Looking for a new boat

After we sold our boat, and before that, we have been searching for a boat. First we started in Norway, but it is really difficult to find a boat on the market bigger than the boat we already had. We found a beautiful 50 feet, but the price was much over our budget. So we decided to extend our search. Since we have been sailing with charterboats in Greece, and we know Greece a lot we started there. We also realized that we didn`t wanted to buy a charterboat. Most of them were exposed for wear and tear. So we started to look for boats with private ownership.

First we found one in Croatia, but they wanted 10% deposit to hold the boat. It was not possible for us at that time to travel somewhere. The next boat we found in Lanzarote. We were really interested in that boat and nearly booked a flight to go there. But then we realized the boat didn`t have holding tanks. If we are sailing in Turkey we need holding tanks. So we had to say no to that boat to. Both theese boats were Beneteau Oceanis 473.

We decided to search more in Greece and found some boats we wanted to see.

So, some weeks ago we had a trip to Greece searching for our new boat. We traveled with SAS to Athen and there we rented a car. First we drove to Chalkida, a town north of Athens.

The boat was in a small place south of Chalkida. A nice agent from Alvea Yachts met us and showed us the boat. It is normal in Greece to put their boat in a yard for the winter season. Also for this one.

This boat was a Beneteau Oceanis 46. I felt immediately that was not my boat. It was not much space and the sofa was not good.

The space in the master cabin was good and it was a lot of space in the two heads.

Astor discovered some cracks around the keelbolts which was no good and needed surveyer to check that.

The day after we drove to Lefkada on the westcoast. Lefkada is a beautiful island where I have been once before, about 20 years ago.

After a good nights sleep we took the trip to Cleopatra Marina on the mainland, south of Preveza. Here we met Stephen from Williams and Smitthells Ltd and had a look at a Beneteau Oceanic 473. This is the boat we were dreaming about. It is a solid build boat from 2005. We wanted three cabins, but this one had four, one bunk cabin. Anyway, after thinking about it we are thinking that this bunk cabin is amazing storage! Of course the master cabin was smaller than in the 46, but it was okay. The boat has three heads, all of them smaller than in the 46.

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This boats owner lives in New Zealand, and because of covid, they haven`t used the boat the last two years, and the boat was not that clean as we like it. But we really like this boat! The two aft cabins are also large.

Here in the saloon it was spacious and the sofa was really comfortable. Both theese two boats has private ownership, so even if this is an “old” boat it lookes good!

Then we drove to Athen where we had a look at a Sun Odyssey 439 in Alimos, where we have been a couple of times. That boat has been a charterboat since new, and it looked like that. No extras and not a nice boat. A little bit more spacious than the 46, but we didn`t like it. That` s why I didn`t bother taking photo of it.

We realized that Oceanis 473 still was our dream boat and we sent the company an offer before we went back to Norway. And just some hours later, while we were waiting at the airport in Copenhagen for the next flight, he accept the offer! We were so happy. When you are travelling that far and had a look at three boats, it could be zero… What if we didn`t liked any of the boats?

So now we are writing contract and planning what to do further. Because the boat is in Greece it is not possible to take a weekend-trip to do something in the boat. So we will see what will happens.

Now it is soon Christmas and we have other things to do, and yesterday we got new covid-rules here in Norway and almost everything will be canceled.

Do you want to know more about our trip to Greece? Follow us next week!