It's starting to take shape!

 

Greetings,

It’s been a while since our last update from the Isle of Wight, when the framing was just beginning. As you can see from the photos, progress has been steady: much of the shell plating is now tacked on,

the tanks are complete,

and the E/R (engine room) bulkhead is fully welded. From the stern shot,

you really get a sense of her size.

We’ve also added a great new piece of gear—two Brompton folding e-bikes.

At just 25 lbs. each, they’re easy for Marilyn and me to store, lift into the tender, and take ashore. We’re looking forward to using them for exploring the local sites and provisioning once we’ve anchored.

On the legal and registration front, we’ve decided to form a holding company in Gibraltar and register the boat in Great Britain as a "Small Vessel in Commercial Use" under the British flag. This will mean that we'll have to comply with the Brirish safety standards for a charter vessel - but if we meet those standards - they will suffice for any other country.

Since she’ll be in charter part-time, this structure lets us take delivery in the UK (rather than in Internationl waters - Guernsey) without VAT until there’s charter income, and Gibraltar’s zero VAT keeps costs down.

We’ve also invested in an Orca navigation system (getorca.com).

It won’t replace our Raymarine setup but will integrate with it for a) better accuracy in route planning, b) combines instrument data (like depth, weather, etc.) on the chart plotter,

c) a mobile autopilot is accessible from their designated display or smartphone, computer, or even smart watch, and d) a rich, automatic logbook. It has some other functionality for sailboats that will be lost on me. I’m especially excited about the mobile

autopilot—it means I can step away from the helm station inside the salon area when I need to, and remain in control. Reviews of the Orca system have been excellent.

Well, until next blog...and pictures.  Enjoy the rest of your summer!!

Mike & Marilyn