So now it’s a Hallberg Rassy 352!

So, this has been a long time coming, but I didn’t want to say anything until I was sure. Last week, the surveyor completed his survey of what will very soon be my very own Hallberg Rassy 352! She is currently on the hard in a yard in Imperia, Italy. This was so the surveyor could complete his task. Her current home berth is a marina in Santo Stefano al Mare in Italy. Over the course of the next year to eighteen months, she will make her way to Ireland.

The boat was built in Sweden in 1987. Hallberg Rassy built a total of 802 of these boats from 1978 until 1992, and this is one of the later models with the taller mast. She is around 10.59 metres long, and draws 1.68 metres. Like most Hallberg Rassy’s, this boat features a centre cockpit. These are like Marmite to a lot of people but personally I love the fact that there is a large stern cabin. I don’t have any issues with the supposed height above the waterline nor with the distance to the stern. I have been an admirer of Hallberg Rassy yachts since stumbling across a HR42 at the San Francisco Boat Show in 2002. In fact, the HR42 has long-been a dream boat of mine. Over the past number of months, since we made the fateful decision to sell Nikea, I have found myself in the role of Post-captain and it did not sit easily. With the Achilles looking less and less likely to ever see the high seas again, and Nikea fast becoming a distant memory, was it time to take up golf? As usual, I started window-shopping for boats when the weather turned dark and cold.

But unlike previous experiences, this time I found myself thinking seriously about hitting the “Buy Now!” button. I specifically started looking at Hallberg Rassy’s but decided on the smaller (and obviously cheaper) 352 model. I had foolishly discarded this choice in the past, favouring the 42 (or 43) as the only reasonable choice. That may be true if you’re a lottery winner, but should I stay on dry land and stare at beautiful posters of new Hallberg Rassy 43s or should I buy the boat staring back at me. It’s a lot smaller, but I am reminded of Henry’s words yet again; sail the boat you have! I could afford the 352, and I can not afford a new HR43.

The decision was easy, although I did panic once I had informed the broker that I wanted to proceed. There are still formalities to complete. The boat is on the Italian registry and I need her to be on the Irish registry. The major hurdle was the survey. As I explained to the broker and to the existing owner, there are three surveys in one. The first and most important is for me. I need to know that there is no osmosis and that I am not buying a problem boat. My own examination of the boat had shown it was very well cared-for, and I wasn’t anticipating any issues, but there is nothing as comforting as an official survey report by a professional surveyor. In fact, I would go so far as to say that it is essential to get a professional survey before purchasing a boat, unless you can afford the loss. Sure, if it’s a Topper and you’re buying it for €600 as-is, you’re not going to spend money on a survey. But if the boat qualifies as one of the most significant purchases in your life, having a professional perform an extensive examination of the vessel prior to purchase should be mandatory.

The second survey was for the insurer. In order to insure a boat, the insurance company will want to know that the boat has been professionally surveyed in the last few years. They will also want to ensure that you have addressed any issues (small or large) raised by the survey. The third survey is for the Irish registry and mostly concerns the tonnage. Getting all three in one was quite handy, but involved a nail-biting period of time waiting for the official report.

Now that the survey has been completed, and the yard is addressing some minor issues raised, it is safe to say that the boat is mine, or will be once the final Bill of Sale is executed. This will be happening on or before April 15th. As I said, there are still some hurdles to overcome, and nothing can be taken for granted, but barring any major obstacles, from April 15th, Into The Mystic will be a Hallberg Rassy pulling at her mooring lines, in Italy.

One of the delights of yacht ownership is the planning process. It may sound strange, but it is wonderful to spend time in the cold winter evenings, considering the possibilities and permutations of moving a yacht from Italy to Ireland. I have decided to spread this journey over two sailing seasons. More than likely, she will spend the winter in Faro (Portugal) and will complete the journey in 2026. So I need to plan for a journey instead from Italy to Portugal, via Gibraltar. It looks like the marina will be available until the end of June, all going well. So I am considering a halfway point of Valencia in Spain. In that case, some time between April 15th and June 30th, I will need to sail her from Italy to Valencia. Probably quite close to the end of June, I suspect. The distance is around 800 nautical miles and I could do this in a single hop, taking 7 to 8 days. But I’m not sure I want to do that. The two other main choices are to sail direct to Corsica (distance 85nm), down the west coast of Corsica to Sardina, and then over to Valencia via the Balearic Islands or to hug the French and Spanish coastlines. I could quickly sail to Cavalaire sur Mar which is quite close to San Tropez. Then I could sail across the Golfe de Lion to Barcelona, or again hug the coastline and make my way in a series of short hops.

I’m a staunch opponent of delivery trips in the sense that your sailing is operating to a strict schedule. I have found from experience that the worst kind of sailing is where the boat must be moved. There is nothing joyous or pleasurable about banging into strong headwinds to get miles under the keel. Unfortunately, life does try to limit us because there are return flights to consider, jobs to be returned to, and weather to be avoided. So one must thread the needle between enforced timetables and properly experiencing the nomadic lifestyle of moving a boat from here to there. I will, hopefully, some day write a longer blog piece about my experiences as an unpaid delivery crew. But not today. Today, I’m looking at pictures of the new Into the Mystic, and daydreaming about adventures to come.