Marie and Lucien dream. This young couple dreams of sailing, of living on a boat and why not, one day, to cast off. At the beginning of their meeting, they talk about living on a boat, a little in jest, but quickly the idea takes shape, it becomes serious.
A Kelt 6.20 to get the hang of it
After finding a job, they bought their first sailboat: a Kelt 6.20. The objective: to get the hang of it. Because if the two lovebirds have a desire to sail, they don't really know how to sail.
This first sailboat has its place on a buoy in Gravette, near Pornic. They will keep it for 1.5 years. In their "plan", the young couple was to look for "their house on the water" from the beginning of 2023. But the desire makes that they already peel the classified ads and go to the second-hand show in Crouesty at the end of October 2021.
A Feeling 10.90 or nothing!
For them, the ideal model is a Feeling 10.90. This model, built between 1985 and 1995 by the Kirié shipyard, was designed by Philippe Harlé. If Marie and Lucien are attracted by this sailboat, it is after having scoured the forums of long distance travel and read good reviews on it. But without ever having visited it or tried it out� However, this good reputation makes opportunities rare and especially quite expensive.
40,000 euros available
As everywhere, money remains the sinews of war. Between them, the couple can raise about 40,000 euros. However, the ads of Feeling 10.90 are around 50,000 euros, or even more. Not being in a hurry, Marie and Lucien continue to search the sales websites. But one ad will set everything offâ?¦ Or rather 3 ads posted almost simultaneously.
3 simultaneous announcements
The first one is a Feeling 10.90 with the whistle deckhouse offered at 50,000 euros. But this is not the model desired by the couple, who prefer the version with a short deckhouse and zenithal portholes.
Another Feeling 10.90, this time in the right version, is for sale at 45,000 euros in Ireland. This time, it smells good. Marie and Lucien take their ticket to visit it. A bank is contacted beforehand, to see if it is willing to make the joint between their savings and the announced selling price: Positive answer. It smells very good!
Alas, the visit will quickly end the dream. The boat has a flamed mast, very little equipment and some doubts about the keelâ?¦ It wonâ??t be the one. Still in Ireland, very disappointed, Marie does not let go of the case. She contacted a shipyard in Bayonne that had a Feeling 10.90 for sale, but with a budget of 56,500 eurosâeuros¦ and not negotiable.
Love at first sight in Bayonne!
The visit is nevertheless organized and it is love at first sight. The boat returns from a big cruise towards Senegal in partnership with the association Voile sans Frontière. It is very well equipped with GPS, AIS, radar, solar panelsâeuros¦ We just need to revise the life raft to leave! And above all, its owner has taken care of it with love.
There is still the problem of the budget. If the banker does not want to enlarge the kitty, it is finally with the family that Marie and Lucien will find what to buy Ibaia, this Feeling 10.90 end of June 2022.
A place in Pornichet for the winter
Marie, who works in Pornichet, managed to negotiate a place for the coming winter, provided she agreed to change places if necessary. Marie spent a week on board in Bayonne with the former owner, to discover the boat from top to bottom. Then came the time for the Bayonne-Pornichet delivery.
Initially planned with the former owner, he confided to them that given the weather, they would be perfectly capable of taking to the sea together. A little stress for this young couple who will spend their first night at sea, but great pleasure to discover the joy of sailing on their boat. The arrival in Les Sables-d'Olonne after 42 hours at sea, under a violent storm, will remain forever engraved in their new sailor's heads.
Life on board with the cat
Since then, a life on board has been established. Ibaia has become their home, as well as that of the cat Rio. The 2 cabin version has a large bathroom at the foot of the starboard companionway and a very large locker behind. So big that the former owner decided to reduce it by creating a closet above the toilet.
Because storage is probably not the strong point of this unit. In fact, four lockers have been added to the port side saloon, and Marie and Julien are thinking of adding identical ones to starboard. Always to increase the storage space. Otherwise, the U-shaped galley is comfortable, allowing to settle down, whatever the location. Marie even cooked upwind.
The couple occupies the aft cabin and leaves the forward point to the guests. As an extra, the berth in the saloon can be transformed into a double bed, very practical when sailing. But it is especially the large zenithal portholes that seduced us, with the light they bring. "In addition." adds Marie, "it's very practical to look under the genoa when sailing" . Precisely, the comfort on board is also very appreciated on this unit, whether it is at sea or in port. Wide, it is very reassuring at sea for this novice crew.
A sailboat as a home
Life on board, in port for the moment, is going well. Even if it is not exactly like on land: "When at 11pm, you have to go out in the rain to tighten the moorings, you'd like to stay warm. Or when we look for the cat on all the pontoons before a gale hits. But otherwise, this new life is going very well."
For the moment, sailing is by the day. A little less in winter when the weather on weekends is not always favourable. Even if the boat has been very well maintained, there are still things to do: "I would like to do some cosmetic optimization, but otherwise no major work in sight. We have planned a water outlet to cure a slight osmosis on the bow and on this occasion to think about a more permanent antifouling, probably of silicone type. And for better living aboard in winter, we've asked for a quote to completely close off the cockpit between the bimini and the hood with walls on the sides."
For now, the departure on a big trip is not yet on the agenda. But no doubt about this goal, as evidenced by the name of their Instagram page @Au_bout_du_sillageâeuros¦
