30 years ago we felt already attracted to water. We bought a windsurfing board and sailed the whole year. We never looked at the weather condition. Since the time that our children were little, we hardly had time to spend on the water and we only sailed during our summer holidays in France where we frequently went to.

Why a sailingboat?
Spring 2005 I was for business in Surinam. On Sunday I met an America man during a trip on the Surinam river. I got into conversation with him and asked him what he was doing in Suriname.

He told me that he and his wife and 2 friends sailed with his boat to Paramaribo. 'Then you have a long vacation planned': I asked. 'This is my life': he said.
The last 2 years he sailed across the globe with his wife. He must have a lot of money, I thought. That was not the case. He could take early retirement, sold his house and bought a sailing boat. Without any sailing experiences they left the United States of America. What an adventure. Then a started thinking and dreaming.

When I got home I asked my wife: 'Shall we sell our house and buy a sailboat. She thought I was out of my mind (mid-life crisis, of course!).

Why waiting?
A few months later, after a succesful holiday in Mid-America, my wife said suddenly: 'Why waiting for the time we retire? Let's buy a boat now?'.

Bavaria A few weeks later, we looked tat all the beautiful yachts we saw at the Hiswa and enjoyed the beautiful weather and great atmosphere. The choice was quickly made. It had to be Bavaria, nice, fast and reasonably priced. We also decided to book a sailing weekend at the 'Zeezeilers van Marken' (http://www.zeezeilers.nl). In the first week of November 2005 was the day that we made our first cruise. The trip went from Harlingen to Terschelling. We enjoyed the trip very much and a new hobby was born. Also the children loved their maiden trip.

We were advised to purchase a Bavaria. Via the internet, the importer Holland Sailing (www.hollandsailing.nl) and the visit to ship broker Sailing World (www.sailingworld.nl) we finally made our choice.

The purchase came about as soon as the decision to buy a yacht. Thanks to Willem Arbman (www.isoship.nl) who advised and assisted us.