The Madcap Circle is Complete
31 December 2018 | Gold River Marina, Nova Scotia, Canada
Beth / chilly on the outside, warm on the inside
Our 15 Madcap years have been filled with a wonderful variety of experiences - some ups, some downs, and for the most part, they have been ups. Our decisions have always been organic - evolving naturally from purchase to local sailing to adventuring off shore, circling back to local sailing in different waters, and then to the decision to sell. When that time came, the selling part happened in the very best way too.
During the summer, we listed with John Suederick at Sunnybrook Yachts and he showed her to a number of people - mostly all of whom made "nice" comments but no offers. And then one day in early December he called to say he had shown the boat to someone who loved her. And he had an offer.
As it happens with buying and selling, there were some negotiations but they were smooth and reasonable, and within a week the deed was done. Fortunately, when we hauled out and put the winter cover on, we had taken off everything we wanted to keep, with the expectation that we would be selling before the spring and had no desire to be lugging things over the lifelines, under the winter cover, and down the ladder in the dead of winter. The buyers accepted our recent survey and felt no need for a sea trial before confirming the sale, so we visited her one last time to say goodbye, and the papers were signed. They came by the house to pick up the sails and life raft and all the bags and boxes of things that were to go with the boat, and we felt satisfied that our beloved boat was going to new owners who would love her as we did.
They are getting close to retirement and plan to go exploring after they spend a few seasons getting to know her in the waters around Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
We understand that she is to have a new name, and our feelings around that are interesting. Jim feels that the boat IS Madcap - as the nameplate in the cockpit declares - and is a bit sad that this will change. I feel that, although she is a registered Canadian boat, the name belongs to John Killick - the first owner (for 15 years) who had a great story about it, and to Jim and me - after I begged John to let us keep it. This boat has been "our Madcap" for 15 years and I am just as happy that the 1988 Bayfield 36 once known as Madcap will be sailing around with a new identity. I just hope they do a proper ceremony so no misfortune accompanies the name change, and they can chalk up another 15 years!
So that's our story, and the end of our Madcap sailing era. I doubt it is the end of our sailing experiences forever. It will certainly not be the end of the madcap Lusby/Bissell adventures! I expect this blog will morph into something else so there will continue to be a record of our journey for our own enjoyment about this fabulous time in our lives, and for the enjoyment of people who like to read about these things. We have countless pictures and memories and stories to reminisce over and to use as springboards for whatever comes next.
It's been a grand journey. Thanks for travelling with us. See you on the next one!