You know what they say about first impressions. Based on that we might just have met our new best friend today.
The current owners had invited us onto the boat for sundowners and to have a first look. “Of course”, we had said.
At 5p we meet the owner Jeff at the dingy dock and are immediately immersed in a boating and personal sailing history conversation. We dingy over and get our first look at her. 
She is beautiful. Just beautiful. A Moody 49 built in the UK in 2006, hull #17 of just 18 ever produced. A very rare find indeed: in the five years I have been actively monitoring the global market, she is only the third of these boats to be sold.
As we get onboard we immediately feel how solid she is. It is a blue water cruiser, designed to cross oceans safely and in comfort. Heavy for her size, everything is spec’ed to take the worst wind and sea can throw at a boat. No comparison to our good old “Towanda” (who we still love dearly!), a light-weight coastal cruiser.
Jeff and his wife Lynne bought her just two years ago and did a great job putting her into splendid shape, making significant investments in time, love, and money upgrading many of her main components. That alone is worth another post one day.
And they turn out to be absolute sweethearts. It doesn’t feel like buyers and sellers meeting – Jeff and I quickly establish that we very well could be brothers in our passion for sailing, for boats, for organization, and for taking the path less traveled.
He and I spend a lot of time going through the boat in detail and he begins to explain a lot of the main components to me, where all the tools and spare parts are that come with the boat, and what he recommends we change. Worth so much getting all that first hand insight. And as organized as I am, I think I found my master.
In the meantime Karin spends time with Lynne, learning more about their story and their cruising years and what they are up to next. Wonderful people. We end up talking a long time sitting in the cockpit watching the sunset in a light, warm trade wind breeze.
It is dark when Jeff drops us off at the marina and we go for a drink and snack to post-process our first impression.
It is a good one. An awesome one. I am downright giddy and already in love with this boat. But let’s slow down the movie a bit. Tomorrow we spent all day with sea trial and marine survey. Hopefully, all will turn out to be in good shape.
Because I already know I want to buy her.
