Okay, so that blizzard I wrote about in the last post WAS a joke. We didn’t get the 12 inches that was predicted…heck…I don’t think we got more than an inch. But it’s the last snow the dogs will see for awhile, so we went to the park to play.
Meanwhile, somewhere in Florida (well…Palmetto to be exact)…Rob was enjoying 80F weather. He and his dad traveled there for the sea trial and survey of the Pearson 39-2 we have under contract.
The boys got lucky with 15-25 knot winds and sunny skies. They were able to get a feel for how she handles in good winds. They sailed from the Manatee River out into the Tampa Bay.
While we have a long to-do list to tackle before we start cruising, overall the boat surveyed well. After some negotiating, we are moving forward with the sailboat purchase. Hopefully this time next week we will be the proud owners of our first sailboat.
Turns out that buying a sailboat is a lot like buying a house. During the boat buying process, the buyer and seller often work with a broker (realtor). Once the buyer makes an offer and it is accepted, the boat is under contract. The buyer’s deposit (10%) goes into escrow. Because the contract is contingent on the sea trial and survey, the buyer can still back out of the purchase at this time without losing their deposit. After the sea trial (test drive) and survey (inspection/appraisal), the buyer gets a second bite at the apple. The buyer can negotiate a lower price or ask that deficiencies found during the survey be fixed prior to closing. Once this negotiation is complete, the buyer and seller sign a Conditional Acceptance of the Vessel agreement. At this time, the buyer can no longer back out of the contract without losing their deposit (assuming the seller completes their end of the deal). This is where we currently are in this process. Finally, the seller and buyer close the transaction and ownership is transferred. If you have ever bought a house, then this process should sound pretty familiar.
When Rob returned from the sea trail and survey, it was almost time to say goodbye to our Denver home. We moved the last of our things into storage and said our final goodbyes. We packed up the car and left our Denver home for the last time on Saturday morning (Nov 21st). It was freezing!
Despite only living in that home for 2.5 years, it was difficult to say goodbye. It was our first home together and we have many memories there. We got engaged while living there, we adopted Jaela while living there, we planned a wedding there, we spent our first days as newlyweds there, and we planned this adventure while living there…But home is wherever the four of us make it. Last week it was in Indiana, while we were visiting family. And now it is in St. Pete Beach, FL. We have rented a small apartment here for the next month so we can fix up the boat while not living on it. This will also give the dogs a transition period (and let’s face it-us too). All of our lives look very different than they did two weeks ago. It’s time for our adventure to begin.
Love reading about your adventures! Keep the updates coming as I am living vicariously through you! P.S. It’s still freezing here.
Thanks Casey. We were watching the Bronco’s game last night and it looked freezing. I hope you are staying warm. We will keep you updated. I think there’s going to be a lot of elbow grease work before the real fun begins, but we are getting closer. If you need to escape the winter and want to see what it’s like living on a 39 ft sailboat, then give us a shout :). P.S. Go Broncos.
Hi Crystal!! its
Glad you all are having a blast.
Will there be any “fish caught” pictures on your travels?
Hi DT! Thanks for following us. We just picked up some fishing pole holders today. We will definitely display our winnings on this site.
Also Rob has a spear gun that he’s itching to use.
Oh man, you guys. That must have been really hard to say goodbye to your home. Those memories will always be yours and this is going to be such a cool adventure as you discover what “home” means to you next! Can’t wait to see more posts!
Thank you so much Taylor. Hopefully we don’t kill each other while living in such a small place. We’re very excited and can’t wait to start collecting more memories.
Best wishes on an exciting adventure !
Ann ( Kim’s PA college friend)
Thank you Ann!
Best of luck on your exciting adventure! I read about your blog on Facebook (I am Taylor Fisher’s cousin) and I think you will have a trip you will never forget! This is something most people just dream about, so hats off to you for really doing it. I will be anxious to read about your coming days and months. Take care!
Thank you Kerry! We are very excited about our journey. It’s going to be a lot of hard work, but we can’t wait to start sailing. Thanks for following!