We have finally pulled the trigger and listed Morgan’s Cloud for sale, one of the most wrenching decisions Phyllis and I have ever made.
In the next few weeks I’m going to write a lot more about the boat, and do some videos, too, both as part of marketing her, and because I think there’s a lot of information that we have not yet published that will be useful to members when fitting out their own boats.
But in the meantime I wanted to make sure you, our members, had a timely head’s up, because the broker is already getting inquires even though the boat has been listed for less than 24 hours.
Also, he figures that she may go quickly since she is, in his words,
The ultimate live (and work) aboard escape pod for a COVID world.
Ready To Go
And that brings up the key differentiator for the boat: she is truly ready to go. I know, everyone says that, but in this case it’s true—check out the inventory in Further Reading. Put food aboard and go.
In Great Shape
And, unlike many owners who decide to sell, we have been maintaining her in top go-to-sea shape, both because I enjoy working on the boat and because I was, before COVID, planning an ocean passage for this summer. We have detailed the maintenance history in the inventory.
Seaworthy
Her combination of massively strong welded aluminum construction—recent survey available on request—and sea-kindly design has meant that in the well over 100,000 miles we have sailed her she has never failed to keep us comfortable and safe.
Reliability
She has also proved to be amazingly reliable. In all the years we have only had one significant failure (broken intermediate shroud), and we have never cut short a cruise or had to wait for parts or tools to fix a problem.
The reasons are:
- Robust systems meticulously installed
- Great access with a walk-in engine room
- A work shop below
- A huge parts and tools inventory—it all goes with her
- A rigorous maintenance program
Contact
Please contact the broker, Jim Snair, Sunnybrook Yachts, +1-902-456-0881, ac.kniltsae@bys
Jim has spent hours on the boat with me, and truly understands her.
Further Reading
- The preliminary listing on Yacht World
- Deck tour
- Inventory and maintenance history—hot linked to relevant articles here at AAC
Disclaimer
We believe the information above, and the linked articles, to be correct; however, we do not warrant that the information is in fact accurate and further make no warranty, express or implied, of the yacht’s fitness for any task.
Furthermore, the owner makes clear that responsibility to insure the correctness of this, or any other documents provided to a prospective buyer by the owner or his agents, lies entirely with said prospective buyer.
And, further, the owner specifically recommends that a prospective buyer investigate all specifications and condition of the vessel and her gear, to in all ways assure themselves of the vessel’s suitability for their intended use.
Big decision John,
Saying goodbye will be Sooo hard. But on the bright side, someone will get a true adventure yacht with a great story. And the opportunity to add to the history which is hard to find at any price. Look at what Leo (Tally Ho YouTube) has been (not even half-way) through, to get a yacht with a back-story.
My best wishes indeed to you both.
Rob
Hi Rob,
Yes, it sure will. But then thinking about a new boat is exciting, so we try to stay focused on that.
Saying good bye is always hard, letting go is one of the most difficult things in life anyway :-))
The good thing about letting go is there will be space for new things, new adventures.
have a wonderful life!
Hi Steven,
Thanks for the encouragement.
Whatever your reasons, the very best of luck to both of you. Hope you’ll be able to continue with this most interesting website.
Hi Iain,
https://www.morganscloud.com/2019/08/03/the-five-most-important-things-we-need-to-check-when-buying-a-boat/
And yes, AAC will continue.
Best wishes. The local goss here in Brisbane is that there is suddenly lots of buyer interest for the first time in ages.
What are you going to call this website now?
Hi Philip,
No change, we are just transitioning to a little more Attainable.
Why?
Hi John,
Here you go:
https://www.morganscloud.com/2019/08/03/the-five-most-important-things-we-need-to-check-when-buying-a-boat/
https://www.morganscloud.com/2019/05/18/wow-buying-an-offshore-sailboat-is-really-hard/#comments
Hi John & Phyllis,
All the best to you both, actually a little bird told me this was coming a year ago. I know when I have sold my past loved vessels it was like a child leaving home.
Jim
Hi Jim,
Yes, that’s what it’s going to feel like.
John, as a more recent subscriber to this website, I do hope this does not mean the end of you sharing your wisdom. Best wishes for finding a buyer who continues the love.
Hi Niall,
Not at all. In fact this change will probably free me up to sail on more different types of boats and also the quest for a new boat and then whipping her into shape will provide endless inspiration for new articles.
Thank you for such valued knowledge and great reading over the past few year’s I’m sure Morgan’s cloud will sell in no time all the best.
Mike
Hi Mike,
Still a lot more reading to come, at least as long as I hold out!
Given my name I really ought to buy her, but can I leave the confines of the Bristol Channel? On the other hand I’d have to sell the house…….
Good luck and please keep writing.
If it wasn’t for my wife and daughter I’d sell my house in an instant for MC… I discussed it with them, but it would interfere with their (esp. the daughters) plans… 😉
Hi Ernest,
She is a great home. If it were not for the ice here in Nova Scotia we would just live full time on her and not be making this step, or at least not yet. That said, giving up a house is a huge step that the whole family must be happy with, so you are making a good call.
Hi Huw,
No plans to stop writing. I would be bored and that, as Phyllis will tell you, is a very scary prospect, particularly for Phyllis!
Whoosh, you really did it…
I consider myself lucky that this scenario doesn’t appear in my life plans – I’ll have one boat for retirement, and if the gods are nice they’ll let me stay on board until the end. Actually, only a plan to buy, never to sell, that’s something for the leftovers, then. I don’t know if I could bring myself to do it…
Unfortunately MC is way beyond my planned budget, so I’ll not put an offer on her. If I had the funds… 😉 but at least I sincerely hope that AAC will continue to exist and thrive on!
Best wishes to you both, Ernest
Hi Ernest,
Thanks for the encouraging words. I too always thought that MC would carry me to the end. But then again, I have seen way too many aging cruisers living on boats that never go anywhere and are falling apart around them—it would break my heart to see that happen to MC. So, for me, it’s better to make this change voluntarily while I can still sail and maintain the boat, rather than being forced into it by infirmity.
LRC58???
Hi Gerben,
No, looks like we will stick with sails.
Best of luck with the sale, I am sure it will all go well being a well prepared boat!
Also, I should add, looking through the pics has given me many ideas for my own boat e.g. the seat over the forward heads, converting the pilot bunk (on the passage to the aft cabin) to a workshop / workbench, kedge anchor storage. Great stuff, and really looking forward to the future articles and insights.
Hi Alastair,
Glad it was useful. I will be doing a bunch more over the next few weeks.
Dear John
All best wishes with the sale. This is the worst part of boat ownership but its balanced by the excitement of the hunt for the perfect new boat. We AAC members should run a sweepstake on what boat you end up with. My sneaking suspicion is that it might be a J boat.
Funnily enough I was thinking yesterday of requesting you to write a specification for a bogus sale of MC so we readers could read in one place all the solutions you have come up with to the questions you have posited over the years. And here it is: the real thing with bells on (copious photographs). I have many hours of pleasure ahead.
Hi Mark,
Yes, I’m hoping the PDF specification will be of use to people for years to come, particularly since it’s hot linked to articles here that explain a lot of the line items.
Good idea, this.
J Boat? Maybe
My money would be on a trailer tri.
Condolences and congratulations… but it is way better to move into the future by choice than necessity. Selling Danza was a real heart break but we sold her on our terms. But nothing compared to losing Judy last summer. And on into the future we will carry all the good that our boats and spouses gave us.
Hi David,
Phyllis and I were so sorry to hear that you lost Judy. Thinking about that certanly puts selling a boat into perspective. And I love your last sentence.
Gorgeous boat!
I wish you and Phyllis well, John and I hope Morgan’s Cloud finds an appreciative new owner. I shall be most intrigued to see what you choose for a new boat as I am currently engaged in a new boat build, influenced in no small part by the articles I read on your excellent website!
Hi Keith,
Yes, the new boat quest will be interesting. For now we will enjoy MC for as long as we still have her, but after that we will get serious and share the process.
I’m looking forward to John’s reasoning. I downsized a few years ago, and it was NOT because I couldn’t handle the boat (in some ways big boats are easier), because I could not afford it (I paid cash a decade before), or that maintenance was getting away from me (she was in perfect order when I sold her, and I would bet dinner MC is maintained to near perfection). I was ready for a change. I may even go back up again. Who knows. For now, I am happy.
Let’s see what he says.
Hi Drew,
Just finished writing it…and I think you have hacked my computer.
In many ways I wish I was looking for a sailboat. I’m happy on the power side, but I loved my sailboat.
It would be a wonderful pursuit trying to live up to your good care and many noteworthy adventures.
Wishing you and Phyllis well,
Stedem Wood
M/V Atlantis
Glacier Bay, Alaska
Hi Stedem,
Great to hear from you again, and thanks for the kind words. I see from your location that you have covered a bunch of miles since we last chatted.
Hi John,
Thought I would be applying my AAC high-latitude course learning in Chile, this year. Left New Zealand in March two days before the world closed its doors to travel. Tahiti knew we were coming so we had a choice; another year in New Zealand or……what after Papeete?
The rest of the South Pacific was closed but the US had to take me. So, two days out from NZ I said to my Kiwi crew, “Alaska!”
He said yes so we stopped in Tahiti and Hawaii and arrived in Dutch Harbor 19/May, one day short of two months after leaving NZ. I’m being dazzled by Alaska.
Your broker is right. Cruising CAN be a good way to deal with a world Pandemic. It takes a capable boat and flexible crew. I’m sorry to have met several folks who were miserably stuck where they were.
My best to you both,
Stedem Wood
M/V Atlantis
H Stedem,
Wow, that’s quite a voyage. Glad it went well for you. And yes, Phyllis and I think a lot about the voyagers who are stuck far from home in tough circumstances.
“The ultimate live (and work) aboard escape pod for a COVID world.”
Maybe! Location critical.
You’ll need a watermaker to avoid CV19 harbors 😁😁
Hi Carlos,
This is not a forum where we score points. Please make your point once and leave it at that.
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