To Leap?

I've said it before - the romantic part of sailing the world lasts until the moment you buy an actual boat, on an actual budget.  From that point on, everything is practical.

Information is starting to trickle in about the San Francisco boat that we have tentatively agreed to buy.  We have a mechanic lined out to look at the engine, and a surveyor for the hull and systems, and another surveyor to look at the electrical system and corrosion issues.  A couple of these people have been down to take a quick look at the boat, and we eagerly consume whatever bits of information they offer.  There are still some big question marks, like the insulation and the state of the water and fuel tanks, and, biggest of all, whether the under-sized engine will be up to what we ask of it.  I'll be going over in a week to get the best answers that I can to those questions, and then we'll make up our mind.

Meanwhile, preparations are underway to pull up stakes in Tasmania and shift everything to California.  I've got the standard five pages of to-do lists that presage any big trip involving a boat, and the firm hope that I can get everything lined out in the time remaining.  The kicker, though, is that we don't know for sure if we are leaving - if this boat proves not to be The One, then we're not going anywhere just yet...

Stay tuned.