My future boat had to be foldable and trailerable, so I could have chosen a Farrier or a Dragonfly. But the Catri promised to be more extreme with its foil daggerboards and lightweight design. In my Harbour close to Amsterdam there were a number of Farriers / Corsairs and Dragonflies but I really never had seen a Catri anywhere.
So when I noticed a Catri 23 for sale I knew I had to decide quickly since Catri’s are not on sale that much.
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| pictures of Catri 23 for sale in Switzerland | ||
Compare it to something like when you’re looking for a fast BMW or Porsche and you suddenly encounter a Maserati within the price range: More beautiful, far more exclusive. But oh what a risk.
I knew from various internet sources that a Catri is a vulnarable boat, a boat that needs attention, and that the initial hulls were not without problems. On the other hand, performance was to be superb. After reading a blog of a UK Catri importer about sailing his new Catri 24 from Latvia to the UK I was convinced. This little Catri could be just what I was looking for.
I decided to email the owner some questions. He was very knowledgeable and seemed honest. There was a lot of interest for the boat, so I had to be quick. Since the Catri was in Switzerland it was not exactly close.
It took me one night of thinking (or was it dreaming) before I knew I just had to see this boat. I made arrangements at my work to take the day off and agreed with the owner that I could come by on Friday. I insisted on taking a test drive and pre agreed on a price based on a 100% condition of the boat. This seemed justified, if the boat was to be fine I’d rather take it home with me right away!
