After selling Hydroquest in March 2014, we enjoyed ‘boat-less-ness’ for about six months. No projects! No long passages! No stress! No anchorages? No fun? … the dream of The Next Boat quickly seeped back into our lives and we began looking again in the fall of 2014.
We spent hours on Yachtworld, and considered boats all over North America. Three botched offers and much frustration later, we couldn’t believe our eyes when ‘Kaiquest’ showed up for sale in our back yard – Nanaimo, BC.
She was ours May 1, 2015. Just in time for summer!
- Name: Kaiquest (as of June 15 2015, woohoo!)
- Port of Registry: Vancouver
- Builder: Chantiers Jeanneau (Cedex, France)
- Model: Sun Odyssey 43
- Year: 2001
- Auxiliary Power: YANMAR model 4JH3-TE turbo diesel
Boat #1 ~ hydroquest
We cheers Hydroquest often!
Buying our first boat in Mexico with a big plan and dream could’ve gone sideways fast. But it all worked out – in part because she was a good buy and a good boat.
We sold Hydroquest in Sydney, Australia, in March 2014.
Hydroquest is a 1986 Beneteau First 405. When we bought her in December 2011 she was in Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico – a great location for us to start our trip. We’d been looking seriously for a boat for a few months and she ticked our boxes: strong hull, fast design, well equipped, 2 cabins, swim platform, well maintained engine, and within our price and location range.
We made a trip to Guaymas/San Carlos in November 2011 to see her. We spent 48 hours travelling (plane, bus, car) and were in the area for less than 24 hours. Two months later we were back in Mexico, officially as Cruisers!
Hydroquest sailed us over 10,000 nautical miles and was a great boat for our 2013 South Pacific crossing.
As our first boat, she’ll always hold a special place in our hearts.
- Builder: Chantiers Beneteau (St. Hilaire de Riez, France)
- Model: First 405
- Year: 1986
- Length Overall: 39’3″ (Actual LOA is about 42′ – including the added swim platform)
- Beam: 13′
- Draft: 7′ 2″
- Displacement (unloaded): 18,500 lbs
- Ballast: 7,690 lbs
- Auxiliary Power: Perkins 4-108 50 HP
- Fuel capacity: 35 gallons (yup, that’s it! – No prob for South Pacific)
- Water capacity: 130 gallons
Here are photos taken in Sydney Harbour in January 2014:
svkaiquest.com 