Change of Course!

No Boat For Now!

The quest for our next boat has been put on hold!  A number of reasons contributed to this decision: retirement = less money, change of priorities, a few recent "life speed bumps" and the desire to see more of family and friends across North America has put our boat search on hold.

We love the water, boats, cruising and the life long friends we have made along the way!  But we are very pleased with the new direction we are about to undertake.  

Since selling MV Kozad we have driven our car over 120,000 kms in just over 2 years travelling from West to East Coast both in Canada and the USA.  We consistently comment on how much there is to do and see in our vast countries and how we would enjoy exploring in a Motor Home.

The decision has been made and the deposit placed on a 2014 Leisure Travel Van (LTV) Class B+ motor home.  The model we chose is the Unity 24MB, which is a very nice Murphy bed floor-plan on a Mercedes Benz Sprinter Van chassis.

2014 LTV Unity 24MB - Murphy Bed

As we did for our MV Kozad site,  we have set up a blog for our LTV Kozad travels; if you are interested you may check us out at:

http://unity24mb.blogspot.ca

I am a lucky man as Jan still wants to keep our boating dreams alive, and to satisfy our desire to be on the water we will look at occasionally chartering in the future.  As always, Yachtworld Advanced Search is still one of my favourite sites.

Thank you for visiting our MV Kozad site and we hope you enjoy LTV Kozad's blog following our travels of North America's Highways and Byways!  

2013: A Busy Year!

2013:   We were very busy this year!  A number of commitments seemed to take up our time and energy!

We seemed to be away from home more than usual:

Five driving trips trips to Edmonton for family visits, commitments and one funeral

Two flying trips to Toronto and Halifax for wedding stuff and family visits

One trip to Mexico for our daughter's wedding

Three driving trips to the Vancouver Island for visiting and walking some docks

One driving trip across Canada from Coast to Coast for a total of 3 months away and approx. 14,000kms of driving!

Anacortes and LaConner were calling again for us to walk the docks and get on a few boats that appealed to us.  Then on Sunday the 6th October, we took the Anacortes - Sidney Ferry!  It was my  big "60" Birthday and Jan was gracious giving me my present: 30 days of boat shopping!

                                             

                                                       Kid in a Candy Store

We are now in Victoria for a month; spending time playing "tourist", visiting old friends, some family and looking for a boat!  

                                             

                                               Mount Baker from Sidney Waterfront

We have looked at the American Tug (AT) Trawlers and had a tour of their factory in LaConner.   The AT-34 is a nice sized "couples" boat and meets a lot of our requirements with the exception of a flybridge!

                                   

                                                                American Tug 34

I still like the Pacific Trawler 40, which we have looked at before but unfortunately the timing was wrong for us to put in an offer on that nice boat!  The plan is to look at this one in Seattle in mid-November.

                                    

                                                             Pacific Trawler 40

And just to add confusion how about this one....

                                  

                                                             North Pacific 42

Good thing we have an entire 30 days to do some of this shopping!  Big decisions take time :)

Two Years and Beyond!

Time flies as it has been two years and eight months since we sold our Willard 30 "Kozad". 

Craig constantly searches Yacht World; keeping up on what is for sale, what has sold, and what is affordable.  We are now considering different options which would allow us to get back out on the water.   

A little frustrating!  Our good friends and boating compainions Glenn & Janice and Don & Judy keep reminding us that boating is "compromise and trade offs".  

While our Willard Boating Buddies Richard & Gwen keep us updated on new listings, Craiglist Ads and for sale by owners!  They also remind us to keep on budget and do not spend too much!

We are also told to consider smaller than bigger.....  But as you all know we do want a boat which can accommodate our needs for cruising 4 to 5 months at a time.  Something that can take us from South Sound (Tacoma) to Alaska and all points in between.  Although smaller does usually mean less money we still like a boat in the 40 foot range.

Therefore, the quest continues.....

Although, our most recent big news is the wedding of daughter Kim to a wonderful man Chris!  Great times were had by all 65 of us who attended their destination wedding in Mexico on July 3rd, 2013!

Kim & Chris First Dance

 

Chris's Dad Ovi & Jan

Craig & Beautiful Bride Kim

Our new family: Andrew, Jan, Chris, Kim, Jim & Craig

Jan, Chris, Kim & Craig

Now that the wedding is done, Craig can maybe focus on finding that right boat for us!  

Our other big news is that Jan has retired as of July 1st, 2013; leaving behind her career as an Obstetrics Nurse.  And a great nurse she was; working in Campbell River, Prince Rupert, & Kelowna, BC, Frobisher Bay/Iqaluit, NWT/Nunavit, back to Campbell River then Halifax, NS and finally retiring back in Kelowna!  

Congratulations on a great career!

Jan 1977

Jan 2012

Jan has now joined Craig in retirement and we may now have more time for enjoying what we love to do together!  Jan can return to her pawning career!

We just need to find that right boat!

What to do, oh what to do!

Boating Options!

As our boating requirements and budget have changed, so have our boat choices!

We are extending our quest beyond a full displacement trawler and one of the options we are considering is a power catamaran.  One of those catamarans which holds interest is the PDQ 34 Power Catamaran.

http://www.pdqyachts.com/power/pdq34.htm

PDQ34 Cruising PNW

Craig has always been interested in this catamaran style even long before we purchased "MV Kozad". As a matter of fact as long ago as April 2006, he joined the PDQ Owners Forum http://www.pdqforum.com/ researching the benefits and attributes of the PDQ 34 Power Catamaran.

This is a very popular cruising boat and can be found in low numbers in the PNW and in large numbers on the east coast.  This "cat" is an excellent choice for cruising the Great Loop, ICW and Bahamas.

The PDQ 34 only burns about 1.5gph at 7knts with a top end of 20knts burning approx. 4gph. At 34' LOA, a beam of 16'11" and a mere 2'4" draft this is a perfect boat to explore and gunk-hole with!

Just another thought to add confusion to an already confusing situation!

 

The Quest Is On Hold....

The "Quest" for the right cruising boat has included many "possible candidates"  Of course I, (Craig), am more apt to "buy now" and Jan is the steadying force in this process.

Jan continually reminds me that  "the right boat is out there, we will know when we see her, and as of now I have not seen her"!   

What is really annoying is that for the most part Jan's instincts are always bang on!

I was ready for the KK42 - MV Chug from Anacortes; we actually first saw the boat in March, then in June when our son Andrew (visiting form Nova Scotia) and I  drove down and viewed the boat and many others!  Jan and I were once again on board MV Chug when we were recently in Anacortes (September)! 

Jan did not "connect" with this boat; as well there were "some concerns" about some outstanding issues we felt were too much for us to take on!  So, the decision was to pass on this KK42!

In our Quest for the right boat we have at times ventured away from the RPH, Full Displacement Trawler concept and considered other options (semi displacement hulls such as the Pacific Trawler, Sunnfjord, Ocean 40, etc).  But we both are continually drawn back to the full displacement hull; we love the safety, reliability and ride of these trawlers.

We also really want a Flybridge; this has been on our "want list" since before our Willard 30!  Therefore, the Krogen 42, for the most part, meets all of our "need and want" list! 

So, after many years of analyzing which is the right boat, evaluating our budget and cruising requirements, and by recently attending the September Krog-In; we have decided to focus on a Krogen 42 as our next boat.

Additionally in regards to a buying schedule, Jan still prefers we keep to our original plan!  That being to not buy a boat until the spring of 2013.  Of course, I am anxious to buy a boat now, really like yesterday!!!!

Unfortunately, our Boat Quest will have to be placed on hold for October and November; Jan has a long standing commitment for an extended vacation which will see her away from home for the month of October.  During this time I will be spending a week visiting my Mom, Sisters and Father in Alberta.

Mind you, there is still the Internet, Passage Maker and Pacific Yachting Magazines to keep my appetite whetted; helping me through these difficult times :)

The Quest Continues.....

It has been 10 months since we have update this Blog; mostly because the time has flown by so quickly.

We have been very, very busy with travel, family commitments, a few medical emergencies, and of course much more travel!  

We did manage to get in a number of trips to Seattle, Anacortes, Friday Harbour, and Victoria to do some dock walking and view a long list of boats!   

Our Broker, Dennis Lawrence, Kadey Krogen Yachts West Coast Seattle Office, has been a great resource; helping us immensely in our quest in findian a suitable replacement for Kozad!

At the beginning of September we drove to Anacortes in preparation for attending the PNW Krogen Rendezvous "the Krog-In" at Roche Harbour.  We arrived a few days early so we could walk the docks and do some "shopping".  

Interestingly enough, and unplanned, on Thursday we met Dave, of Dave & Carol N43 "MV Navigator".   Dave and Carol had recently sold their Nordhavn and were boat shopping!   Carol had found the boat she loved while Dave was away working!  Good for you Carol!

 

 Dave was closing the deal on a used N55! 

 

We had a nice visit and were pleased to see their new Nordhavn

On Friday, we met the owner a very nice KK42 mvwhich was in the North Harbour Diesel (NHD) Yard on the hard!  Although the boat had some issues of concern, we spent a number of hours on board and even time alone with our friends, Ki & Terri - KK42 Banyan" who join us to go over the qualities of the boat.

We were so engrossed in looking at the boat that we ended up being locked in the NHD Yard when they closed and padlocked the gate!  Jan saved us, as earlier she noticed a dog on one of the boats being stored on the hard!  Jan went exploring and found the owner who was on board and happened to have a key to let us "escape"!

 Jan, Ki & Terri

Terri already escaped by squeezing thru the gate!

MV Banyan KK42

On Saturday morning we departed early to catch the slack tide.  Departing from our old marina, Anchor Cove, on KK42 MV Banyan  we had an excellent cruise over to Roche Harbour and the Krog-In!

"The Boys"

"The Ladies"

Jan at the Krog-In

The Krog-In was excellent; we were able to view a number of KK39, KK42, KK44, KK54 & KK58 and also met a boat load of nice Krogen Owners.  The Krogen 42 still is Craig's favorite Krogen!

We had a great cruise from Anacortes/Roche return; Ki & Terri were wonderful hosts and we were able to experience cruising on a Krogen!  Surprisingly, or not so, the KK42 rides and handles just like a BIG Kozad! We both liked what we were seeing!

Returning to Anacortes on Sunday at noon, we drove to Seattle and met up with Dennis Lawrence to view a Nordhavn 46.  The N46 has been on our list of dream boats since we stepped on one when we were boat shopping 8 years ago! Jan was especially enamored with the Nordhavn.  

Well, we spent some time on board and to say we were disappointed was an understatement.  

The N46 is built to cross oceans and in reality we will want a boat which can comfortabley take us long distance coastal cruising.  The N46 is a beautiful boat with great features; although we found the living space, cockpit, engine room and pilot house to be wanting in size and livability in comparison to the KK42!

So all in all, the trip was very positive; as we can now focus on finding the right Krogen 42 which fits our price range and budget!  Difficult to say the least but a task Craig is definitely up for!

Decisions to be made!

Beautiful Sunset 

Seattle looking to Bainbridge Island 

The Quest Begins; or is that continues!

It has been almost a year since we said good bye to our pristine little trawler "MV Kozad".  

Since then, we have taken time to evaluate what is important in our lives and in how we wish to spend our retirement.  We love the boating life and truly miss not being on the water...... therefore the quest continues to find the right boat, within the right budget, to fit our goals.

Our initial goal was to wait two years to find the right boat; really that was the agreement???  So if that was the case, then how come the last 12 months has seen Craig doing a lot of research and evaluating our full time live aboard cruising dreams.  Well, really did you really think he could wait two years.....

So, not even 12 months since we handed over MV Kozad to Richard and Mary Anne; "we" once again are searching for the right boat!  Not really a big surprise is it.....

The boat we are hoping to find will be a Full Displacement Hull, Long Range Cruising Trawler;  one which can be safely operated by a couple while living full time and traveling to distant shores.  

We are wanting to find the right boat within our budget and we would like to find "The Best Boat For The Best Price!"  Dreaming, well maybe just a little bit, although we hope not and that in the next 12 to 18 months we can find the right boat!!!!

We have though learned that the saying "all boats are a compromise" is to be the case!  But regardless, we do have a list of wants and needs, including a few compromises in respect to what we are looking for in our next boat:

• Raised Pilot House
• Full Displacement Hull (FDH)
• Stabilization: Paravanes or Active Fins
• Single Engine
• Efficient Long Range Cruising Capabilities
• Covered Aft Deck
• Flybridge
• Auxiliary Power or Sail Assist (a want but not a deal breaker)
• Safety & Reliability Are Priorities
• Size: 40 to 48 Feet OAL
• A Well Maintained Vessel: Mechanical, Structural, Systems & Cosmetic!
• Within Budget....  darn!

 There are basically three boats which we have think would fit our cruising needs but not necessarily our budget!

 Diesel Duck 462

Steel FDH Trawler 

Price Range: $450 to $550K USD
Too much over budget!

Kadey Krogen 42

Fiberglass FDH Trawler

Price Range: $175 to $375K USD
The older KK42 are within our budget!

 

   Nordhavn 46

Fiberglass FDH Trawler

 Price Range: $350K to $650K USD 
An older well maintained N46 may be an option, 
only if the price is within budget!

The Krogen 42 is the most affordable of these three boats, the Krogen has a loyal following with 206 hulls built between 1977 and 1998.  There is a reasonable selection of KK42 on the market within our price range. These are excellent boats but they are getting older!

The Diesel Duck is a very nice LRC built of steel; these boats do not come on the market very often.  Although we very much like the features of this boat the price range is of serious concern and this is more of a fantasy.

The Nordhavn 46 is the boat we were first drawn to; having first stepped on one in 2003 when we first starting looking at boats!  Love at first sight can best describe how we felt and still feel about the Nordhavn 46!  

These are a great boat with 82 hulls being built between 1988 to 2003.  There is a flybridge option which we like; also what is nice is the Portuguese Bridge which protects the Pilot House from the seas!  As in most cases year depicts the price!  Nordhavns maintain a high resale value..  So high in fact that the reality of finding a N46 in our budget is very slight indeed!

Budget will definitely dictate what we choose for our next boat :)

In the first week of February we are taking a drive to Anacortes, Washington area where we are going to view a Nordhavn 46 and a Krogen 42 so we can get a current feel for what we are wanting.  The research continues!

More to come....

Our Final Cruise!

How Much Does This Hurt!

You may have heard that old saying; "the two happiest days in a boaters life is when he buys his boat and sells his boat!"

Well, we will tell you this is not the case, at least for us!

Selling Kozad was a difficult decision and the final steps in the selling process have been at times painful and emotional. Kozad has been a great little ship for us; safe, seaworthy, comfortable and most importantly provided us with a platform to learn cruising and how to handle a boat!


Our Last Cruise on Kozad:April 2nd, 2011 was our final cruise on Kozad; moving our boat from Anacortes to her (Anne's) new home in Friday Harbour!

We met the new owners, Richard and Mary Anne, at the Anacortes Ferry Dock. They came over as foot passengers on the Friday Harbour ferry at 1210hrs! The weather was foul in the morning, with winds, rain and the occasional squall which threatened to postpone our departure.

Richard & Mary Anne
Happy New Owners

Amazingly at 1230hrs the winds calmed, skies cleared and sun came out allowing us to depart Anchor Cove Marina at 1240 for the three hour cruise to Friday Harbour.

Craig's last trip on Kozad

At the Helm one last time!
Jan loves boating and especially piloting the ship.

Richard & Mary Anne
Enjoying their first cruise on Anne!

Our good friends Richard and Gwen on Northstar (Willard 40) asked if they could join in on Kozad's last cruise! They graciously offered to escort us to Friday Harbour and would provide us with a return ride home to Anacortes!

Northstar Entering Port of Friday Harbour

Richard and Gwen on Northstar
It was nice sharing this moment and company helped ease the pain!

Our last cruise on Kozad also provided the opportunity to familiarize Richard and Mary Anne with their new boat; and as always Kozad/Anne performed flawlessly!

Calm Seas, Light Winds and Sunshine
A Great Last Day on Kozad!

Great day for a cruise through the San Juan Islands!
Kozad enroute to Friday Harbour

New Home: Port of Friday Harbour

We arrived in Friday Harbour at 1550hrs and berthed Anne on E Dock, next to Richard & Mary Anne's other Willard MV Pearl. Pearl was awaiting shipping to her new owner who lives in Windsor, Ontario and is to be trucked across the USA after being loaded onto a low bed trailer at Skyline Marina, Anacortes, Wa. sometime this month.

Kozad/Anne next to Pearl

Kozad/Anne's new home at the Port of Friday Harbour
Friday Harbour is one of our favorite destinations in the San Juans

Notice how dirty Kozad's bum is!!!!

Once Kozad/Anne and Northstar were both securely docked , the six of us (Richard & Mary Anne, Richard & Gwen, Craig & Jan) met on Anne to celebrate the change of ownership, giving up our great little boat to the new owners!

One very happy couple!
Congratulations Richard & Mary Anne
MV ANNE

Celebration Time.... how about some bubbly?

New owner Richard under great pressure, but with tremendous skill, uncorked two bottles of Champagne for the celebration. We sat on board and enjoyed the moment, then we all went out to dinner at one of Friday Harbour's newer restaurants for a great meal!

Richard with the Special Bottle of Bubbly!

Getting ready for the toast.... uncorked with great skill!


Party Time!

Cheers to "Motor Vessel Anne"

A few small tokens for Richard & Mary Anne!

Our Last Night On Board!

Richard and Mary Anne were very kind and allowed us the use of Anne while we were in Friday Harbour. On Saturday night we slept one last time on board Kozad/Anne; our last evening spent on a boat we love dearly!

The Last Cleaning!

As usual, Craig was up early (0630) on Sunday, having to clean and polish the boat one last time! This man is totally obsessed with keeping our boat immaculate! Craig will miss his ritual of maintaining, cleaning, waxing and polishing our boat!

Craig washing Kozad's Bum!
Have to get all that exhaust off the stern!

Cleaning once again!
Does it ever stop....

It is a wonder he has never fallen in!
Hey, where is your life jacket!!!!

The Trip Home on Northstar!

Well it is finally over! On Sunday at noon, we handed off the last set of keys to Richard and Mary Anne and said good bye before returning to Anacortes on Northstar!

The trip home on Northstar was also an opportunity for us to receive a few pointers on how to operate a Willard 40; Richard (W40) demonstrated the skill in handling such a big boat off and onto the docks! It is amazing how much bigger a W40 is compared to a W30!

Jan and Richard
Preparing for the return trip home!

The two Captains on the flybridge!
Our next boat needs one of these, a flybridge not another Captain!

Returning to Anchor Cove Marina!
Northstar is way bigger than Kozad.
Richard docked Northstar perfectly without a hitch!

Saying Good Bye!

Kozad has served us well over 4 cruising seasons. Our little ship provided us with a stable and safe platform to learn our coastal boating skills!

The Willard 30, and in particular the Voyager plan is a great couples boat; one which safely took us on many adventures and gave us such great memories. Kozad attracted a lot of attention on the dock as well as on the water. This resulted in us meeting a lot of people who were curious and attracted to our boat! Kozad amazed them all!

Salish Sea
Newly named for the Pacific North West Waters
from South Sound to Desolation Sound inclusive

We have cruised the waters of the Salish Sea; north of Campbell River to the far reaches of South Sound in Washington State!

Kozad provided us the opportunity to ply the waters of Puget Sound, the Straits of Juan de Fuca and Georgia while exploring the San Juan and Gulf Islands, the East Coast of Vancouver Island and the West Coast of British Columbia.

We have cruised solitary inlets and bays while chartering our course to Princess Louisa Inlet, have anchored, moored and docked in so many wonderful locations; and Craig especially enjoyed "Urban Cruising" while docking downtown Tacoma and Seattle!

Boating has been a passion of Craig's since he was 14, so many years ago! Boating has become a part of our lives and we have been especially blessed in meeting so many wonderful people while on board Kozad!

Our last image of Kozad as we departed for Anacortes!

No one is home!
Slip B-55 at Anchor Cove Marina

Where did Kozad go?


A New Chapter Begins!

We are pleased to have sold our boat so quickly and to such nice people;
we have no regrets about selling Kozad but maybe a little sadness!Although, both of us are unsure how we feel about not having a boat,
nor about giving up our time on the water!

Our goal is now to charter various boats in different locals,
so that we may better determine what our next boat will be!

The plan is to wait two years before we find our next boat.

.......but you never know!
Motor Vessel Kozad
2007 to 2011

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Another Note

Not A Good Day!

On our last morning in Anacortes we saw this unfortunate sight.
The Cap Sante Boat Haven fuel docks have a shallow area to the SE.
We were told not to leave the dock in this direction when we fueled up here!
We wonder if this Skipper was given this advice?

Tug On The RocksNordic Tug 42 on the rocks!
The small boat at the dock is Vessel Assist for the tow,
but he will have to wait for the tide to come in first!


Ouch, that has to hurt!
Not sure if the skipper is feeling worse than his boat!

I was once told there are three types of boaters:Those who have gone a ground,
Those who will go a ground,
and those who lie about not having gone a ground!