We bought the boat!

[cubemonkey]

Hey sailFar friends,
Norm and I are the proud new owners of Averisera, the Aphrodite 101 we had our eyes on down in CT. Excited?? Doesn't even come close. We are naming the boat Averisera, but at the BSC party last night, it became apparent that our friends there thought it should be called "We didn't use Protection". I think Meg asked "And how long have you two been together?" What can I say. The new baby has arrived.

I will post pics in the gallery.

We're hoping you let us stay, because even though Averisera is 32'8", it is only 7'8" wide. So it is a very small boat. Not as small as some, but certainly small enough.

Anyway, I can now sign my posts,
-elizabeth
s/v Averisera

:D

[Frank]

CONGRATS !!!!   Pictures..we need pictures.   HAVE FUN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Norm]

we have a baby?

at our age?

[cubemonkey]

I put some pics in the gallery Frank. Enjoy!
-elizabeth
s/v Averisera

[Norm]

Seriously.  This is a grand adventure for us.  We look forward to sailing Averisera and exploring the small boat voyaging concepts discussed on this board.  

Our opening trip is in a few weeks, April 16th, we hope.  We leave from Milford, CT (near New Haven) bound for Boston.  The course is NE bending to the N as we clear the Cape Cod Canal.  The weather at this time of year favors a cold NE'r hauling into the NW.  On the nose and stone cold.  Yummmm.  

Dan... if it is cold and rainy may we crash at your place.... wink wink....

My very first sailing trip was in 1957 from Stamford, Ct to Chatham, MA at the same time of year.  It never occured to me after that trip that a life at sea was not for me.  I reckon mom and dad will be amused to see the pictures and read the letter.  Parents... be careful of what you do with your kids.  haha.

I have to work the weekend of the 21/22 so we have to make time.  No lollygagging.  Schedules are the bane of the voyaging sailor.  No matter what, it will be fun to share the adventure with Team Sailfar.

Best to all.
Norman

[AdriftAtSea]

True... don't ever want to sail to a firm schedule... ;)

The crew at BSC must be psyched... Where will you be keeping her?? At the BSC docks?? or someplace else?

Congratulations on the new to you boat... I can't wait to see it...

The trip up from Connecticut should be a good shakedown for you. 

As for letting you stay... i don't see why not... my boat's 18' wide... ;) 

BTW, what does the name stand for???

[Captain Smollett]

Congrats, Norm and Elizabeth!!  Exciting times. I cannot wait to hear about your trip, which will be right before we bring the Alberg 30 down from NC.  Should be good inspiration.   ;)

Took a look at the pics in the gallery - very cool. 

[skylark]

Nice pics!

Is that a flush deck boat? What does she look like inside?  Looks fast.

[Norm]

Hi all:
The name:  Averisera.  It is Latin for versed sine curve.  The formula was discovered by an 18th century mathmatician, Maria Agenisi, and is sometimes called the "Witch of Agenisi."  More detail on the web at:  http://mathworld.wolfram.com/WitchofAgnesi.html

We are math geeks at heart.  Elizabeth being stronger in this sense than me.  I proposed we name the boat Witch of Angenisi... which got rejected out of hand!  The rest is obvious.  Women, math, boats, navigation, voyaging, wave functions, ... it all worked for us.

Yes, the boat is flush decked with al of 4.5 ft of headroom.  OK for us.  There is standing headroom under the companionway which has a dodger fitted over handrails.  The arrangement is a small V-berth forward followed by a head with hanging locker.  The main cabin has two berths and a bit of a table followed by a sink to starboard and a stove to port.  Two quarter berths finish the interior.  It is tight.

We liked the narrow shape, long cockpit, tiller, aft traveller, and fractional rig.  The PHRF is 144 which compares to a J30.  Elizabeth particularly liked the fact that she is comfortable handling a boat this size by herself.  I work a lot during the Summer so a boat E can sail with a few girlfriends or by herself is important.

E & I are open to the idea that this could be our "long voyage" boat.  Time will tell.  The Alberg 30... which gets the same pitter-pat reaction is a more comfy.  Maybe we will go that route in the end?

We first saw the design last Summer when sailing in the San Juan Islands.  It was love at first sight.  All Winter we compared every boat listing on Yachtworld to the Aphrodite 101 design.  Finally, we drove to see the boat.  It was love at closer inspection.

One thing that helped us with our decision was the discussions we had with all of you about small boat cruising.  We had experience with bigger boats and didn't really go for it.  Seeing how others solved small boat problems and shared our views helped.  After all... as the April 1st joke demonstrated... small boat voyaging is not a topic that is seriously considered by the cruising press.

So, we will be sharing ideas and dreams together.

I'd buy grog for all but we own a boat now.

Best, Norman

[Frank]

What is the draft??

[cubemonkey]

I put more pics up of the interior. They were taken during the survey, so things are a bit of a mess. When we get it all nice the way we like it, I'll take more pics. We do have a lot of work to do to make the boat comfy!

-elizabeth
s/v Averisera

[cubemonkey]

What is the draft??

5'6"

I guess I'll post a pic of the keel now.

:)

[Frank]

That sure looks like it will be a fast boat!! From the appearance of the underbody and the narrow beam, it should be fairly smooth in 'the big stuff' too. I'm sure both of you will have just a hoot sailing it...HAPPY FOR  YA's !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AdriftAtSea]

Norm-

I seem to remember something you posted previously about the name. 

BTW, if you're ever looking for crew, give me a call. :D

Norm, btw, we're installing two moorings for visitors at my marina, so if you need to stop in the Buzzards Bay area, we're just up the river from New Bedford Harbor. :D

Capn Smollett-

Where are you sailing the Alberg 30 from and to? 

[skylark]

I like the salon, it looks like a nice place to hang out, even if you can't stand up.  You do seem to have a shortage of flat areas to work on though.

[cubemonkey]

You do seem to have a shortage of flat areas to work on though.

Hi Skylark,
Just like when buying a new home, you have to give it some time to find what works and what doesn't. We plan to sail the boat as much as possible, under different conditions. Wednesday night racing, some double-handed racing perhaps this summer, weekend cruises, longer cruises. That way we'll get a good feel for all her pluses and minuses. Then we can make plans for making the space work for us. And we'll post pics as we go.

-elizabeth

[AdriftAtSea]

Pretty boat... I take it you have storage under the settees? 

[Captain Smollett]

Where are you sailing the Alberg 30 from and to? 

Pardon the temporary hijack: we are sailing the A-30 from New River, NC to Georgetown, SC.  The offshore leg is about 70 nm.

Back to Norm and Elizabeth's celebration and descriptions of the new 'baby!!'

[AdriftAtSea]

Norm-

What sails did you get with her? Did you get a spinnaker and pole?? I thought I saw one in the photos you posted.




Capn Smollett-

Sounds like a good shakedown cruise.. :D 

[CapnK]

Norm and Elizabeth -

Wow! She looks like she will *scoot*, and with that underbody and narrow hull, I'd bet that 75* tacks are not outta the question at all. She will be a blast to sail, I bet when you say that you 'can hardly wait', that's an understatement... :D

Congrats to the proud new parents!!!  ;D ;D ;D 8)