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Buying a yacht

After reading my Marieholm 28 report, Alexei suggested an Ohlson 29 in Sweden…

After reading my report on the Marieholm 28, Alexei sent a link to an Ohlson 29 for 40,000 kronor (€3,400) and suggested a call. His point was simple: a well-kept boat with her original old engine cost a quarter as much in Sweden. By then, I was tired of looking at endless yachts. The call lifted my spirits. Alexei was polite, encouraging and clearly knew his subject.

I went through all the adverts on blocket.se for 28–32-foot yachts, selecting those that mentioned a recent engine, and grouped my shortlist by town. I booked leave from 6 to 28 May, a one-way flight to Stockholm and a hotel for four days.

Blocket made things difficult: you can’t send messages without registering, and registration requires a Swedish or Norwegian SIM card. Temporary online numbers didn’t work. But Sergei in Vadim Luppo’s sailing chat had a SIM and offered to help. That got me in touch with sellers and allowed me to arrange the first viewings.

Using someone else’s number is awkward: each device needs a fresh SMS code. You can pick up free Conviq SIM packs at metro kiosks. But identity verification had become mandatory on 1 February 2023. My German ID wasn’t accepted. Unexpectedly, a photo of my Russian passport and the hotel’s address were.

#purchase
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