Shopping for 'things' for the boat.
As so many  'things' had been removed from the boat before we bought her and those left were largely inappropriate to our lives, we had so many 'basics' to purchase and take aboard. These all add up, of course, and we had a budget that we just could not exceed.
First up were cleaning products and antibiotic hand soaps. Personal toilet products will come later when we are finally living aboard.
It took many mornings of trawling stores to find the items we needed. We would shop in the morning and then take our lunch to the boat around noon, unwrap all the items on the back deck (cockpit) and discard the boxing and wrapping before taking them into the boat. This is very important. We do not want to introduce ants, and especially cockroaches, which love to inhabit packaging. Normally we would undo the packaging on land for this reason.
This pic shows the cockpit with attached table and seating for about four people

In the galley, the cook top is only an electric three burner coil element  appliance. I dislike these intensely, but we made the decision to retain it for the moment with a view to finding a three burner Ceran glass top eventually. The cook top has a stainless steel cover which folds up for cooking and down when not, to create more counter space. There is also a chopping board insert in the top for when it is down. Because the coil elements take so long to cool, we purchased a single burner electric induction cook top. For $76, this was a  bargain. Try buying them as a 3 burner one piece...they cost almost $1,000 US.

As the hot water tank was not operating (one of the elements needs replacing) I had to boil any water for dishes, cleaning etc. The little induction cook top was fast, clean and almost instantly cool when turned off.
Of course, when  you buy an induction cooker, you need the appropriate cookware. If you can attach a magnet to your pot bottom, then you can use it for induction cooking.
We went to Marshalls for the pots and pans which helpfully had the symbols for different cooking types imprinted on their bottoms. We had previously seen these when looking for other kitchenware. While there, we checked out the rest of the items Marshalls have...wow! such a choice:) We also purchased all the towels, kitchen and other, colander, tools and implements. We went back several times after not finding some things at either TJMAX or Ross. Target was the source of our larger cooking items, however...oh, and don't forget the Herb Garden in a container, all ready for me to plant when we return.This will live in a safe place on the back deck...probably shaded!
We had thought we would take out the set of drawers below the current cook top and replace the whole thing with an oven/cooker. This would mean that the drawers would need to go somewhere else, being the ONLY set of drawers in the gallery. Hmm..maybe not right now. The current microwave/convection oven has lost the use of it's screen.We have to guess at what is on the screen. Not too smart, but we have found the exact one to replace it with. Not purchasing that right now, so will wait until we absolutely need to.
 In the meantime, as it is a very small appliance, we decided to buy a large Toaster/Convection oven. This now sits on top of the cook top with the lid in place. It does take a little space from the counter, but it ends up being swings and roundabouts. The new appliance cooks fast and is portable. I can always store it if necessary.
We don't have room on the counter for a Kettle, but the small 2 cup coffee maker we bought in Punta Gorda for our tea, sits nicely and inconspicuously in a corner.
We had thought we would purchase an electric frying pan, but instead we found a fantastic interchangeable Panini Press that opens flat to give us two surfaces to use at once. I can grill meat or fish on the one side while doing veg. on the other, or corn fritters/pancakes on the other. Most versatile.
It is all about making do in the best possible way. We fossicked around for bake ware small enough to fit in the new toaster oven and were successful in both Walmart and Home Depot.
A new kitchen faucet was also essential. The existing one did not swivel and because the sink is smaller than domestic, that was essential. Who knows, perhaps it did in another life? Home Depot provided us with enough choice to purchase a low faucet that pulls out for spray. Works like a charm. While there, we also purchased a one handle mixer for the sink upstairs on the flydeck. After painstakingly installing that, Warren went to close the lid on it...ooops! just half an inch too tall! Some choice words followed:)
Back to Home Depot and a second choice was made. That will be installed on our return. We rather ran out of time. Considering we returned the other on the morning we left the country, I would say we did rather well.
West Marine also came in for some of our dollars. Fantastic stores, but a little pricey. Well, it seems everything Marine is pricey. Remember what I said about holes in the water....?

I had thrown all the cushions in the Salon out because they were mouldy, and now there are none. On our return to Tauranga we were passing a tourist storeand saw some very cool retro tea-towels hanging on the wall. We bought three different ones...these have New Zealand things all over them, I might add...and took them and some zippers to a seamstress across the road. Bingo! cushion covers. Later we found two more very kiwi  covers in a Spotlight store. We look forward to having some distinctly Kiwi things about us. If we get tired of them, they were not expensive, so we wont have a conscience about sending them for recycling.

One of the hardest things about living on a boat is that you cannot collect 'things'. They clutter the small spaces and you have to put them somewhere safe while underway, in case you strike some rough water and everything gets tossed and turned. Been there Done That. While it is nice to have familiar things around us, it is also essential that we are safe. With this in mind, we are careful to purchase things that don't have sharp edges, or that can be stored safely in a cupboard or behind something in one of the many cavities.

These are some of the old cushions that were washed and found a new home at the Hospice store on NASA Parkway.

Warren was spending his time  in the engine room and checking out all the gadgets to make sure they all worked. We had to identify what lights worked and where and if not why not. It took a whole week for us to discover, after much head scratching and not to mention swearing, that the lights on the stairwells were labelled 'Safety lights' on the circuit board. Who would'a thunk? Wouldn't they be 'stairwell lights'?

Warren's list of spare parts, need to buys, and like to haves grew. We have had to identify, given the budget, what is essential to living aboard and negotiating our way safely for 7,000 miles. This is perhaps going to be an ongoing battle :)

We knew that our time was finite, so worked ourselves hard each day to accomplish the tasks we had set out as being essential in our remaining time in Houston. All too soon, the time came to pack things up and put away so that we could safely leave our new baby where we found her.
We had negotiated an excellent docking fee with the broker we bought her off, so she remains under his watchful eye.

The space behind the salon seats above, and below...when all the seat cushions and tops are removed... this is what is hidden

Every inch of storage counts, on a boat.

I believe I left you somewhere about the time of the Survey for the Grand Harbour 55 we were in the process of purchasing.
After she was taken out of the water for her bottom inspection, her hull was power washed so we could get a better view of any problems or potential problems. She was declared fit to return to dock, so that's what we did.
After lengthy discussions with the Hull Surveyor about what needed fixing and what it would cost, we had some time to formulate some plans and discuss those with our broker Len. The engine survey would come through in two days time, but we needed to make another offer post survey, taking into consideration all the engine maintenance that was needed, hoses replaced, cutlas bearings, zinc etc etc. She would also need a bottom paint at some stage in the near future. Her insides were generally in excellent shape but she was in need of updates in the electronics dept. and in the galley. One of the Heads needed a new pump, and so on and so forth.
A BOAT is known as a hole in the water that you keep pouring money into. Talk to any boating person and they will tell you the same thing. The trick to buying a boat is to find the shallowest hole into which to pour the money. This is no easy feat when you are looking within the budget we had and within the age also.
For a 14 yr old boat, this one is in cracker condition, all things taken into consideration.

Armed with the Survey reports, we put in another considerably less offer. I guess the seller was offended. We don't mind that. They need to consider that they didn't look after the boat in the manner she needed, so they will reap that reward at the sale end of things. There were items listed for sale in the literature that were not on the boat when we came to view her. Some of those things were expensive! This we also had to take into consideration as some of those items were essentials.
The seller countered with providing a couple of those  what I would call 'fluff' items. That is, not essential to the running of the vessel. They were refused and we stuck to our price offer. I guess his broker did some fast talking because by morning we had a deal. We owned the boat.
The sale of the boat was completed by Thursday morning, and we took possession of her by 10am that day.
We finally  had our boat:)
First order of business was to clean her. Well, for me it was. The owners had literally walked off the vessel and had not cleaned her. I don't understand how people can offer a boat for sale...or a house....and not clean it first. I was a little disturbed to find denture cleaner in the vanity cupboard, I have to say, lol. I don't have any use for that....yet!
A huge throw-out ensued to get rid of mouldy smelling things, opening up the sofas to reveal the huge storage cavities behind, but also the mould growing on the walls under there. Lots of hot soapy water did the job, but I think I will have to revisit that when we go back.
The walls everywhere have mould on them. It took me 2 1/2 days to clean the master stateroom, and I still managed to miss some. The Master Head took more time than I wanted and turned up things that weren't included in the survey. How surprising (being sarcastic!). I didnt attack the VIP cabin and Head until the day before we left. I also need to go back there with bucket in hand and complete the de-moulding of the area.
When boats are closed up and there is no air circulation, it is little wonder that mould grows so well.
One of the first expenditures on the boat was for three fans. Keeping the air circulating is paramount.
At this point I have to say that we were thoroughly enjoying the surrounding area of Clear Lake, Houston, and the people we encountered there.

The view across Clear Lake. The high rise is the only one for miles, and a bit of an oddity.

Some of the lovely homes bordering the lake, below.

There is almost always a pleasure craft of some kind outside their lake-side homes.

We are now heading to Houston Texas, food-wise, that is.
After the bungle with our meals at the Hilton Garden Inn, and subsequent move to the Hampton Inn  we were very happy to discover that the restaurants on the main road alongside the H I  were almost all well populated, which is usually a good sign.
Our first stop was Carrabba's Italian Restaurant.  We chose to sit at the bar the first night because there were no restaurant seats. This turned out to be an inspired choice. We received exemplary service and taught the barman to make Lemon, Lime and Bitters. He was rapt to make what we thought was the best LL&B we had tasted in our travels:). I don't remember what we ate that night, but conversations with other bar inhabitants were delightful and totally added to our experience. We decided we would return. A couple of nights later we did and again chose the bar to eat. The entertainment is better at the bar~!The food was excellent and not too expensive.
In between those visits we ate sushi (which had lots of selections featuring Jalapenos!) just along the road further, and another night across the road at an All -you -can -eat Salad Bar. Cant beat $6.99 each! We also ate Gyros at a mediterranean restaurant where the hosts were more interested in talking to each other in their mother tongue, than conversing with the patrons.
We thought the best meal we have ever eaten was at the Tradicao Brazillian Steakhouse across the road from the hotel. We had passed by there everyday on the way back to the hotel and swore we would investigate it one night. The night we chose, we were totally tuckered out and it just seemed like a good idea. Not knowing what to expect, this experience was like no other. We were invited to partake of the salad bar which featured 30 different item such as Heart of palm, Reggiano Parmegiano cheese by the basket, white and green asparagus, artichoke hearts  and delicious grilled vegetables, including eggplant...one of my favorites!
We were given a coaster that was red on one side and green on the other. When you place the coaster green side up, it means the meat servers will visit your table. Red, they dont.
Check out the menu here...http://www.yelp.com/menu/tradicao-brazilian-steakhouse-webster-3
All the meat we ate was superb...especially the NZ lamb!:) The little parmesan bread rolls were to die for and Warren enjoyed more from a second basket that magically appeared at our table.
We loved that all the meat was straight off the spit, especially when we had to wait for the Picanha to be cooked. The fried bananas that came as an accompaniment to the meal were fantastic, and Warren considers that they were his dessert.We came out of the restaurant saying WOW!!! This was by far the most expensive meal we  had  consumed but considered it well worth the money. We will be back.
Also just along the road was a Ben and Jerry's Ice cream shop. Warren had never eater B & J's, so this was a golden opportunity. Not inexpensive, but definitely well worth the visit.
Across the road was a Stone Cold Creamery. This is ice-cream with pudding mix added to it, so it doesn't melt very fast and it doesnt 'lick' like ice-cream. Into it you can have any number of 'goodies' mixed in, including Heath Bar, Snickers, gummy bears, cookies, nuts and sprinkles etc etc. All this is then scooped into a waffle cone or cup. We didnt make a return visit there.
Our last meal in Houston was back at the Sushi restaurant where we ordered Bento. Price was reasonable and the food was excellent.
The next day we were on our way home to New Zealand.

I will touch on the 'shopping' some time soon, but first, back to the boat saga.

Here we are back talking about food again...
Perhaps I should include some photos of the Pelikans  at this stage. They were fun to watch diving for their food and provided much amusement when a fishing charter came back to port at the Fisherman's Village full of fish.

This photo is of the Fisherman's Village (all the colored buildings) from the middle of Charlotte Harbor. The Marina is on the left. Another photo below.

The Pelikan is diving into the live bait bucket on the charter vessel and finds a good catch.

There were so many fish for the charter captain to fillet that he had another fellow help him for the most part. They were filleting for hours with these electric knives. Very efficient! The egrets were also trying to get a stray fish, though their best efforts were thwarted.

One of our favorite restaurants in Punta Gorda turned out to be the River City Grill http://www.rivercitygrillpg.com/

The food was fantastic, the service without equal and we were made to feel as if we were welcome family. We dined there three times! I favored the Seafood, of course, and Warren the Steaks. 

This was one of the busiest restaurants we have ever dined in. Not only that, the average age of the patrons seemed to be in their 80's. No kidding! This was the end of the 'Snowbird' season and they were there with their oxygen bottles and all.

Another Punta Gorda special meal was the Irish Pub where we had amazing fish and Chips. Thank goodness we arrived at  4.30pm, because you couldnt get a table for love or money much after that. 

Everywhere we went we initiated the Bar Staff into the delights of Lemon, Lime and Bitters. For the most part they got it spot-on:)

I feel it is appropriate at this juncture to mention food :)
Living in Hotels is not ideal by any stretch of the imagination, and we crave some form of 'normal' in our lives. Supermarkets are some of the first things we look for once on the ground anywhere.
 Fresh fruit is essential to our well being, so it is usually the first purchase. We sought and found large fruit salads ready to eat...emphasis on the LARGE, I might say, in true American fashion. This served as lunch on more than one occasion. We also found instant breakfast in the form of fresh berries in yoghurt with meusli in a separate container on the top. Perfect!
One of the reasons (previously mentioned) that we like the Hampton Inns so much, is their free breakfast. Ok, so you actually are paying for it with the price of the room....we get it!
Their breakfasts are fairly comprehensive: Assorted pastries and muffins, bagels and English Muffins, cooked breakfast (don't make me go into detail there, I might gross you out) with all kinds of American 'goodies' that we wouldn't normally touch with a barge pole, yoghurt and cereal, including oatmeal and plenty of fresh fruit, juice etc. The usual hot drinks also included. Now the piece de resistance, according to Warren, is the self made Waffles! This with butter substitute (sometimes you get butter) and Maple syrup look-alike (read, corn syrup with caramel coloring). The waffle machine is timed and the mixture measured, so easy peasy. I don't get the people (usually teenage boys) who feel the need to overfill the measuring cup and carefully pour ALL the mixture into the waffle iron only to then tip the iron over, whereby all the excess they have so carefully poured in oozes out the sides. Duh!
All that aside, waffles with fruit salad isn't a bad breakfast to start the day.
I will digress slightly here...
While in Houston we found a shop almost next door to the Hotel called 'Kolache'. Normally one would pronounce this in the Latino way this being Texas, but after a much needed rece, we found that it is indeed pronounced Ko - lar- chay, as written. It is Czech in origin and a filled and baked bun, not unlike Chinese dim sum, and for those from Hawaii, Manapua. The egg and sausage breakfast buns were filled to busting and we went back for more the next day,  buying different flavors for lunch that time. We decided they would be fantastic things to freeze and easy lunches on the go to microwave when we cant stop the boat for lunch.
Now, back to the rest of the food.
Any new city is a challenge when it comes to eating, and Tampa was no different. We ended up eating at a food hall in the Mall near the hotel, our first night there. Our second night in Florida was in Stuart and we sat in the Yacht Club restaurant overlooking the water  and the Marina. Boats pulled up, disgorged their occupants into the restaurant, and then went away again with full-bellied passengers. A gorgeous brand new 60ft catamaran Motor Yacht (Launch) manoeuvred in the channel outside the restaurant with some difficulty...it really was too big for the space, but this looked like a see and be seen occasion...and indeed we later found out the whole story. This boat was here for promotional photography. This became evident as the sun sank lower over the horizon. Lights went on, people milled around looking important and the woman photographer made the most of the 'interest'. Our broker Len, never one to miss an opportunity, decided we should go and meet the important looking man parading up and down the dock. Turned out he was the builder/owner. We got the low-down on what was going on, had a wee chat about the merits of designers, and discussed NZ designers as being some of the best in the world. We never miss that opportunity!:)
 He was a gracious host and invited us to come aboard the next day and wished us good fortune in our search for the ideal boat for our adventures. We were unable to take him up on the offer, but were able to appreciate her delights from the dock. I wasn't able to persuade anyone to let me use the hot tub on her back deck! bummer!
I dont really remember the food we ate that night. Seafood for me...I have an idea Crab Cakes were on the plate...and of course a steak for Warren and Len.
For the next few days the meals are a bit of a blur. Many lunches were consumed mid afternoon because of being on the road and looking at different boats up and down the East Coast of Florida. Dinners were even later and I have no recollection of breakfast, whatsoever.
It wasn't until we got to Punta Gorda on the South West Coast of Florida that we had some semblance of regular meals. As I have previously mentioned, the bagels at the 50's diner in the Fisherman's Village, along with the somewhat ok Lattes  were a start to the day, though nothing special. Lunches were the aforementioned fruit salad, though one day we went to the Oyster Bar and shouted ourselves a half dozen fresh oysters. Yum! The rest of the meal was fish and chips and salad. Memories of this meal are pretty good actually!
Another lunch was at Panera...wow! they made REAL kiwi-style coffee...lattes, that is...and the food was excellent. We found a Panera near us in Houston too!
On our last day in Punta Gorda, Lens wife Stephie  and her friend Janie took us to an All-you-can-eat Crab Shack. How to describe this....
It was like a run-down residential house with old trees in the yard which of course was turned into a parking lot. Out back of the house was what looked like a concrete bunker with lots of steam coming through the holes near the roofline. Out back of that was a large shed alongside a boat dock.
A large deck out the entry side of the shack lead us into the main eating room...I wont say dining room because it looked like it had been someones bedroom. Dollar bills are attached to every available space on the walls, all with a signature and where the signer came from . They think we are the first kiwis to hang one on the wall!
Sit down, order....well, we are there for the all-you-can-eat crab. Man came with newspaper and laid it all over the table. He also came with a roll of paper towels...you know there is some serious stuff going down when they leave the roll, lol.
 Not knowing what to expect, it was a complete surprise when large 2 gallon buckets are brought to each of us, full of hot steaming blue crabs. Not just blue crabs! They are covered in a spice known locally as  'Old Bay'. Well, after a couple of crabs, my lips feel like they are sticking out a mile...spicy and yummy but a bit too much for me. All the others didn't seem to mind too much and the girls said they wouldn't eat crab without it! I ordered a bucket of plain crab, but it didn't arrive until I was full up to busting. Three hours later
we hang up the towels and declare we are 'stuffed'!
Sorry folks...the photos didn't happen. I cant understand it! can you?
More food to follow...

Tuesday, 8am, we were back at the boat. The Engineer was already in the engine room, and the Hull surveyor arrived at about the same time. Surveys are usually all day affairs. The engineer is a Diesel mechanic /engineer . He is qualified to assess the engine or engines in the engine room and make recommendations as to what the shortcomings are and what might need to be done to them in the future. This will affect the value of the boat one way or the other, depending on the amount of work to be done. In our case, the former owner had rather neglected the engines, so the work to be done was extensive.

These photos show our baby coming out of the water on the Travel Lift for her Hull inspection

This photo gives some sense of scale with the fellow standing on the starboard bow. 

She was only out of the water for about an hour, just long enough to complete the hull inspection and for the surveyor to make recommendations.

Satisfied with all the various findings, she went back in the water and we all headed back to the dock where she is now housed.

Thursday 28th Feb, Len had another boat for us to look at after a frought week in which there were no new boats for us to view in Florida. This time, the boat was in Houston, Texas.
We frantically made plans for us all to fly to Houston on Sunday 3rd Feb. Warren and I had tickets already booked through Houston for our return flight out on the 16th March. For a small fee we were able to change our tickets to stop over in Houston on the 3rd March, continuing from there to SFO on the way home on the 16th. This solved one of our major return flight problems. We would have had only 30 mins to meet our connecting flight from Tampa to SFO on the original ticket.
We didn't feel comfortable going to Houston without Len, so booked him a flight and hotel to accompany us. This was money very well spent. Not only was he another pair of eyes and ears, after our failed efforts elsewhere, but with 40 years in the boat brokerage business, he was an expert in his field. He also knew the selling broker for some 30 years.
We again booked into a Hilton property. Len recommended the Hilton Garden Inn, and we found one in Webster, Houston, about 9 miles from where the boat was moored. It didn't show on the GPS, so we rang the hotel for directions. The young man on the other end of the phone was detached and almost rude in his directions. Upon arrival, we went to check in. Same young man was busy shooting pens into a container on the desk and we had to wait for him to finish this before he unsmilingly greeted us. We asked for a luggage trolley for our large amount of luggage, but none was forthcoming. Explaining this as "people leave them in their rooms....they'll come back, some time". That wasn't good enough for us and we ended up walking all our luggage into the hotel and to our rooms.  We left to go and see the boat, and returned in time for Happy Hour. Sitting at the bar, we ordered drinks which he couldn't fulfill and Len ordered a cocktail specifically asking for ingredients, but the barman started to make it without those ingredients. The order was cancelled as the hotel did not have any of the ingredients for any of our drinks! Reordered something easy...a glass of wine, and, not feeling like going out for dinner, decided to order food at the bar.
Warren ordered a pork loin in apple cider with mashed potatoes and beans. I had ordered the Salmon with bok choy and a soy-style sauce plus salad. Len decided not to eat. When the food came out, the mashed was on my plate with the salmon, and Warren just got the beans. The salad was out of a bag and no effort had been expended to actually 'make' a salad. The sauce for the salmon was so salty as to be inedible. The bok choy that accompanied the meal was swimming in the sauce, so that was also inedible. I complained. The barman said they had received complaints about it in the past. Well, why were they still serving it? No answer to that one.
We left disgruntled. The hotel was not inexpensive for the night, and I had booked us all in for three nights.

Warren and I went for a morning walk the next morning after breakfast. We had not been satisfied with Breakfast either. The wait staff were a little over-eager and attempted to remove our food plates when we were not finished. That and the almost cold coffee poured at the table were inexcusable.
No sooner had we gone out the driveway,  than we found a neighboring Hampton Inn. We went straight to the front desk and asked if they had any rooms available for the following two nights. We told the Manager why and were informed that the two hotels were 'sister' hotels and managed by the same team. She turned out to be the Hampton Inn's area manager. Good thing we talked to her. She arranged everything for us and the rooms were ready for occupation when we returned with our bags less than an hour later.

We returned to the Garden Inn to find Len already complaining. We asked for a manager, and were told he would be in around 10 am. We couldn't wait. We did intend going back to the Hotel to make complaints later in the day. We told the head receptionist we would be moving across the road and explained why. He comped our meals but said he couldn't refund our next two nights. We would have to phone Expedia who had booked the rooms for us. So much for the Hilton guarantee that you have to be 100% satisfied, or they will refund your money!
We went out for the day on Monday. We had moved all our bags into the Hampton Inn before leaving for the day. That felt better. Home ground, as it were. The property does not have a bar or restaurant, but there were so many of both in the surrounding area we had plenty of choice. We came back to the Garden Inn in time to engage the Manager in a dialog. His body language was combative, as was his manner. Len did an admirable job of stating our cause. We could understand the demeanor of the staff, after meeting the Manager. Things really do start at the top!!
We managed to sort out the refund business by having them pay for the next two nights with the Hampton Inn. A call to Hotels.com was not fruitful in the refund department, and they had told a couple of lies at the Garden Inn, in reference to refunds. Another reason to not go there!


We had arrived in Houston on Sunday at noon and immediately gone to view the boat. Food was first though, and fortunately a Subway was right next to the Marina. Fortified, we were able to look the boat over without thinking of our rumbling stomachs.
This boat is a 55 ft Grand Harbour, with an overall length of 57 ft 6". Like the previously viewed Horizons she has heavy stainless steel fixtures, though the windows and doors are Aluminum. She is a solid fiberglass hull which is a plus, and though she is a 1999 boat, she has been well looked after internally.
After viewing her favorably on Sunday afternoon, we decided to go ahead with a Survey. This was arranged for Tuesday morning, bright and early (8am).
We had Monday to do what we wished, but wanted to take another look at the boat. We spent a couple of hours going over and inside her and making sure we were comfy with the boat before the survey. After lunch we drove down to Galveston Island with Len....he had the rental car, so he drove... and rediscovered the place we enjoyed so much on our 2010 visit. We were sad to see not much had changed in the middle of town, and that lots of low cost shops had gone into the Strand. The pier where the Hotel once stood has also been removed, so there are now no interruption to the line of sight down the beach.

Wednesday noon we were back in search of a boat to buy. Unfortunately this meant much travel. Fortunately I didn't have to do the driving for the next couple of days, while feeling so ill. Len drove with Warren in the passenger seat, while I vegged out in the back. Warren learned how to use the GPS and map system in Lens new car, which was cause for much laughter at times. We got where we needed to go, which was the most important thing.

There was no view to speak of up and down the I 95 apart from the noise barriers on the side, and the occasional tree you can see over the wall. It was all very boring, but good for my state of mind. I was coughing till my ribs hurt, and I felt very  'otherworldly'.

Back up Highway 1 to Vero Beach to see another boat that had been on our short list. We may as well take a look at her while we were in the vicinity. The owner has his head in the clouds price-wise and we will get no further on that one, so leave it in Vero Beach.

This is a fine example of' Live Aboard Winter-Over' accommodation in an out of the way Marina. These folks have their priorities right :)

On the road again, and this time down to Pompano Beach. We took a look at a 60 ft Hatteras which Len was keen for us to see. She may have been a great boat a couple of years ago, but her current owners have neglected her and done no housekeeping besides. This is so disappointing, because with just a little elbow grease and a few small dollars, they would achieve a much greater price. They don't want to lower their price to reflect the work needed, so we pass on this one too.
Many of the boats we look at have not been detailed. While we can overlook most of this, my oversensitive nose could not go past the mould smells that were greater than what a soapy wash would take out. That usually spells other big problems with water somewhere it shouldn't be.

Time to go back to the Hotel after viewing those two boats and being on the road all day.
We have moved to Port St. Lucie, just up the coast, after our fiasco of a night in Stuart. Dinner at TGI Fridays...nothing much on the menu that we felt like eating...too tired and mostly fried food. Salads didn't even look good. Warren and Len had ribs and enjoyed them. We did buy lots of fresh fruit from the supermarket the previous day, and ate a huge container of Blueberries the size of quarters for breakfast.

Our accommodation that night (Wednesday 20th Feb.) was in a suite with two queen beds,a sink and a microwave, a sofa and comfy chair. It was probably 30 sq. meters in all. We managed to get the last two rooms in the hotel, this being silly season. Of course, the one thing we hadn't factored into our travel plans was that all the Snowbirds were in Florida for the Winter. How could we have forgotten this??

On the agenda for the next day's viewing (Thursday)  is a drive 1 1/2 hours north to Merritt Island. This boat had been near the top of our short- list prior to our making an offer on the Vantare. She is a 55 ft Viking with complete walk-around deck and a galley on the Salon and pilothouse level, which is very convenient, but she is a 1986 boat.
The gentleman who greeted us at the boat was the owner who had come down from NY just a few days earlier. You could tell a 'fella' was living on the boat. He also hadn't made any effort to tidy up before our viewing. This was a 4 Stateroom, three Head boat, which wasn't my idea of fun. Too many small spaces below-decks which means hard to clean, but quite nicely furnished. Airflow is a problem on all boats, and this was no exception. I didn't feel this was something I really wanted to buy, though Len and Warren were making the right noises. She did have a lot in her favor...which I wont go into in depth, because we didn't buy her! the owner wanted too much money, of course, but when his wife came down to the boat, she berated him, apparently, for not taking our offer. Too late!

Warren and our broker Len on their way to view the  Merritt Island Boat. This is the private Marina there.

Next in line was a trip down the coast to Ft Lauderdale, a 4 1/2 hour drive. We had decided to take both cars as we planned to go back to Punta Gorda, Len's home port, that night.
The boat we were about to see was nothing like the ones we had previously considered. Frantic searches late into the night by Len had come up with this boat which had been on the market since October 2012. He also knew the broker well and had a high regard for her.
It was a bit challenging finding the dock, which was situated at the back of a residential property. The property was also on the intra-coastal waterway which we were interested to view. It was a wide body of water at this point as you can see across the bow of the Horizon.

This Horizon 56 ft was a 2002 boat that had been purpose built for charter in the British Virgin Islands. She had been sitting on the present dock when the last fierce storm (Hurricane Sandy) hit the area and she had  sustained a small amount of damage to her back starboard side and the dinghy had almost been destroyed.

 She presented well with lovely wood finish inside and heavy stainless everything, including windows and doors which was very attractive to us, being used to aluminum fittings otherwise. The galley was small, though suitable for a week's charter, she would need much modification for live-aboard.

Warren also didn't like the port-side pilot station.

She had also been neglected by her owner who owed more than half a million dollars on her. We felt good enough about her to make an offer, which was countered and again, but which we ultimately walked away from. The owner owes too much to come down to our acceptable level, given the amount of work involved in making her seaworthy again.
We parted ways with Len late that afternoon. He drove back to Punta Gorda on his own, and left us to go to a pharmacy for drugs for me, and for Warren and I to have some time alone and a meal. We found a Chinese takeout with some tables to eat at and enjoyed an excellent meal there.

Len had given us directions to Punta Gorda and Fisherman's Village, where he had booked us into an Hotel room close to his office. Driving in a strange place in the dark on the wrong side of the road is never fun, but we completed the 6 hour journey in good time with a stop for Gas in the middle of the  I 75, the Everglades Expressway, better known as Alligator Alley. There is nothing to see on this road anyway, as swamp surrounds the expressway and it is bound by fencing to stop critters crossing the roadway. The vegetation is the same for the whole distance, and very uninteresting. We agreed to txt Len as we got close to our destination, and he was there to meet us with the room key. What a trooper! He had been waiting for our arrival, in his office, looking for more boats for us to view.
Our 2 bedroom 'condo' at the Fisherman's Village was nice if a bit dated. It was good to have the space to stretch out and for me to have a bed to retreat to when coughing spasms overtook me, threatening to wake Warren.

This pic shows the area just below our condo at the Fisherman's Village

By this time, we were absolutely dying for a Kiwi-style Latte or flat white. We had not found a Starbucks in our travels so far, so had to do without. It was tough!
Downstairs at the Village was a breakfast and Ice-cream kind of 50's diner. They did Bagels and Latte...well, some semblance of a Latte. After the first one, we learned to ask for a small, as the medium was HUGE! Cinnamon and Raisin, or Blueberry bagels and cream cheese were on the menu for us for the next three mornings. Warren did venture to have a sausage egg muffin, one morning, but it appeared in such a short time that there was no way it could have been made for him. We later found out you can buy them all pre-made in a box...of course! blech!
We spent time doing laundry, walking the shops in the village and sitting with Len for what seemed like hours, while we found, discussed the virtues of and discarded boat after boat.
By now we have been in Florida for just a week.
We could only stay in the Condo for two nights (Thurs/Fri) as Spring Training (Baseball) was in full swing in Florida and they needed our accommodation. Again, the place was booked out and we couldn't find a room for love or money or in Len's case, influence and favors. His partner Tony was kind enough to let us sleep in his lovely 60ft Viking, moored in the Marina next to the village. This boat is used for charters with captain (Tony) and was beautifully appointed, just like a luxury hotel. We had spent the day chilling out, finally deciding to rent a 16 ft runabout to get out on the water. We were going a little stir crazy by this time. Too much time in Hotels! We spent 1 1/2 hrs going up the Charlotte Harbor to the Peace River, and a short way up that before returning to Fisherman's Village. We stopped a couple of times to take photos of birds.


By Saturday, (the end of week one) Len had another boat for us to view... another Horizon, from the same fleet out of the British Virgin Islands, only this one was moored at the back of a broker's property in West Palm Beach. Sunday morning we went with Len to Ft Meyers and waited in the car while he showed a boat to another client...successfully completing a sale...and then he drove us to West Palm Beach to view the Horizon.
This boat was in a shocking state.

She is a 2000 version of the 2002 model we had seen in Ft Lauderdale, only everything about her was hopeless. Everything needed doing. Of course this made the other boat look fantastic. We tried again with the 2002 Horizon owner, but ended that bidding war with nowhere to go, price-wise.
Len had  managed to secure us a room in the Wyvern Hotel in Punta Gorda for Sunday through Friday. This lovely hotel had everything except coffee making facilities and a business center, which rather bemused us. We so desperately needed to make ourselves a cup of tea that we went to a local Target store and bought ourselves a two cup coffee maker. It saved our lives!

With no further boats to view we  spent the rest of the week waiting for boat owners to accept or reject offers we had tendered. We made the decision not to go forward with all of them. I wasn't prepare to accept a second best boat that I would have to live on for the next couple of years. It is not only an expensive proposition, but I have to be happy where I live. Don't we all?

We have been home in NZ one week this morning, Monday. Setting down at Auckland Airport from San Fran. at 5.30am is rather obscene. We had to wait for the transfer vehicle to take us the parking lot where our vehicle had been stored for the month we were in the USA. It was funny driving on 'the other side' of the road again. Have to be vigilant at intersections in particular!

Having hunted for the 'right' boat for us for the past year (at least), we had made an offer on a 57' Vantare, in Eastern Florida. After a little negotiation, this being the second time we were offering on this vessel, they accepted our offer, subject to all the normal surveys , first hand viewings etc.
This, of course, necessitated a flight to Florida and enough time to get all the surveys done and any work needed to make her further seaworthy for us, if necessary. We budgeted for a month.

Two weeks after the offer was accepted, we were on an Air NZ plane to San Francisco.  From there to Tampa/St Petersburg, via Denver. Lucky for us the cold front hadn't come through yet, and the ground at Denver was clear (no snow, as there was a week later). We had paid for an extra bag all the way, at great expense, but this bag was to stay on the boat, when we eventually were in a position to put it there.

I had insisted on a whole day in Tampa to get over the flight and to get our bearings. I didn't want to be driving whilst 'hung over' from the flight. Having arrived in Tampa at 1 am Tuesday morning, it was a good thing we did take time out.
We try to stay at Hampton Inns when we are in the USA. Free breakfast and WIFI, along with consistent service, reasonable rates and decent beds are just a few of the reasons. The Tampa Airport Hampton Inn was no exception. Warren had discovered make-your-own waffles in the breakfast room last time we were in the US, 2010, so of course that was his delight for breakfast that morning.

The Hotel was within easy walking distance of two malls, so our twice daily walks were to the mall where we reacquainted ourselves with US brands and made a couple of essential purchases.
Wednesday, we collected our rental car from the airport. We had upgraded to a Nissan Maxima from a Chevy Impala, and this car was almost brand new. Hmm...How to start it??? No key hole, just a button which didn't start the car because I obviously wasn't doing something right. Foot on brake solved that problem..duh!
This was more like driving a spaceship. Having had older vehicles in the past 7 yrs, this car was another ball game. It took me a day or two to find all the bells and whistles, but all the things I needed to know we found in the first ten mins. Lovely to drive and with the much needed capacious trunk space for our three large suitcases and hand luggage which included two laptop computers.  One of which was to stay on the boat, eventually.

With our trusty GPS leading the way, we spent the next three hours on State Hwy 60 across the state from Tampa to Stuart, just south of Port St. Lucie, on the  mid-Atlantic East Coast of Florida. The yacht club in Stuart was where we were to view the boat. We were also to meet our boat broker Len Garofoli, owner of Pier One Yacht Sales, Punta Gorda, FL, for the first time. We both felt as if we were old friends, having worked so closely for the past 8 months, though always by telephone. We really cannot say enough good things about the support and service and also friendship we received from Len. Later we got to know some of the other brokers in his office who appear equally dedicated.

We met the present owners of the Vantare before going to view her for the first time. She was immaculately groomed, and everything we had seen in the many photos. This was a boat we had kept coming back to when our search was frustrated by other less suitable motor yachts. This was to be our home for the next couple of years, after all. She had to be as close to perfect as possible, given the budget.

We agreed that our visual of her was sufficient to go ahead with an Engine and Hull Survey the following day.  The Engineer and Hull surveyor were on stand-by should we need them.
Thursday morning dawned bright and beautiful. Temps were in the early 20's C, and humidity was low. Just perfect for us.
The Motel the previous night was another matter, however. Upon entering the motel room, the smell just about knocked us over. Mould! It was late and we were dog tired, so didn't complain, though it didn't please us. I spent the night with  increasing difficulty breathing and developed a nasty cough. The putrid, toxic air being belched into the room all night by the aircon unit, stung my nostrils. Warren slept like a baby as usual, though he was troubled by the smell. I felt very ill the next day, and the prospect of another night in those surroundings was not possible. We checked out after eating a breakfast that left a lot to be desired, with a Latino breakfast cook who insisted on singing and dancing his way around the dining room.

We had to be at the Marina at 8 am for the Survey to begin. We arrived with things already under way.
I spent the next 45 mins with the owners, going over their records of 'everything'. A delightful couple, they are selling due to unfortunate health problems. In the meantime,Warren, Len and the Engineers were deep in the bowels of the boat.
Len appeared at the Salon door and asked to borrow me for a few minutes. We walked onto the dock, the three of us, and took a stroll. The news was devastating. The boat hull seeping water between the outer fibreglass layers and the inner core material. Something we hadn't expected, however some stains on the interior finishes and the smell of mould in the master cabin made sense too now. Any boat will have some degree of mould on the inside. It is just how it is with boats.
The decision was made to call a halt to further investigation. The Engineers had also found some issues that would need immediate attention. None of which were inexpensive.
So, one hour in, the surveyors packed up and left. We had a detailed discussion with the sellers broker and our offer was withdrawn. We had a short time to say our farewells to an emotional seller, and were back to square one.
We feel badly for the sellers who need to be rid of this boat so that they can get medical treatment on land, and take care of themselves. We hope their Insurance Company will become involved.

This photo of Warren was taken prior to checking out another vessel in Merritt Island.