites of brokers that I had extract during the research (as www.boatshop24.com, www.boatmall.com, www.udkik.dk , etc.), when I found an ads on www.bolina.it ( an Italian famous nautical website). I clicked on, and as I saw both description and pics I realized that was "my boat".
A Westerly Tiger was on sale at Anzio Port, nearby Rome, but she came from Antwerpen.
Immediately I sent a mail for details and to arranged a visit on board as soon as possible. The visit was for 4/Jan/2004. On 31/Jan/2004 "Dudùdue" (Mahal Kita was her name, indeed, but too exotic for Italians . . .) arrived by ship from Civitavecchia to Palermo and then, by a truck, to San Nicola - her new port - about 30 km far away, on the East coast.
I was so excited! It was a happening for all my family.
So my "love story" began.

giovedì 28 giugno 2007

My first appointment with her



Just before to book the ticket to Civitavecchia, I asked to my uncle - he lives in Rome - to have a look at the boat. He was a boat owner, so could be a good approach.
As he sent me his report, immediately, I arranged the visit for the New Eve holyday.
On 4 January 2004, my brother and I arrived to Anzio.

Because of my budget, I hadn't a Surveyor, so I assumed on myself the risks.
I was lucky.

As we glanced the boat, we had a positive impression.

The boat was in a refitting yard, up in her keel and four struts as the North-Europe manner and she looked like superb.


As we climbed on board, we checked the dock (really strong under our weight . . .), the rigging and then we got through the companionway.
The lay out matched to my ideas, well maintained and the head as well. Just a bit of the typical smell of diesel engine . . .
The engine started (about it we are going to talk deeply in the next future. . .)
The sails were no bad, the genua (jib 120%) very good, the spinnaker as well. The main, so so.
No blistering I found.

I was so happy that a simple glance to my brother was enough to talk about price and to arrange the delivery to Sicily.
The season suggested us to delivery her by ship and truck.
It wasn't cheap indeed , but we didn't know the boat enough to afford a quite long distance voyage (almost for our experience); so, as we say in Italy, pay and smile !

Pubblicato da Salvo alle 15:08

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