Many couples celebrate the start of their lives together by buying their forever home and planning a family with 2.4 children and a dog. Others, however, go to a boat show!
Our story began in 2004 at the annual Milwaukee Boat Show in Wisconsin. Shawn was 24 years old and ready to trade in his motorcycle for something more exhilarating; I was 21 with two more years of college ahead of me, yet very much in love with the idea of cruising Lake Michigan and enjoying summers on the water. Like many boat show attendees that night, we were there only to escape a cold Midwest evening and not to buy a boat. Within a few short weeks, however, our motorcycles were sold and we were the proud owners of a brand new 24ft Glastron pocket cruiser, aptly named Tide The Knot.
As many boat owners will attest, buying a boat isn’t exactly a great use of financial resources, especially when you don’t have a lot of them! Rather, buying a boat is more of an investment in personal experiences and life-long memories, and less about future financial gains. We had no idea at the time that our new boat would take us to countless destinations along the west coast of Lake Michigan, introduce us to life-long friends and open our eyes to a whole new way of life. When thinking back on how our journey began, a quote by Robert Frost always comes to mind: “The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its wonder forever.” The sea, albeit a freshwater Great Lake, had begun to cast its greatest spell yet!
REALISING A DREAM
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Lofoten or Bust- Part 4- Grandezza owner Per Harrtoft heads back to Sweden after an epic 3500nm adventure deep into the Arctic Circle to visit the mythical Lofoten islands
After ten memorable days in the Lofoten Islands in the far north of Norway, we are on our way back south towards Sweden. We have already made it as far as Trondheim, a charming place even if it was raining so hard we had to cycle round the city centre clutching umbrellas. But now we are back on board Deamare, our Grandezza 40 Fly, eating up the miles at a steady 31 knots.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YACHT TRANSPORT
As the name suggests it's a means of having your boat moved professionally from one location to another. It might be as simple as hiring someone to tow your RIB a few miles down the road or as complex as shipping a superyacht halfway around the world.
HANDLE A SINGLE SHAFTDRIVE BOAT PART 1
Single shaftdrive boats are relatively rare these days but the reduced costs of buying, servicing and fuelling such a simple but reliable drivetrain does mean they are making a bit of a comeback.
COCKWELLS MOTOR LAUNCH
There can be very few boats that have appeared three times at the Southampton Boat Show and been sold off the stand each time.
INSTALLING AN AUTOPILOT
Rick Channon makes solo boating simple with a Raymarine Evolution Autopilot
GOOD AS NEW
Why fit a brand new engine when Volvo Penta's remanufacturing service can rebuild you an old one to the same standard for a fraction of the price?
BENETEAU SWIFT TRAWLER 54
Alex Smith heads to France's Beneteau HQ for a UK exclusive on what might just be the best Swift Trawler yet
ΧΟ EXPLR 44
Can XO's all-new aluminium flagship really make it big in the Med?
BUYING OUR FIRST CLASSIC
Instead of whiling away their retirement playing bowls, Rob and Shona Adams decided to invest their time and money in a classic Silver gentleman's yacht. Would the gamble pay off?
PRINCESS S65
Torn between the V and F Class flagships? The new S65 might be the boat you've been waiting for...
