It's Official - Worrall Wind is For Sale

Reduced Sun During Solar Eclipse

After much discussion and weighing the alternatives of continuing our world travels, we have decided that one of the alternatives that we will explore for now is selling our beloved Nauticat. We have no idea whether she will sell quickly or need to wait for the right buyer wanting a fully loaded crusing vessel with serious plans for offshore cruising. 

Weighing the Alternatives

Shipping Worrall Wind back to the states or to the Med is costly. Sailing to the Med via the Red Sea is treacherous with the pirate situation. We are not interested in sailing around South Africa. We would still like to take Worrall Wind to Indonesia, but eventually would need to return to Australia to sell her where the market is better. 

If she doesn't sell by next May, we may consider the Indonesia Rally and return to Australia later. As the saying goes, we aren't getting any younger, and some of our world travel dreams include being able to trek to certain places on our legs. So why we still have the energy and stamina, we need to accelerate our travels. Sailing is a a lovely adventure, but a bit too slow for our need to move on. 

For all of our vicarious sailing friends, this is your chance to pick up where we have left off. Let us know if you are interested in buying a Nauticat 44. She is not a project boat. She is turn-key or sail-up and ready to go. 

Getting Worrall Wind Sale Ready

While we have been back from our outback adventure, we have been doing the necessary preparation for selling Worrall Wind. The first thing we had to do was to import the boat to Australia. This involved hiring an import agent to help us navigate the import process which included getting an estimate of value, termite inspection, submitting certain certified documents, and finally paying an import fee! Ouch! Roughly 15% of the boats estimated value.

Some boat sellers fly under the wire and don't import until the boat has a buyer, but these boats are precluded from being listed on an open market. If customs finds them listed prior to importation (for sale sign, internet, etc.), it is a costly fine or confiscation of the boat. Our overburdened consciences ruled again, and we did it the correct but expensive way. But now, we feel pretty obligated to sell the boat here in Australia. 

Termites?

One of the requirements for having been here a year and also for importing the boat is a termite inspection. Australia is "concerned" about a West Indian termite that can be imported here. It would seem if they were really "concerned", they would inspect boats when they check in, not a year later when the termites could have jumped ship. We heard that if the boat had to be fumigated for these termites, the toxic gas used here in Australia can be very destructive to the boat, staining head liners, ruining electronic equipment, etc. 

So obviously, we were not wanting any termites to be found, and had already decided that if we had termites, we would leave the country before subjecting WW to fumigation. There are two methods of termite inspections, one by humans -two of them on an hourly pay basis going through each and every locker or one by human and dog...sniff and done in minutes. The cost for the dog and human inspector was almost $800, but the cost for the purely human inspection would have been even greater. We opted for the termite dog. Good doggie, good doggie......and she was. She sniffed and sniffed, but didn't find anything. Hooray! And no we didn't give her any doggie treats. 

Dolly in her uniform and Russ

Roz and Dolly

The human inspector checks out the boat for moisture in the wood before the dog inspects. Moist wood is a breeding ground for termites. He told us that most boats on the east coast of Australia usually have about a 13% moisture content. Worrall Wind was nearly 0% with only slight moisture around the open ports. The inspector told us, we were the driest boat he had ever seen. Yeah! It pays to have dry bilges and to hunt down those leaks. 

Community Immersion - Lion's Club

Hat Parade Finalists - 60% of this Lions Club Are Women

Inbetween the paper work, termite inspecttions, boat cleanup and cleanout, we have managed to do some more local sight seeing and to become involved with the local Lions club in the Red Cliff Scarborough. Some our our Lions Club Activities were to attend the pre-Melbourne Cup Party and Hat Parade. All of Australia gets very excited abou this annual horse race in Melbourne. This year Prince Charles and Camilla were on hand for the festivities. The Lion party included a hat parade, hobby horse races, and auction for horse bidding. We had a lot of fun. 

President Roslyn presenting Russ a Lion's Club Banner

From here, we went on to attend a community visitor day where the Lions Club takes Seniors out for a day of fun and comraderie. I am engaged with Helen, and woman born in Cairo. In her 90's, she still speaks five languages fluently. 

The Kippa Ring - Redcliffe Lions hosts probably the largest club recylcing center in the World. They recycle nearly a half million glasses a year and distribute them throughout Oceana. Having just received a government grant to service East Timore (Indonesian Island), the Lions Club is looking for ways to better achieve a matched distribution of glasses to need in a simple but effective way. 

Russ was tapped by the sight director to assist with an easy eye test. Below Russ is demonstrating the test to the International Lions President from the USA. 

Sights to See

Besides our community immersion, we have visited the local botanical gardens with lots of fruit bats

These fruit bats known as flying foxes are the size of a small rabbit and a wingspan of a meter or more.

Upside Down - Down Under

 and the Ipswich Train Work shop. 

While we have been at home in the marina, 

we have enjoyed the occasional storms, 

Thunder and Lightening Show

the solar eclipse,

Televised View from Northern Australia

Our Pin Hole Camera View from Scarborough

Looked Like a MidNight Sun

 and the local birds in our backyard. 

Our Back Yard

Our plan now is to leave for Sydney tomorrow or the next day. We have made reservations to attend the Sydney Opera on January 5, and will be spending the holidays in southern Australia.   As we travel, we will  keep you posted. 

All is well with the 2 Sail Rs on SV Worrall Wind