Independence for Sale
We are currently en-route from Charleston, SC to St. Augustine, FL.
It's surprisingly hard to talk about "why" we are selling the boat. It's not you, it's me.
It's financial. We planned to go back to work full-time and start back up the 401K after our cruising adventure. Now? The idea of parking the boat and commuting to work to fight with a copy machine and sit on a committee to save the preferred parking program? It's not going to happen. So while the original goal was to keep our catamaran forever, now the goal is to get a more economical boat so that we can live the voyaging life forever.
It's practical. We have a whole hull we don't use.
It's also a philosophical change. An exchange of having less and getting more.
We want to be more minimalistic, and we want to live in less space. A smaller boat means we have less costs and less maintenance, and therefore we can do more cruising.
And less boat gives us more options: more options for marinas and haul outs. More options for traveling to Europe and finding winter haul outs and berths. An easier space to heat in winters and cool in summers.
And so we want to sail a monohull. We don't want this modern light weight wood veneer anymore. We want real teak from floor to ceiling. We want a boaty boat, all cozy inside and tipping all the time. We want our wine glasses to be at risk. So there.
Independence has been a great boat to us. It's hard to beat the wrap around salon windows and the fabulous views afforded from every seat in the house. She sails great and clips right along under sail or under power. If you like stability at all times, lots of storage, lots of space, and want to monitor the anchorage from any seat in the boat - she's perfect for you! She's set up for off the grid living, and she's ready to cruise to the Bahamas, the Caribbean and beyond.
In reflection, it's easy to say we made a mistake. To say we should've bought the smallest, simplest boat when we left our jobs four years ago. And while that might have been the financially smartest thing to do, we wouldn't trade our time with Independence for anything. We sailed our dream boat and had a blast. We lived and loved the catamaran life. But now it's time for some new owners to take her on new adventures.
For more details, please see our Yachtworld listing: Independence for sale
14 comments
Wow! I've been wondering how you guys have been doing and now I know. I also know what a difficult decision selling can be. I wish you both the best in your efforts. We're still living through the process which, for us, has been very frustrating and disappointing but I don't think you're going to have a similar experience (we literally had a sale fall through because the buyers wired their deposit to a bank in Florida instead of writing a check to our broker as they were instructed -- yep, they were scammed). I can't offer much help or advice on the practical side (that's just not who I am -- practical? ha ha ha ha) but if you ever need an ear to bend on the emotional side of the equation, I'm here for you. Cheers, Stephanie
ReplyDeleteThanks for the support Stephanie, we definitely need it! I can't believe your buyers got scammed like that.....how awful and upsetting for everyone. The only good thing about selling the boat is we've been forced to live in a clutter free clean boat. Although Hastings still tips over his kibble each night in protest.
DeleteLooking for another Island Packet? I've been seething with jealousy. You're my heroes!
ReplyDeleteWe do love a good Island Packet! We actually are currently enamored with the Cabo Ricos....a 34 or a 38. I like the 34 because it saves money, Matt likes the 38 because it has a better looking stern.
DeleteI can see his point, but if your going to be moored or at dock more often than not. It's all about the interior. Meanwhile. Does your listing include delivery to Washington? Or is there any other way I can entice you to visit. Spend the winter here helping me open a charter/folk school and then join my partner and I to Homer, AK for the summer. She's the program director for the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies.
DeleteWow, that sounds like a great opportunity. I would love to go back to Alaska. I do have a minor problem with dark winters though :-(
DeleteLucy I love this so much and beyond happy that you get to continue your journey. xoxo
ReplyDeleteThank you!!
DeleteThis will be interesting. :-) I think you are the only people I know who went the "other way", from catamaran to monohull. Has Hastings ever sailed on one?
ReplyDeleteYour photos look so inviting. It makes me almost ready to go sailing on a cat again. But, we are in the same boat as you... Financially, as in needing to live small and spend small to keep going a bit longer like this. But, I have to say a 19ft camper is MUCH smaller than a 35' catamaran. Good luck with the sale, you guys!!!
Hastings has never sailed on a monohull before. He'll actually have less steps to contend with on the mono. Right now, he has to deal with the salon to hull steps, whereas he won't have that issue on the mono. He'll also have pretty good access to the galley from the salon couch. The camper does sound small!
DeleteThe reason I mention this is because we bought a monohull once and our two dogs hated it so much (it was heartbreaking to see them mistake the walls as the floor), that we sold the sailboat again and bought a camper (and later a catamaran) instead. The type of monohull we had was purposely "dog friendly" with only three steps into the companionway and a flip-down transom for easy dinghy access.
DeleteI highly recommend that you take Hastings on a ride in a monohull (from friends) to see how he does...
Wow, that does sound heartbreaking! Hastings definitely rules our lives and we need him to be happy :-)
DeleteGood day. Just found your blog via Red Thread. First, I remember coming ashore and it wasn't that bad. Not that I didn't want to go back every day after that.
ReplyDeleteI am a yacht captain, cruising instructor, charter skipper (actually, that is more often than not a family counselor). Sailed lots of cats and monos. I understand the urge to change. Monos sail better. I look forward to following your search if you blog it. My wife and I are looking at a new boat. We have a racer and are aging out to a cruiser.
Did you ever consider putting your boat into charter? That model is very popular. Just a thought.
A good read, thanks.
Norm on Averisera
Harwich MA
Norm, Thanks for reading! I am behind on the blog. We have sold Independence and just closed on a 1985 Cabo Rico 38. The Lagoon 380 is super popular, but ours at 13 would have been too old for regular charter and we just didn't feel up to running a captained charter.....we're both a bit too introverted! Transitions are interesting....good luck with the change to a cruiser. We love all boats!
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