Details of the plan… not really

I received a couple of questions regarding the details behind my last post. So, for those that love details…

The first half of the boat survey (“inspection”) is happening right now – as I write this.  I’m anxiously awaiting some news!!!

If all is well (meaning the boat seems to be in good condition), the second half of the survey will occur sometime in the next few days. That second part is a “sea trial” which involves putting the boat in the water and making sure it floats.

Yes…. There is more to it than that! 🙂

All of the systems that cannot easily be exercised on land are put to the test. Does she sail like she should, does the engine run like it should?  Of course, there is a lot to all of that to include the mast, rigging (all the wires that hold the must up vertical), the sails, the lines that are used to control the sails, the anchor, anchor chain (rode), and windlass (the electric motor that pulls the chain and anchor out of the water), and the motor. Like most other motors, this one has a fuel system, an electrical system, a cooling system, and so on. All of that is “tested.”

If significant and/or expensive issues are found by the surveyor, I can either reject the boat and move on (find another boat and start over again) or attempt to negotiate a price adjustment with the seller.  Sometimes the seller will fix things that are not working, sometimes they will reduce the price and are happy to take less money and let the buyer deal with it.

Assuming no significant issues are found, I will accept the boat and the paperwork process starts.  That takes a week to ten days and includes a lien search, Coast Guard documentation, bill of sale, and sending all the documents back and forth between buyer and seller for signatures. Of course, at some point I wire a big chunk of money to the seller and that requires the banks to be open. This means that we are getting right into the middle of Christmas so it is hard to guess how quickly things will move.  It is possible I will own it by Christmas but that is highly optimistic.  A more likely guess is about the end of the first week of January.

The short answer is “I have no idea!!”  J

I’m no different than everyone else – I would LOVE a firm set of dates so I can make plans – like buying a plane ticket and reserving a hotel room. That said, I think I’ve gotten much better at just going with the flow. Maybe that is age, maybe it is just living at a more relaxed pace.

Hmm… maybe it is old age that is forcing me to live at a more relaxed pace…

Buddy went to visit the Vet this past Monday for his rabies vaccination. This must be administered at least 30 days before entering another country. So, we are at least one month from departing for the boat. Just before our departure, he will get his Form 7001 – “International Health Certificate” so he is clear to enter another country. Apparently I do not need to provide anything to prove that I am healthy – or nobody has told me about it yet.

I have little doubt that relocating to a foreign country is less stressful if you pay someone to pack up all your belongs and they magically show up there. I am not…

My plan has been to get as much into my airline baggage (well secured cardboard boxes) as possible. Given the way I am flying, this gives me two 70 pound boxes and two 50 pound boxes, none of them larger than 62 linear inches (height + length + width). Initially, I thought this sounded like a small box. Now that I am packing them, they are almost too large! I am having a terrible time getting them to weigh ONLY 50 or 70 pounds. So, I have downsized a couple of them for weight purposes. Yes, there is a risk that some airline employee will decide that they need some of my things more than I do. If so, I hope they are able to put it to good use and it is real benefit to them.

Everything else will be shipped via USPS. Not cheaply, I might add. It seems that smallish boxes of 50 pounds will each cost something north of $100 each. I have three boxes to ship so not the end of the world.

It may be worth noting that this shipping problem has been a concern for many months. I had originally thought of loading a pallet with boxes and having it shipped. That was great for weight but was going to cost something about $1,500.00. I then considered 55 gallon drums (either fiber or plastic) as one company informed me that those are less expensive as they are used as “fill” on the ships. One 55 gallon drum of no more than 400 pounds was going to cost about $350.00. For some reason, that seems better but then I got to thinking about having to manhandle a 400 pound drum and I started losing interest. Then I thought of having to claim it from a shipping dock in a foreign country without any transportation and I decided that there had to be a better way. I’m not sure USPS is that better way but they will deliver the boxes right to the marina office and that doesn’t sound so complicated. A case of paying a premium to avoid some hassle – sometimes the low price is not the best price.

So… I’ve been going thru my junk.. err… belongs, and eliminating everything that does not seem essential. I then pack it into the boxes, decide I have too much, take it all out, go thru it all and eliminate some more, then repeat. It is amazing how fast the weight of this stuff adds up!

What does one life stuffed into five cardboard boxes look like?

Like this!