Our first week of Anui’s ownership has been a mix of lots of work and a little bit of play. First we had the move, which took a few days. Then we turned our attention to maintenance before feeling we could go and have some fun.
When you buy a boat second hand, there are typically a few modifications or additions you want to make. And then there is the long apprenticeship to learn how all the systems work. Our experience with upgrading boats a few times taught us to wait a while with changes, get used to the boat as is, then see what is required. But there are aspects we know need immediate attention.
Maintenance
With our purchase of Anui, we negotiated a few repairs. Scott Armstrong, previous owner and builder, was particularly helpful and generous and agreed to take care of these:
- new batten for the mainsail to replace the broken one – Done!
- new slim solar panels to replace the old ones – Ordered!
- repair to the paint bubbles on the hull – Started – will be completed in early January!
- Repair to the rotten anchor locker hatch – scheduled for early January!
Additions we have decided to make straight away:
- Stainless steel dockline chafe guards – to be made and installed in early January
- Blinds for the hatches in each of the two bedrooms so us and our guests can sleep in – ordered
- Solar block film on all hatches to cut down sun and heat in the cabin – ordered!
- Upgrade to the charting software – the current software is out of date and no longer supported – researching!
One thing we had not counted on while we weathered the heavy rain from Cyclone Owen: just about every hatch leaked! This was disappointing given the hatches had all been resealed recently. A bead of silicon on the inside of each hatch will hopefully fix that!
All this means we are coming back to The Boat Works to get the repairs and additions completed. The list may seem long, but once it is all done we will have the most magnificent boat we could hope for. You can never get perfection, but we will have excellence in sailing and aesthetics. How lucky are we!
Practice Runs
Once our house move was completed and the heavy rain stopped, we could start to relax. We went for a dinghy ride, just for fun while at the Boat Works. With an 18HP outboard, Anui‘s dinghy is rather speedy. What a difference from our 2.3HP on Take It Easy! In keeping with the mothership, it flies! As for the electric winches on the davits, what an easy set up to bring the dinghy in and out of the water! Just brilliant!
Press the button on the remote to bring the dinghy down or back up – Easy peasy!
Wade hooning around – that dinghy flies!
Thursday 20th December was a big exciting day: we took Anui out of the marina! Very scary but the breeze was kind to us and made it easy to get out, and Boat Works owner Tony Longhurst gave us some very welcome moral support from the jetty! A few words of encouragement and reassurance certainly helped! He would know what it’s like to manoeuvre a big boat; his own catamaran Kato is a 60ft Schionning!
We motored out of the Coomera River, through the Goldcoast Seaway and out in the ocean. Then we spent a couple of hours sailing, practising tacking, gybing and doing donuts till the wind picked up too much and we ran back inside the Broadwater.
First sail by ourselves!
It feels like a bit boat, but is very responsive!
So exciting!
It is so wide! – Wade is bringing us back through the Seaway
There will be a few of these little practice runs over the next few days for us to get familiar with how everything works on board.
We have the best Christmas present we could wish for: the boat of our dreams. A big hello and thank you to Scott and Sarah Armstrong, who built and sold us their beautiful catamaran. We know it would be a bitter sweet time for them, but we can assure them Anui will be loved and well looked after.
Sv-Anui 
Merry Christmas! Thanks for all the great posts over the year. I love following your adventures.
Thank you so much Viki, that’s very kind. Have fun over Christmas too. Hope you have some exciting adventures planned.
Everything is getting in placebo the optimum conditions just like you like it! Fantastic! 🙂
Thanks HJ, getting there! Merry Christmas to you.
This is so great, best wishes for you guys, the new Cat and Merry Christmas! 😎
Merry Christmas John, thanks for being a faithful follower. We love getting your comments.
Thank you! 😎🙏🏻
Merry Christmas Chris and Wade, stay safe..😎
Thank you Rusty – same to you. Hope you have some sailing outings planned!
We are hoping to get down the Prom way and maybe out to Deal and back, we will see..
Looks like you guys had a lot of fun on your first sail! Was wondering are you more ‘exposed’ at the helm in this boat? Can you sit and steer from the little seat in the corner? Have a great Christmas guys!
Hi Elgar – Yes we are exposed at either wheel but great vision of the edges of the boat, and engine controls at each wheel so much more practical than TIE to manoeuvre. Underway we rarely hand steer and would normally be on autopilot so not too worried about being out in the elements. The cockpit is very protected. Just trying to get a feel for everything. Yes you can steer from the corner – with your foot! Merry Christmas and let’s hope we can catch up in January at Coffs.
HI Guys
We’ll be around in Jan and yes it would be most excellent top catch up! Also, I may be organising another codger kayaking trip down the Mann River rapids (if the river stays high). We may be able to borrow a kayak if Wade is up for an adventure?
He would be, but depends on when as January has just about disappeared for us. When are you going?
You must have been concentrating – you look like you are grimacing…. you are supposed to be smiling!
Gee thanks Trish! I was doing both… smiling and concentrating, that is!
Oh Sorry! 🙂
Dear Wade and Chris Thankyou for all that news…..very interesting …I felt I was right there with you. Have fun. If you are in Cleveland for Christmas .Day….a&g’s home for lunch I know you would always be welcome. Have fun If you need a car – ours is here. Happy Christmas. Love from us both Pam
Sent from my iPad
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Thank you Pam. Have a wonderful Christmas. Might catch up again in the new year.
How exciting for you, how lucky to be involved in something you both love so much, we are looking forward to hear about your next adventure on your new boat
Hello you two, It has been such a thrill, we do feel very lucky to have found the boat of our dreams. Another couple of weeks and we will be ready to go. We hope to welcome you on board some time during the year.
Merry Christmas Wade Chris & Bengie
🎄🎉😎😺
Congratulations and
good luck with getting to know your new boat 🥂⛵️🌊😊
Safe & enjoyable travels in 2019
Lindy Phil & Ella Bleu
So nice to hear from you Lindy! Merry Christmas to you and Phil and a cuddle to Ella Bleu! Hope to catch up with you somewhere on the water. You must be getting close to both giving work away!
Congratulations and best wishes for a new beginning. You must pinch yourselves every morning when you wake up. Look what Santa left us !! Enjoy. We struggled into Port Stephens last night and are now safely moored in Nelson Bay. Happy to sit tight for a couple of days. Merry Chrissie to you both. J&J sailing Chi ⛵️☔️🌊
Thank you! You are so right, Janne, it is hard to believe we have the boat of our dreams… A few bits and pieces to do after Christmas then we are off!
Did you weather the huge storms last night? It got a bit scary here! 45 knot wind and lightning all around us! Being the tallest mast around is a bit of a worry!
Have a safe and fun Christmas. Hope Father Christmas is good to you. 🌈🎅🏻🍾
Wow, a new adventure begins. Have fun “learning the ropes”
Have a look at Open CPN for a nav system, at least for a back up if not the primary. Designed by sailors for sailors so quite user friendly
Will do! The biggest problem is the old computer on board which fires up when it feels like it. We will be using our own laptop with updated software. Thanks Graham and merry Christmas!
Such an exciting time for you and a lovely Christmas present enjoy. Full on here just had lunch in the evening.
Merry Christmas Sue! Yes still feeling it is all new!