Farewell to Chiron

Posted on by T.J. Butler, Author

We recently said farewell to Chiron. Our plans are bigger and better, emerging, growing, and filled with wondrous and exciting possibilities.

Today Charles is gathering the final items from the cabins and lockers. I said goodbye over the weekend and my car is full of boxes holding our life and patiently waiting to see how long it will take to unpack them again at sea.

My car is packed to overflowing. I have so many boxes in the back that I can’t move the passenger’s seat into place. Who knew a 34′ catamaran could hold so many little pieces of aquatic adventure, fragments of the days, weeks and months we spent underway, and the odds and ends that make up a life at sea for one adventurous couple and their little dog too.

This is not the quick end to our chapter at sea. Instead, we’re writing a new book and we can’t wait to share it with you.

“There is no real ending. It’s just the place where you stop the story.” – Herbert

 

 

50 thoughts on “Farewell to Chiron”

    1. Hello! We’re looking at a few options and our first priority is a boat that can cross an ocean. I’m not sure how soon we’ll be circumnavigating but that’s part of the new story we’ll have to tell.
      Sylvie’s doing well on land and enjoying tennis balls that don’t roll away from her as the boat rocks!

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      1. My sister and her ex owned a sailboat that could cross the ocean. I can’t remember if they actually did that, but they had been planning to. I do remember something about the boat being made so that if it was turned upside down it would right itself again.

        Looking forward to your new boat and more stories about Sylvie and your travels. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Hello! We’re also looking forward to seeing how this new part of the story unfolds. I’m spending this evening researching a whim I heard about while exercising that might be our next big adventure.
      We’ve jumped a few hurdles since the end of last summer and I’m about ready for something to shake the foundations (while still being able to wash my face with warm water twice a day).
      Thank you for reading. I’m excited about my next post- hoping I have some news soon!

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      1. Wow, looking forward to reading about it! Meanwhile, our little boat got pretty much banged up by the storm, so we had to have some urgent and drastic hull repairs done. Now we are working on replacing whatever was lost (and some stuff stolen, unfortunately), and doing minor repairs. The main is all torn up, together with the cover. But she is safe and sound now.
        Good luck with your new adventures!

        Liked by 1 person

      3. All storms we get here are horrible storms, unless they grow up and become hurricanes, and then everybody realizes how dangerous they are. We have a hurricane season every year, and our best sailing season is now, but we sail all year round, even when it’s very hot.

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      1. Why not take a look online, think about how inexpensive it is to have it taken cross country and let me make you a heck of a deal on a great boat! Chad

        Just google Tulum IV and it will come up on about a dozen websites including mine-

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      3. Hi, couple of questions:

        1. Would you buy another catamaran,,,why or why not- I’m interested in several here on the west coast, but the main thing is that they are really expensive.

        What do you think between cost of the catamaran, upkeep and feeding of it, is it worth it,,,,or are you guys going to a monohull for other reasons? Chad

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    2. Hello, I wasn’t able to reply directly to your other comment so here’s our answers below.
      1. Would you buy another catamaran,,,why or why not- I’m interested in several here on the west coast, but the main thing is that they are really expensive.
      Our main concerns were that the catamaran we had was not great in bad weather. Our future sailing plans include crossing oceans so we need something that’s going to be able to take waves, swells and a bit of weather on the high seas. Some catamarans are great for circumnavigation but Chiron was just not one of them. Had we been planning coastal cruising, going up and down the ICW, and Bahamas/Caribbean only, Chiron would have been great. As we age, who knows what we’ll look at in the future, but for now I think we’ll be good with…… with what is going to be my next fabulous announcement as soon as we close the sale. My last blog entry was definitely not the end of us!

      2. What do you think between cost of the catamaran, upkeep and feeding of it, is it worth it,,,,or are you guys going to a monohull for other reasons?
      I think your upkeep costs vary depending on the condition, length and age of the boat. Chiron was 34 ft long and 14 ft wide, similar to many monohulls so we weren’t paying more for marinas. Many catamarans are wider so you do get into higher marina fees there. Chiron was a 1997 and we upgraded the electronics as well as a few of the systems, but you’d also have that with any boat at that age. We were pretty lucky that Chiron was in good shape, only two previous owners, and there weren’t many cosmetic repairs needed.
      Catamarans are generally more expensive to buy and you get a lot more monohull for your money, however you also get a big wide living area and usually more cabins than a monohull of the same length.
      One of our recent brokers said he’d had a cat and a monohull when he was living aboard. He found the monohull to be a much better sailing experience and the cat to be a much better living experience. I guess your choice will depend on whether you plan a lot of time at the dock in a floating home or if you want to be out on the sea, sailing and going where the wind takes you.

      If you start looking at the sailing groups on Facebook, you’ll find a love hate thing with cats and monohulls. Have you been on any at the boat shows?

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      1. Hi, yes, we’ve been on a number of catamarans. I love the fact you’re looking at blue water cats for crossing oceans. Which ones would you think about? Which ones in your mind can carry loads and still sail, have the bridge deck clearance to go across oceans?

        Liked by 1 person

      2. We’re actually looking at blue water monohulls and moving away from cats. I’ve heard Gunboats are the best but you can always look at a Leopard, Lagoon, or FP.
        Do you have a sailboat show coming up this spring? We always go to the one in Annapolis at least once a year.

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    2. Thanks for sticking with us, we’re really close to our next sailing chapter and very excited for the changes it’s bringing to our lives. Chiron’s now in good hands with another sailor so we’ll soon have a new name, new pictures, and the beginnings of a big new adventure.

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    1. The new buyer is a much more accomplished sailor than either of us and we know Chiron will be in excellent hands. We’re not sure if they’ll take Chiron home to one of the Great Lakes (what an adventure for our little boat), or whether they’ll stay coastal. Either way, I’m glad she’s gone to someone with a good pair of sea legs and a love for our first home on the sea.

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  10. Wishing you wonderful new adventure and hoping you find the right boat for you. We chose an Alberg 30, and it has served us very well on our own adventures. It is a beautiful, sea-kindly boat that has taken us through storm and calm.

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    2. Thanks for sticking with us, we’re really close to our next sailing chapter and very excited for the changes it’s bringing to our lives. Chiron’s now in good hands with another sailor so we’ll soon have a new name, new pictures, and the beginnings of a big new adventure.

      Like

      Reply

    1. Thanks for sticking with us, we’re really close to our next sailing chapter and very excited for the changes it’s bringing to our lives. Chiron’s now in good hands with another sailor so we’ll soon have a new name, new pictures, and the beginnings of a big new adventure.

      Like

      Reply

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