I had a bit of a wait for Spellbinder, as following the survey a couple of technical issues had been identified which needed resolving. These included a new rudder bearing, the replacement of a few of the seacocks and the replacement of the standing and running rigging.  A spreader needed replacing and they found that the coaxial cables inside the mast had been crushed and new ones were required.

The day eventually came, after a couple of delays, and on Thursday 4th May 2017 I met up with the owner and his sailing friend Martin and went through a list of things I wanted to cover. Once complete, I signed the paperwork and we headed off on the delivery trip – a delightful trip with the tide round to Gosport, with a light northerly breeze allowing us to sail most of the way.  We had to put one reef in around Gillkicker Point and overall it was a fitting and civilised start to my ownership. Once docked in Gosport, we paused to take photos and Henry and Martin left me to it – with a bit of emotion, I suspect, as they had invested a great deal of time and energy into Spellbinder, and had kept her in great shape. A couple of photos show the moment.