Tortola, day 1 and 2

Well, strictly speaking, I should have started blogging with Puerto Rico, where I spent a day yesterday. However, given that I just ran around as a tourist, and that it eventually had nothing to do with boats, I will start with Tortola, in the lovely British Virgin Islands (henceforth, BVI). Suffice to note that Old San Juan was pretty charming, and the taxi expensive.

Tortola is not big. The taxi ride across the island did not take longer than it took the radio host to say "good afternoon" to all his friends on the island. In other words about 45 minutes. So we arrived at a nice little place called the Jolly Roger Inn, which across a bay from Sopers Hole. Everything here is pirate themed. Food is OK but very expensive, a general characteristic of the islands.



The real part of the adventure started today, after hitching a ride to the Nanny Key marina. Four boats were on the agenda:

1. The Survival



Unfortunately, this boat did not "survive" too well when we took a look at it. The keel was leaking, the interior was very worn down, and you got the feeling that although everything just might work on the boat, odds were that something would fail within a day or two. Actually, something would probably fail every day or two.

2. The Ndinombethe. Try pronouncing that.



This boat was a step up in quality, but down in size from the Survival. However, while the boat had a beautiful sail plan, with everything nice and accessible (with the exception of two awkward winches). I liked it, and it seemed like a boat which would be fun to sail. Unfortunately, it leaked from all places, and there was much internal water damage. Mostly cosmetic of course, but unfortunately also some structural damage in the form of rusty keel bolts and a corroded mast step. All in all, it seems like there are just a few too many things which need to be fixed before the boat is up and running. Two down, so far little luck (will I be chartering a boat in stead?).

3. The Con Amor



Finally, a boat that floats! The boat is in very nice condition (even though I have shown a picture of a rusty anchor), well maintained (even if it has seen 5 years of charter work), and can sail out tomorrow if needed. Not much to say about this one really, nice, clean, functional. Only drawback is that it has a sterile and slightly impersonal feel, a natural consequence of being an charter/mass production boat. At least this one falls inside the realm of financial and practical possibility. Unfortunately, there is little electronics on board, and the sails are nearing retirement, so a small shopping spree will be needed. Those are fortunately of no haste as long as one stays in the Caribbean waters.

4. The Gladys



A Swedish boat, and a real treat as such. Solid construction, well maintained, mahogany all around. Fully equipped with any and all electronics. Trouble is mostly of convenience nature: The aft cabin is somewhat of a ugly duckling in terms of space usage, and the boat is not rigged for shorthanded cruising. Some work would definitely be needed before I can take this one out alone. After seeing the state of the Ndinombethe, I am also worried by everything I could not see: Access to the keel bolts involves moving water tanks, and thus we had to skip that part.

All in all a good day, with two possible candidates for further interest, although I must admit that the Jeanneau seems to be the leading candidate at the moment.

Oh, and did I mention that the day ended on the beach?