Handover

DecaDance's Web Diary
Chris White and Jeanna Coleman
Fri 1 Oct 2010 18:54
GPS Position: 50:51.2N 001:18.7W - Hamble Point Marina

Weather: Bloomin' 'Orrible
 
At last!  It's finally happened, today DecaDance was finally handed over to us.
 
We arrived in The Hamble yesterday, a beautiful sunny day and DecaDance looked stunning.  We bought Richard from Marco Marine and his wife Tina a drink in the Ketch Rigger and got talking to a lovely couple, Paul and Helen, who invited us to dinner aboard their yacht Helen Mary Gee.  After a hearty stew, red wine and stories of them sinking one yacht (yikes) and another being wrecked by bad weather at the new Olympics marina, (double yikes) we bade our goodbyes and spent our first night aboard DecaDance.
 
We woke this morning to the wind blowing a hooley and persistent precipitation.  Not the best of days for handover so after running through all the systems down below, we donned our oilies and wandered into the very picturesque village of The Hamble for local ham and duck eggs, and pots and pots of tea at The Bugle.  After stocking up on essentials (loo-rolls and wine) at the local Co-op we trudged back to the marina in the still pouring rain.  Julian then ran us through all the systems on deck before going for a bit of a motor down the river to test the engine and have a bit of a play with the bow thruster.  Chris was in his element (you know how it is with boys and new toys) and I left him to it as I have to admit, after only 10 days of sailing experience on thirty-odd foot boats, I'm more than a little daunted by all 48 foot (and four inches) of DecaDance.
 
Julian was going to point out the fuel pontoon to us but then realised we have a full tank and will be leaving in the morning - which was very fortunate as the whole pontoon had just sunk taking a RIB and a forty foot power boat with it!  We don't know what happened yet, but the roof of the fuel hut was just poking out of the water with an upturned hull next to it.
 
After our maiden voyage we raided the Force4 chandlers for an ensign and other bits and bobs and now Chris is at the chart table planning our departure tomorrow.  We've got a chap called Andy joining us in the morning to lend a hand for the journey to Salcombe (which I'm really relieved at) and the weather is forecast to improve so fingers crossed our first leg to Weymouth will be a pleasant journey.
 
Neither of us can quite believe that this finally happening, it's nice to see Chris grinning like a Cheshire Cat and long may it continue.
 
Before we log off, we'd like to give a huge thanks to Richard and Julian at Marco Marine who have been absolutely brilliant, (not to mention patient!), we wish you continued success.  Also to our neighbour Nigel on sister-ship Oboe D'Amore, (apart from the fact that it's his fault we've bought such a big, expensive boat), thanks a billion for all your help and advice (and bimini) and we wish you every future happiness.  Another massive thanks to Geoff from Devon Sailing who has saved us a fortune and put us in touch with everyone we need to kit out DecaDance over the next three weeks - make sure you look after our house you Old B*gger!  And, at the risk of sounding like an Oscar winner, a final thanks to Paul and Helen who, on the first evening of our new life, showed us the hospitality and friendship of the liveaboard community - may it be an indication what's to come.
 
Lots of love Jeanna and Chris