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The next couple of years would see us buying magazines and following the reviews of sailing yachts, especially catamarans, visiting boat shows etc. looking for that “special” yacht that would make our dream come true.

After visiting the Durban boat show in July 2005, we decided to draw up a short list of yachts in order of most wanted to the least wanted. From their on we would be looking for a good second-hand yacht, according to our list, as for a new catamaran would be just too expensive for us to afford.

October 2005 we visited the Cape Town international boat show. Armed with our short list of five cats, we hoped to find what we were looking for.

However there were some everlasting nagging voices in the back of my mind. So many people told us to forget this dream of ours. Get yourselves another dream because with a teacher’s salary it just isn’t possible. Before we left Bloemfontein to travel to Cape Town a colleague of mine again confronted me with these most disparaging words of being out of my mind to even think that we can buy a yacht. This short-sightedness and negativity just never was part of my outlook on life. Actually, it only made me more determent to get what I want.

After looking at a second-hand, or shall I rather say a pre-owned 38’ catamaran build by Admiral Yachts, whom was on our short list of cats, we were fortunate to meet with David Baird, CEO of ADMIRAL YACHTS  and Graig Moore, the man behind the building of Admiral’s outstanding yachts.

David put a proposal on the table that we just could not resist. Not just because it was such a good offer but also because it suited us like a glove. Most importantly was the fact that I was so taken by the openness, honesty and integrity of both these men whom I have just met for the first time in my life. Being a Christian I honestly believe that God brought these people over our path and also opened up this wonderful, very exciting and reassuring feeling that I experienced in my heart that day so that I would know that I can trust them and that it is the right choice to make. So we signed a contract and bought a brand new Admiral 40 to be delivered March 2008. I think we were the first to buy an Admiral 40, for it was just a concept at that time. Off course we did not have enough money to buy a catamaran new but we had more than two years to do something about that.

Dorothy and I both are still just as exited as we were that day when I had to phone our children to inform them that their mom and dad had just spent all of their inheritance and that we actually need some more.

So when we would take ownership of our sailing catamaran we would undoubtedly be the poorest yacht owners on earth…., sorry, water. However, I treasure the fact that it is brand new; paid in full; build to our liking and taste by one of the best yacht builders there is and that we would be on the sea with the best….the

“ULTAMATE CAT”