krogen 38 sailboat

Jordan Yacht Brokerage

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Kadey krogen 38 review: tandem centerboard gunkholer.

This shallow draft cutter was designed for the personal use of the most ornery, knitpicking, demanding, hypercritical client I’ve ever had — me. Jim Krogen 

In the early 1970’s, Art Kadey started a yacht brokerage in Coconut Grove, FL. Here, he ran into Jim Krogen, a local yacht designer. They used to hang out with other locals, drink beer and talk about their problems and their dreams. Eventually, Kadey came to Krogen with ideas for a trawler. Kadey dreamed of retiring and cruising the Caribbean on a full displacement trawler. Kadey was serious and gave some crude drawings of what his dream trawler would look like. The drawings intrigued Krogen, and he decided to fine out the lines and add in the missing pieces for what would become the 42 Krogen. There also are wood motorsailer 42 Krogens with 12 hulls produced. In 1976, they joined with a Taiwanese yard to produce these 42′ Krogen trawlers. The design caught on, the company grew, and before they knew it, they were boat builders, Kadey Krogen Yachts. 

But, the Jim Krogen was more of a sailor at heart. While he designed trawlers, his dream boat was a sailboat. Kadey agreed that they should next build Krogen’s dream boat. He went and designed a unusual gunkholer, the 38′ Kadey Krogen. As Bob Perry writes, “James S. Krogen designed this yacht for himself and is presently having it built in Taiwan… you can be sure that all the features of this design have been honed to near perfection over the years.” Production started in 1981. From 1981 to 1992, they would build eighty five of these 38′ sailboats.  

First Impressions The 38 Kadey Krogen is a gunkholer, a centerboard gunkholer. Living and working on Biscayne Bay, FL had shaped Jim Krogen’s idea of the perfect boat. In fact, she has tandem centerboards drawling 3’2″ centerboard up, 6’8″ down. Tadem centerboards is an unusual feature on a boat. As one broker notes, “A real person whose going to buy one just about has to be somebody looking for a Kadey Krogen 38.” It is not a generic production design. They also produced a keel version with 5′ draft. She has the classic clipper bow, pirate stern look with trailboards and above average in beam. It’s quite an unusual mix. 

Construction With the sailboat design, Kadey Krogen started production in 1980. The Taiwanese yard, Chien Hwa Boat Builders, were going fast. Word is their earliest hulls were not as well built, but they were always improving their techniques. Most 38’s came out later with a quality layup. According to company brochures, the layup was closed-cell PVC with heavy hand lay-up using mat and roving. The interior is teak veneer with teak and holly soles. She has encapsulated lead ballast of 7,000 pounds in the tandem centerboard version and iron ballast in the deep keel version. The fuel tanks are stainless steel. The rudder is fiberglass, skeg hung. 

By February 1981, they had built three Krogen 38 sailboats. Then, tragedy stuck. Art Kadey came to the rescue of a couple being robbed in a yacht club parking lot after dinner. One of the thugs pulled out a gun and shot Kadey dead. A friend of Krogen’s emotionally told me, “You know what happened to Art Kadey? He was shot – shot by a bunch of thugs because he was doing the right thing. One time I was talking to Jim and casually mentioned the 38 as a Krogen. Jim corrected me saying, ‘It’s a Kadey-Krogen.’ He was right. That’s why I always make sure to call them Kadey-Krogens.” Quickly, Jim’s son, Kurt, assumed Art’s work in Taiwan building Kadey Krogen yachts. They kept going. What else could they do? 

What To Look For Like most boat builders the quality at the yard improved as they become more experienced. Early build problems are the common leaky teaky issues. And any Taiwanese boats built in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s can have shoddy stainless steel. Look for whether the hull has the 5′ fixed keel or tandem centerboards. She was originally underpowered which is odd for a mainly powerboat manufacturer. The original engine was a small 30HP diesel which thankfully soon was replaced by mostly the ubiquitous Perkins 4-108. While passable you might want a bit more than the Perkins 4-108 to really power through that Bahamas chop.

On Deck and Down Below She has an unusual athwartship berth aft portside. Otherwise the layout is standard with the V-berth forward and head with saloon amidships. Galley is aft starboardside. The joinery below is a symphony of beautiful teak with warm solid teak hatches above. One of the Kadey Krogen’s has a different build, the owner’s personal boat named Pelican. Built in 1987, he modified the design in a couple ways. First, he made her a ketch. Second, he increased the cockpit length by removing the aft berth.

Engine and Underway Originally, the Krogen was underpowered with a 30 HP Pathfinder diesel. They switched to the 4-108 Perkins 50 HP and the Westebeke W46 which still were underpowered a bit. Look for ones with the Perkins which is easy to find parts for or repowered with a Yanmar. With her tandem centerboards and long shoal keel, she must have some sailing faults though I have not heard what. Krogen says, “She’s fun to sail. Quick to respond. Stiff in a stiff wind. Still, she can sneak over about three feet of water. Two people can handle her with no trouble. In fact, with tandem centerboards, she practically sails herself.” Krogen raced his Pelican and loved the design.

Conclusion They continued production of the 38 until 1991. Jim Jr. had joined the company as well and was doing design like his father. Kurt continued to head production. In 1994, Jim Krogen died young at 66 of a heart attack. Now, the maker legacy lay with the sons Kurt and Jim. Kurt became president, and Jim took over design. They continued Kadey’s dreams of trawlers. In the late 1990’s, the sons moved the company to Stuart. In 2007, Kurt sold his shares to two investors. Jim still runs his father’s design studio. As of 2009, of the 85 built 38 Kadey Krogen yachts, many are still treasured for great gunkholers for Florida and the Caribbean. Brokerage prices range around $100,000. Go to SV Elsa’s excellent website for detailed information, for sale listings, and much more.

6 Replies to “Kadey Krogen 38 Review: Tandem Centerboard Gunkholer”

* Where is Pelican, Krogen’s personal 38?

Not found Pelican yet, but have a list of the Krogen 38’s we have heard something of here: http://www.yacht-elsa.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=118

Thanks for the great review.

Thanks. Good work on your 38 list and other information. I was just going to check into your guestbook at http://www.yacht-elsa.co.uk . Amazing to see such interest in these yachts on the other side of the pond. – RJ

After Sailing the Bahamas for Many years, I can’t think of a finer boat for shoal water cruising

Since 89′ she has been in our family. Pelican is in Florida.

Cool. Thanks for commenting in. R

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KADEY-KROGEN 38 Detailed Review

If you are a boat enthusiast looking to get more information on specs, built, make, etc. of different boats, then here is a complete review of KADEY-KROGEN 38. Built by Kadey Krogen Yachts and designed by James Krogen, the boat was first built in 1980. It has a hull type of Keel/Cbrd. and LOA is 11.63. Its sail area/displacement ratio 16.76. Its auxiliary power tank, manufactured by Pathfinder, runs on Diesel.

KADEY-KROGEN 38 has retained its value as a result of superior building, a solid reputation, and a devoted owner base. Read on to find out more about KADEY-KROGEN 38 and decide if it is a fit for your boating needs.

Boat Information

Boat specifications, sail boat calculation, rig and sail specs, auxillary power tank, accomodations, contributions, who designed the kadey-krogen 38.

KADEY-KROGEN 38 was designed by James Krogen.

Who builds KADEY-KROGEN 38?

KADEY-KROGEN 38 is built by Kadey Krogen Yachts.

When was KADEY-KROGEN 38 first built?

KADEY-KROGEN 38 was first built in 1980.

How long is KADEY-KROGEN 38?

KADEY-KROGEN 38 is 9.78 m in length.

What is mast height on KADEY-KROGEN 38?

KADEY-KROGEN 38 has a mast height of 12.65 m.

Member Boats at HarborMoor

Kadey krogen 38

The kadey krogen 38 is a 38.16ft cutter designed by james s. krogen and built in fiberglass by kadey krogen yachts between 1980 and 1991., 85 units have been built..

The Kadey krogen 38 is a heavy sailboat which is a reasonably good performer. It is reasonably stable / stiff and has an excellent righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a bluewater cruising boat. The fuel capacity is average. There is a good water supply range.

Kadey krogen 38 for sale elsewhere on the web:

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• Sailboat Guide

1984 Krogen 38

• Description

Seller's Description

Pie in the Sky is a rare 1984 fixed keel version but identical to her tandem centerboard sister ships in every other way. The Krogen 38 is a medium heavy sailboat while still being a reasonably good performer. We won the Crew of Two Race around the Coronado Islands in her in 2019 while the 28 knot gusts were bringing our light sloop competitors to their knees. She is stable / stiff and forgiving, and rigged for single handing because the first mate likes to lounge. It is best suited as a bluewater cruising boat. An ideal couples boat with ridiculous amounts of interior storage and deep lazarette storage. Her cockpit is huge with seating for at least 8 and she is always the gathering spot. Her interior is dry and warm in winter, cool in summer with a warm Taiwanese teak interior. We purchased her in Nevada where she had stayed in freshwater for nearly all of her life, so only the last 8 years have been in saltwater along the Southern California coast. She has been lovingly and fastidiously maintained all these years and we are ready to pass her to someone who will take her on another adventure. She is currently berthed in Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard, CA.

Equipment: 2023 Harken Ocean Series Roller Furler Staysail 2023 Bateau Mahogany Custom made deck grate 2022 Dinghy Chaps 2022 Achilles Hypalon Aluminum bottom tender 2023 Tohatsu 4.5 hp Outboard 2022 Stray current protector 2022 Force 10 Propane Stove and Slide out dual voltage refrigerator 2020 New Trojan House Batteries 2020 New 110 Genoa from Point Sails and Spinnaker sock 2019 3 coats of Petit Ultima ablative anti fouling bottom paint 2018 New Main Sail and Fast Track and all new halyards 2018 Boom Vang and Clutches 2017 LewMar Electric Anchor Windlass 2017 New Headsail Winch electric motor not installed 2018 New Beta 50 Diesel Engine 2017 Custom Canvas Dodger, Bimini and Full Enclosure with upgraded Makrolon panels and custom covers 2017 Solar panels and charge controller 2017 New cranking battery 2016 Custom latex 8 inch mattresses for Aft Berth (Queen) and V berth (King) 2016 Custom cockpit cushions 2016 Mermaid Air Conditioning 2016 Airhead composting system with spare tanks and accessory spare parts collection 2016 Quick boiler hot water heater 2016 Raymarine Chart Plotter, Radar, and Autopilot 2016 All new transducers 2015 Complete topside and bottom paint overhaul to include stripping, blister removal, faring, barrier coating. Topside paint b y Dupont Imron in Hatteras Off White and Stars and Stripes Blue 2015 Corian galley and head counters in Aztec Gold, new galley faucets 2013-2020 Restoration of all topside teak (with old growth Burmese teak) to include teak hatches, toerails , caprails , lazarette seats, hatchboard and interior fiddles and cabinet trim.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

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Edwards Yacht Sales

• 866.365.0706

1984 Krogen 38 Cutter

• Pensacola, FL, US

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Absolutely Stunning Classic Krogen 38

Ideal For The Bahamas

"Passion" is an superb example of a well maintained and spacious cruiser designed especially for shallow water navigation and cruising the islands.  Her owner of the past 35 years has given her the kind of care that only a family member could hope for. 

With a clipper bow, proper bowsprit, flush decks, two private staterooms, one head, curved sheer, ports in her sheer stripe, a gallows frame, and aft-raked transom stern, the Krogen 38' is a vessel of classic beauty.   

The design features a 3'- 3" draft (both center boards up) and 6' 6" (center boards down).  Her unique dual center board design is ideal for the cruising in the Florida Keys or the Bahamas.  The boat is heavy enough at 24,000 lb. displacement for safe and comfortable cruising offshore.  James Krogen built 85 of these beautiful classic cruisers. 

See Full Specs Section for Complete Details,  Highlights include:

• Perkins 4.108 Diesel (Removed and Rebuilt in 2005- 2,365 hours)
• Paguro 4 EY Diesel Generator ( NEW in 2023-  15 hours)
• 16,000 BTU Air Conditioning
• Force 10 Diesel/ Kerosene Heater
• Freshly Refinished Exterior Brightwork
• Xantrex Inverter/ Charger 

Isotherm 12V Cold Plate Refrigeration (NEW 2019)

• Solid Teak Decks in Cockpit Only (Sanded and Prepped 2024)
• Full Enclosure / Dodger
• Main/ Jib/ Staysail (ALL NEW 2012)
• Rack and Pinion Steering
• Hull and Deck Painted  (NEW 2022)
• Bottom Painted (NEW 2022)
• Davits W/ Avon 9' Dinghy and Tohatsu 3.5 HP Outboard 

Specifications

Descriptions, basic information, dimensions & weight, tank capacities, accommodations.

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Accommodations:

The entire interior is solid teak. The joinery is of the finest quality with a true nautical flair from the louvered vents on all lockers to the fiddles on the shelves and the oval passageway openings. Use of a sliding door on the after cabin is an excellent feature for space conservation. Cabin sole is varnished solid teak and holly. 

Air Conditioning throughout

The Main salon has a large U shaped settee to port with a solid teak, multiple drop leaf table design. The table can be dropped and the settee converted to a full berth. There are storage compartments below the settee and three shelves and 3 lockers behind it. Opposite the table to starboard is another 6 foot settee that converts to a single berth with a wine storage locker/rack on the forward end. 3 lockers and 3 shelves provide more storage.  A brass oil lamp, 12 Vdc fans and diesel/ kerosene heater are mounted on the aft bulkhead. A brass ship's clock and separate brass barometer are mounted on the forward bulkhead. The ship's lighting has mostly been converted to LED or CFL lighting.

Master Stateroom:

Opposite the galley is the Master Cabin with queen berth, huge (deep) hanging locker with shelves outboard, and long vanity along the forward bulkhead. Vanity has a small stainless steel sink with Hot & Cold pressure water and full mirror. The vanity also converts to a chart area with a fold down table.  3 lockers and 3 drawers provide storage. Ventilation is by 2 bronze opening ports and a deck hatch. 

Forward Stateroom:

The forward cabin has a spacious 6 ft V berth with double inserts. Above are two shelves with a locker beneath accessible from a louvered door. Two drawers also provide storage.  Vanity area with a small stainless steel sink with Hot & Cold pressure water is aft to starboard. Storage is provided with 2 lockers (one with a mirror). Just aft of the vanity is a narrow hanging locker with 3 shelves along the hull and space for a few hanging garments inboard. Ventilation is provided by two opening bronze ports in the hull sides and the deck hatch.

Forward of the salon, to port is the head with manual marine toilet and an Electrascan waste treatment and a separate shower stall with sump.  There is also a 25 gallon holding tank for use in zero discharge zones.  Two shelves and one locker provide adequate storage. Opposite the head to starboard is huge double hanging locker with louvered doors. 

Electronics:

Raymarine ST60 Wind (NEW Transducer 2021)

Raymarine Autopilot (NEW Screen 2021)

Raymarine RL70C Chartplotter (NEW Screen 2021)

Raymarine Radar 

ICOM VHF Radio w/ Ram Mic 

Datamarine Depth + Speed

LCD Television 

Stereo w/ Speakers

Aft to starboard is the fore/aft galley with large counter top, 3 burner gimbaled propane stove and oven (with removable countertop cover and overhead heat shield), double stainless steel sink with Hot & Cold pressure water and cutting board cover. 10 lockers, 3 drawers and 5 shelves (aft) provide storage. Two top opening doors provide access to the large well insulated refrigerator and freezer area. Ventilation is provided by a bronze opening port. 

Deep Double Stainless Sinks

Filtered Fresh Water

• Magma Barbeque

Hillerange 3 Burner LPG Stove/ Oven

• (2) 20lb Aluminum LPG Tanks

Pressurized Hot/Cold Water

• Water Heater 110V/ Engine Heat Exchanger

Mechanical & Electrical:

Perkins 4.108 Diesel Engine (Removed and Rebuilt in 2005 - 2,365 hours)

High Pressure Fuel Pump (NEW 2020)

Paguro 4 EY 3.2KW Diesel Generator (NEW 2022)

Technicold 16,000 BTU Air Conditioning 

Raritan Electro-Scan Waste Treatment System (NEW 2013)

(4) 6V Deep Cycle Batteries (400AH total)

Xantrex 1500W Inverter/ Charger 

Solid teak and Holly Flooring in Excellent Condition 

• Full Set of Cockpit Cushions (Not Pictured)

Full Sunbrella Enclosure w/ Isinglass Curtains 

Dodger with Cover w/ Filler to Bimini

Rack and Pinion Steering 

Teak Steering Wheel 

Nav-Pod w/ Instrumentation 

Deep Lazarettes to Port and Starboard

Hull and Deck

Manual Windlass 

• Stanchions and Lifelines raised 8" Around Perimeter of Deck

Bottom Painted 2022 (Trinidad SR)

Deck Painted 2022

Hull Paint touched up 2022

Brightwork refinished 2022

Sails and Rigging:

• Standing Rigging Replaced 2007

Mack Pack For Mainsail 

2012 Schurr Sails Main 

2012 Schurr Sails Jib w/ Profurl Furler 

2012 Schurr Sails Staysail w/ Harken Furler 

Storm Jib,  Unknown Age but Good Condition 

Symmetrical Spinnaker-  Unknown age

• Main Sheet Is Removable To Allow Fully Enclosed Cockpit While Not under Navigation 
• Cutter Rig w/ Staysail on club foot boom 
• Storm Anchor Setup W/ 60 lb Anchor and Rhode
• 1,000' of 5/8" line for Securing Vessel 

Watch Video:

Krogen 38 walk through.

Presented by

Kevin barber 4 listing(s).

• 850.982.0983 727.449.8222
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Boat Review: Krogen 38 and Morgan 382

by Michele | Preparation Stage | 0 comments

After visiting the Cape Dory and Morgan Out Island in the marina at the broker’s office (check them out here:  Boat Review: Morgan Out Island and Cape Dory 33 ), we followed our broker about half an hour away to a small boat yard that housed the next boat of the day, the Krogen 38. We hadn’t ever heard of a Krogen before looking at the broker’s website but were pleasantly surprised to find an extremely nice boat for the listing price of only $53,000. (Someone else must have thought the same due to the fact that the boat is now sold.)

According to the Kadey-Krogen Yachts page on the boat, the Krogen 38 is one of the only sailboats designed by the architect James Krogen. Krogen usually designed luxury trawlers but he designed this boat for himself as an ideal sailing cruiser for shallow areas like Florida and the Caribbean. It certainly seemed pretty ideal to us. There was tons of storage space everywhere, had very large bedrooms (or berths to sea people), and overall had the most “home-y” feel to us. As an extra bonus, it is cutter rigged which would be nice to have the extra flexibility of more sail options at sea. If we come across another one of these this time next year, there is a good chance we would buy one though with only 85 ever produced the chances are fairly low that we’ll find one. Good luck to whoever bought this boat, she was a beauty!

Being in a working boat yard was a new experience for us and the one that we were in had a huge assortment of boats in every stage of life. There were trawlers and sailboats, a 50′ wooden boat styled like a pirate ship, boats that were beautiful and well-cared for, and a couple that looked like they had been abandoned some time ago. We even saw a 30′ sailboat (with no mast in sight) hailing from Alaska! It looked like it had sailed the whole way, though I’m not sure from which direction. I would love to hear the stories that those boats have to tell.

The final boat of the day was the Morgan 382. This boat was clearly in the best shape of the four that we had toured and certainly made a good impression. A couple of the features that we liked were the settee design, large quarter berth area for Carter, U-shaped galley, and the general feel of the boat. The only thing that concerned us was the size of the V-berth, which would serve as our master bedroom. It seemed quite small compared to the other boats we had visited, but we would need to do additional tests to see if we could sleep in it comfortably. I might love the boat but if I can’t get a good night’s rest I would not be a happy sailor! Overall though, we really liked the boat and are much more likely to find one of these in our real search due to the wider production range of Morgans.

Do you have any boat model suggestions for us? Questions or comments? Leave a comment and let us know!

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We Bought A Sailboat!

‘If you guys do this it will be one hell of an adventure. Lots won’t go to plan or be easy but the adversity mixed with the euphoric moments will all come together to make a story worth telling. Possibly even a story worth living for. A yacht is just a tool for a job.’ John, my lovely cousin (and excellent sailor, who has given us invaluable support and advice)

It’s crazy that after all this waiting I can finally write a post to announce that we bought a sailboat! It has been a long (sometimes exciting, sometimes painful) process as you can see in my last post , that has left us with some massive lows and one very big high. After seeing numerous boats that weren’t right for us we have finally found a boat we love, that we hope will take us around the world (or at least to the next marina!).

About The Boat (In Case You’re Interested!)

‘Hot Chocolate’ is a Kadey Krogen 38 , an American boat designed by Jim Krogen for his own personal use. There were 85 of them built and we are now the proud owners of number 76. She’s floating at the moment and we’re hoping we can keep her that way! She will take quite a bit of work to get her back up to her former glory, but we knew that our budget wouldn’t stretch to a boat that didn’t come with problems and we’re excited to get to work.

Kadey Krogen yachts have an interesting design. A very shallow full keel, meaning they can go shallower than a lot of sailboats, with tandem centreboards to help directional stability. We have loved speaking to other owners and finding out how passionate everyone is about them. It has also meant we have masses of knowledge and advice at our fingertips.

We had a nerve wracking few weeks waiting for the survey. Luckily we found a brilliant surveyor who we can’t recommend highly enough. If you’re looking for someone professional, knowledgeable and with a great sense of humour then contact Mike at Salient Marine Surveys .

Mike made the day fun and informative. We learnt a lot about the boat and boats in general (and he was sensitive when breaking bad news!) He told us of some biggish problems but also how we could fix them, and which jobs we would be able to complete ourselves to save money.

Early in the morning Hot Chocolate was lifted out of the water by a gang of Italian men, shouting at each other angrily, gesticulating ferociously and doing everything they could to make me worried about the fact that I was standing on a 12 ton boat that was being hoisted out of the water.

Once out she was given a good clean so Mike could see what he was dealing with. He assured us that he had all the latest surveying tech before pulling out a hammer and spending several hours tapping rhythmically at the hull. Just when I thought we had wasted several hundred pounds on a wannabe drummer, he explained that he was listening to a change in sound that indicates delamination.

The rigging looked to be in good shape and the sails for Hot Chocolate have just been refurbished. We got to take a trip to the sail repair shop to see them which was fun. They have a MASSIVE warehouse full of sunken industrial sewing machines, and room to lay out our sails on the floor so we could take a good look. It does mean that until we get the sails refitted we’re going no where!

Once back in the water he poked around inside for several hours (luckily narrowly avoiding Adam’s underwear drawer). He pulled apart joinery and ran the engine so hard I thought the boat would break loose from her ropes and plough into the expensive looking yacht opposite us. Luckily the very old engine seems to run fine, though I think Adam is already missing the massive Mercedes engine he had on boaty!

Inside she feels like a home. Which is quite important considering we will be living on her! She has an aft cabin that can be open plan, making the salon feel roomy and meaning Adam has to get up nice and early like me because he wakes up when I clatter around making tea. That’s actually a lie, he just covers his head with a pillow and sleeps through. She also has a separate shower and toilet rather than a wet room.

She has a broken oven that burns us every time we use it, the cosiest sofa to watch films on, a fridge we can’t get to and a window above the bed to watch the stars.

Decision Time

I hate making decisions. Not even my Mum could make this one for me. After a full day of looking for problems (and obviously finding them!) we were physically and emotionally exhausted.

We had lots of figures to crunch and we were finding it hard to think with our heads and not our hearts. We loved the boat, we liked and trusted the old owner but we were worried about the work that needed doing. My old friend Lynsey (she’s not old, just a friend I’ve known for a long time!) recently imparted these words of wisdom,

‘There is no such thing as a wrong decision. You can only make a leap of faith based on the info you have to hand at the time.’ Thanks Lyns xx

So we leapt.

Hot Chocolate is the first ‘house’ that Adam and I have bought together. It isn’t normal or conventional and it certainly isn’t going to make us any money! But what we lose in financial stability, we gain in endless possibilities, excitement and adventure. We have a new way of life, a new way to see the world and we couldn’t be happier to start this adventure together. ‘A yacht is just a tool for a job’ and hopefully Hot Chocolate is going to be the boat that gives us ‘a story worth living for!’

PS. We’re considering changing the name…post your suggestions below! (Nothing rude please Fi)

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Godspeed to you guys! I really enjoy your videos – even the cat-stuff 🙂 Sailing since the age of four, I have been waiting for the right circumstances to do as you guys did. So watching you, is watching my own dream. “may you always have a hand’s width of water under the keel” (I know you don’t even need that) Keep on trucking, Mike

That’s a brilliant saying…I’ve never heard that one before. So pleased to hear you’re enjoying the videos (and Tiny Cat says thanks for putting up with her too!!) Wow, sailing since you were 4! That’s the way to do it! Bet you could teach us a thing or two, or ten! I really hope you find the right time soon, I think watching us is a good omen as we’ve had many people say the same who are now buying a boat to live on. When you do then I hope we end up sharing a beer in an anchorage. Please do keep us updated! Emily

My wife and I just found a 38 Kadey-Krogen for sale and are excited about going to look at her. Especially after watching your videos. We are planning to cruise the Bahamas and Carribean, maybe further who knows. Thanks for posting the videos and best of luck in your adventures, Jim

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