3rd May 2005 - Background to Blog

Posted at 3:29 PM, Tuesday, May 3, 2005

Hi Readers,

I'm John and I sail with my wife Sue on 'Swagman of Hamble' - a Hanse 461 sloop - currently based out of the Hamble River in Hampshire, UK.  Our UK home is close by in the New Forest.  We enjoy the joint nationality of Britain and Australia, and Swagman is a registered British ship.

We've both been sailing for a couple of decades, mostly racing in Oz, but were fortunate enough two years ago to embark of a plan of slowly increasing our annual 'retirement period' and use that to get away and cruise from our now UK base.

We both feel we are too young to retire completely - and indeed we still have a business that we really enjoy - and some responsibilities that go with it.  But in 2003 we decided to trial an 8 week summer break on a cruise to the French Brittany coast on our then Grand Soliel 42 - Swagman of Cowes.

We did it the trip, lots of excitement as it was our first channel crossing, really enjoyed ourselves all summer.  We returned to a colder and wetter UK south coast to find our business still developing strongly under the guidance of our appointed Board and management team. 

So in 2004 we further extended our away period to 10 weeks.  Took part in Rally Portugal which ran from Plymouth on the UK SW coast, to Lagos on the Portuguese Algave.  We enjoyed that longer summer also - and met with a great crowd of other participants of all shapes and sizes. 

But a return in September 04 to the Southhampton Boat Show saw us wandering over a Hanse 461 dribbling about how nice she looked both above and below decks.  A deposit was rustled up and within two months we'd sold our Grand Soleil, and about to take ownership of our shiny new Hanse.

So after setting her up, we have now booked to again join up with Rally Portugal a second time for 2005 and will depart end May from Plymouth in company with 25 other across Biscay and to the Algave by way of daily 'rally races'.  

This year we will spend 12 weeks away, find a place to moor Swagman for the winter months, and return by air to be back in the office by September 05.

We will finish the Rally at Lagos in Portugal, and then aim to sail Swagman onward into the Med where we wish to spend July and August exploring the Balearics- expecting many pals to fly in and stay over with us.  Sigh.........can hardly wait.

Before opening this Blog I did wonder if we should bother? 

Most blogs I've read elsewhere appear to be self serving.  Usually reinforcing the ego of the writer.  Usually of little interest to the average reader.  I sincerely hope Swagmans Blog does not end up being seen that way - and that all readers recognise we're using it as our diary, our record file, and being web based it also keeps our pals in both Oz and UK, informed on where we are.

So please bear with us if and when the blog gets boring.  If it does, please say so.  Otherwise we hope you enjoy the content as much as we enjoy the trips - and hopefully other Hanse owners will gain benefits from the things we find out about this 461.

Cheers

JOHN and SUE

'SWAGMAN'