Libby, Penny and Rich go sailing………

s/y Wild Bird

Trintella 44 ketch

Design: Van De Stadt

Built: 1979 – 1980 by Anne Wever yard, The Netherlands

Main Engine: Perkins M92B, 4 cyl, about 87 horses

Gen: EMI-Perkins 102 - 4KVA

Wins: Raymarine Chart-Plotters – Touch screen – extravagant but brilliant in every way!

Oceanair hatch blinds – combined blackout/flyscreen. Just fantastic.

Wireless anchor control – something I cobbled together from a very cheap Chinese garage door opener

Inverter – 3KVA from “Invertek” – apparently made in same factory as Dutch brand, but ½ the cost

Satellite radio – just a cheap portable unit which you point at a “WorldSpace” satellite. “This is the BBC in London”. What joy!

Microwave – Very handy for quick meals and also in concert with coffee maker

Memory foam – bed topper 2 FOAM. A bit warm in summer, but Oh So Comfortable!

Portable DVD player – keeps the Girl contented, even in the worst of storms

Losses: Gas BBQ. It’s gorgeous – as an ornament. (We WERE warned!) Much of the food we eat ashore is grilled, so when we eat aboard we like variety…

Budget!!! 2000 Euros per month isn’t enough! Not if you want to eat/drink ashore regularly

HF “Ham” radio. Dreams of free email died early with failure to acquire Pactor 3 modem. And what’s the point when WiFi is relatively widespread.

(Well, I secretly hang on to the dream – if I can get hold of a modem somehow, but at £1000 – there’s no way to buy one!)