Week Ending Aug. 26, 2023

Splash Day – Sláinte is officially a boat

34.0424° S , 23.0440°

In early 2021, having first laid eyes upon and sailed aboard a Vision 444 catamaran (heartfelt thanks and kudos to trailblazers Thomas & Terri and their outstanding sailing vessel Kon Tiki), we secured a build slot and started the process. What followed was endless hours of dreaming, learning, detailed planning, countless sleepless nights, and broadly wondering if or just how we could pull this off whilst faced with the reality of a ~ 8,000 mi / 12,000 km gap between our home and the factory.

This week that dream materialized as our vessel left the factory and in the expert hands of the team and transport crew is now floating in the Knysna waterfront marina. And so the journey continues with the transition to reality of now having our boat:

Sláinte on the move from the factory to the waterfront early in the morning

Stepping the mast in preparation for launch

Christening of Sláinte

Photo with James – CEO Vision Yachts

Photo with Aletta – Master Electrician Vision Yachts

Sláinte sunset on splash day

Over the course of the next week, formal factory commissioning of all boat systems (motors, sails, rigging, electrical, watermaker, navigation etc.) and sign off will continue with an anticipated first sail to occur early next week. By the start of September we hope to officially move aboard (initially dockside then ideally to a mooring ball) to start acclimating to life full time on a boat.

Away from the boat we continue to meet owners visiting in anticipation of future launches (JP & Dianne hull #16), met and got to know more wonderful locals, attended a birthday party in a stunning oceanside home, adjusted to the routine of load shedding (scheduled power grid shut downs), and generally are acclimating to the rhythm of life as we begin to feel more comfortable in a new town.

Up Next – Sailing Sláinte for the first time!