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The Swedes were slow to reply. Getting a firm date or time was impossible. Only late in the evening would I hear that a morning viewing was on. The rest of the time was an emotional rollercoaster.
On 7 May 2023, I met an elderly couple to view their Lord Helmsman: 130,000 kronor, 31 feet, full keel. A dependable northern boat. The wife said they’d looked me up online before agreeing to meet. After that, I included a little introduction about myself in enquiries. Who knows what goes through Swedish heads?
What greeted me was a rather neglected vessel: corrosion everywhere, marks where anodes had fallen off years ago, peeling winches and worn gelcoat. A line showed through along the hull. They explained that it was the joint with the cast-iron keel ballast. The instruments didn’t work. There was an ancient depth sounder and radio. The owner had made an odd modification: a pipe through the collision bulkhead to feed the anchor chain into the saloon. The engine was the original factory one.
In one sense, this was what I’d been looking for: older owners selling because their children didn’t want the boat. But they hadn’t maintained or invested in her. Their contribution was a makeshift pipe that would bring damp and water inside. Paying that much for what amounted to a hull made no sense.
#purchase
On 7 May 2023, I met an elderly couple to view their Lord Helmsman: 130,000 kronor, 31 feet, full keel. A dependable northern boat. The wife said they’d looked me up online before agreeing to meet. After that, I included a little introduction about myself in enquiries. Who knows what goes through Swedish heads?
What greeted me was a rather neglected vessel: corrosion everywhere, marks where anodes had fallen off years ago, peeling winches and worn gelcoat. A line showed through along the hull. They explained that it was the joint with the cast-iron keel ballast. The instruments didn’t work. There was an ancient depth sounder and radio. The owner had made an odd modification: a pipe through the collision bulkhead to feed the anchor chain into the saloon. The engine was the original factory one.
In one sense, this was what I’d been looking for: older owners selling because their children didn’t want the boat. But they hadn’t maintained or invested in her. Their contribution was a makeshift pipe that would bring damp and water inside. Paying that much for what amounted to a hull made no sense.
#purchase
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