Larry Buys a Boat in Europe To Sail Who Knows Where

Ever dreamed of just chucking it all and buying a boat in Europe to sail the Med, to who knows where? A year ago Larry Haynie, delivery skipper and Club Nautique instructor, wrote to say he was looking to do just that. A year later, it’s all come together.

When he wrote that he was packing his travel bags and a box to ship to Germany for a March departure for France, Larry relayed, “The boat, minus registration, is 95% ready to sail from Lübeck, through the Kiel Canal. I pick up the first mate and other crew members near Hamburg. I’m registering Zandra in Delaware in order to secure international insurance.”

“She’s a 1974 Amel Euros 41, essentially a one-owner boat with simple but good quality upgrades. Otherwise, she was immaculately maintained. Repowering was the only issue with which I was faced. While ordering the new Volvo Penta D2, the GEMO salesperson said, ‘Well, there’s a big backlog. We will be lucky to get it here by March.’ Me, ‘Isn’t that a D2 on display right there?’ Yes, it was available but would have to be tested and have parts added. I told them to do what they needed to get things going. So for approximately the price of a new motor, I will get the display model Volvo Penta, new batteries, new thru-hulls, etc. So it will be ready to launch before April 5.”

Who else is ready to “chuck it all?”