For the first time for 21 years as of today I am no longer a Bavaria owner. Mixed feelings as I really enjoyed owning them, first the 37 in Corfu and back to UK and since 2015 the 33 Cruiser. Buying them both new was an exciting experience, the first because it was through a charter management contract and I had to pay in DMs (remember them?) and then later taking full ownership including dealing with the VAT and removal from the Greek register. Deciding to buy the 33 was a big gamble as I was going through a complex medical issue and was not sure how long I had to go, so buying the boat was a way of maximising the pleasure out of what might have been a relatively short life. I got a fantastic deal with Bavaria and Clipper which included taking my 37 in part exchange. The 37 moved on very quickly and sold to a delightful family who took her back to the Med.
So, why am I selling? Prime mover is that unlike 2015 I now have a much more certain future following a kidney transplant in late 2016 and I have had a lot of fun sailing the 33 up and down the coast, but it is so "perfect" that there is little I can do to improve it, and I enjoy the work on boats, particularly now I am more capable of doing the work. So I have fulfilled a lifelong ambition and bought a 1979 Golden Hind, similar to my old 26' version only 31'. My first cross channel sail was in a GH and I knew the builder at the time. It left good memories. I have had it since November and originally I was going to keep the 33 for another year while I did my refurb, but the current high prices prompted me to put it on the market just before Christmas. Got a buyer, the second to view at almost full asking price. Little bit of a delay in completing because we agreed that I would get certain small items fixed first. biggest hold up was getting the wind transducer repaired and then the weather to go up the mast to fit it. Anyhow that was fixed finally on Monday and the new owner will get as close to a new boat as it is possible to buy and at 70% of the cost of a new 34!
The broker I used, Peter Keats was a broker at Clipper and sold me the boat originally and I can recommend him to anybody wanting to sell a Bavaria as he really knows the boats and is super efficient at the paperwork and ensuring that the transaction goes smoothly. Finding potential buyers in the current environment is relatively easy. Turning them into actual buyers with minimum hassle is where a broker earns his keep.
I shall keep an eye on this forum as I enjoy participating and hope that I can continue to make a useful contribution.
