>>>>> Read about Gambit first<<<<<
A gift from Val for my 40th Birthday when we bought Finesse.
Having restocked the boat for the Red Sea, we flew home to East London for Christmas, planning to return sometime in February. During these weeks back home I visited Latimer’s Landing at Buffalo river, only to find Mystique along side the wharf with a flurry of activity. Mystique was well known to me, having raced and made coastal passages on her before. On one such trip from P.E. to East London I found myself in a gale gusting up to 68 knots, so there was no doubt as to her seaworthiness. Out of curiosity I approached the owner only to find that she was for sale. Before we knew it we had negotiated, agreed (on half her original price) and bought ourselves a 43ft Montevideo.
Dylan’s scrapbook entry.
Plans were put in place to bring Gambit back from Sri Lanka, with mates of mine joining in for different legs. Jack Miller was with me from Galle to the Maldives and Keith Craxton from there to Kenya. Ken Webb, a delivery skipper, brought her the remainder of the way so that I could begin with the refitting of Mystique, and it wasn’t long before our renaming ceremony and she became Finesse.
Most of the equipment was taken from Gambit and installed. The forepeak twin cabin was converted into one large double bunk for Katie and Dylan had the midships bunk bed which had its top bunk removed and new cupboards added. We spent some time living aboard before we headed out. This included Easter egg hunts and other celebrations. With the good reputation that Gambit had, she was easily sold to friends of ours from the East London Yacht Club.
– Doug
Captions to be added at a later stage.
Sailing Katlyn 