Further Update

Just a progress report:

The last blog entry was when we had just put Take Five on the market, Friday afternoon. At midday on the following Sunday Mike took a call from the broker to say that he had an offer for us, and after a little bit of debate we agreed on a price.

The next step was for them to arrange their out of water survey which could not be done for ten days.

A couple of days ago the broker from Swanley Marina rang to say that the survey had been done and that the buyers were happy with the report. A day later the broker confirmed that the money was now sitting in their client account!

When we left at the end of the last trip we were not able to prepare the boat for sale! (We had not even decided that we would sell) As a result we now have to go back up to pack up all of our belongings and leave the rest in good order. The new owners-to-be are going away for a break but would like to meet up with us before setting off to take the boat back to the Lea and Stort where they will be keeping it.

The upshot of several phone calls is that we will be going up to Swanley next Wednesday - the boat should be back in the water by then - so that we can pack up. Unfortunately all this is made more complex as Mike will be at General Synod in York from Thursday evening until Tuesday afternoon. Christine will stay aboard. He also has to be back in time for a meeting in Truro on the Thursday.

With luck - still to be confirmed - Andrew will join her on Sunday afternoon so that they can together visit our short list of builders (so far we have only seen two). The aim is that as soon as possible after that we can discuss in detail with our selected builder - we really are facing withdrawal symptoms so would like a delivery date as soon as possible. Of course, we first have to place an order.

Our plan from earlier this year was that we would be cruising all of August - one week we have to be absent from home as the Windsor family are using it as they have done several times before. As replacement, we have booked a week in a cottage in the Peak District - the day we go up at the end of July is when we will meet with the new owners. By that time they will have received the sale papers which we sign this next week. Another week is till to be fixed.

We have come to no agreement at all over the possible name for a new boat - if it is not the same then there will be perhaps one or two more posts until we change to something fresh! We will keep our readers updated and where they can find us.