Well, now we've gone and done it

[danielgoldberg]

We signed a contract last night and purchased a new Beneteau 49. The clincher was a new promotion Beneteau put out just Friday night. Apparently, they have a limited number of hulls already built at the factory that they're trying to move, and they offered unbelieveable pricing on those (if you're thinking of a new Beneteau, call your dealer ASAP). The trick is to find one that's configured the way you want it, or are willing to live with (part of the deal is that the factory is not making any changes to them; they're built and they want to ship them). Fortunately for us, one, and only one, was the layout we wanted, with the right engine, etc., and as to the options she doesn't already have installed, our dealer is willing to put them on. Likewise, we're in a position to take delivery immediately, so that worked too. The cost savings was nothing short of shocking. Either that, or we seriously were getting ripped off before this special.

So there you have it, we now are part of the Beneteau family. It will be interesting going to a production boat from what we have now and have had in the past. I'm expecting the usual panoply of production boat foibles, but it's going to be awfully cool having a brand new boat and outfitting her exactly the way we want her! Plus, I'm reasonably confident this will be the fastest boat we've ever owned, so that will be loads of fun too.

If anyone has questions on our thought process, buying experience (though we're still in the throws of that, as we haven't taken delivery yet), how she's outfitted, or anything else, PM me or let me know if it's worthwhile posting for all to read.

Dan

[Freesail99]

Fair winds, and the best of luck with her.

Paul

[merlin2375]

Congrats! I've always liked the Beneteau boats' lines since the first time I saw one They are beautiful!

I know I'll be looking forward to pictures

[sailingdog]

Congratulations...post photos when you can.

[camaraderie]

Very cool Dan...my guess is that the 49 will not exhibit too many foibles! Should be a blast to run but I guess you have no ICW plans!
How soon will you take delivery? All best with her!!

[danielgoldberg]

Originally Posted by camaraderie

. . . I guess you have no ICW plans!
How soon will you take delivery? All best with her!!

Thanks Cam. She actually has an airdraft of 63'6", so theoretically we should be able to do the ditch, perhaps not at the highest tide for some of the bridges. That'll be the subject of another thread I start when we're closer to sliding south for a year.

Delivery time is the question we are working now. I want her as soon as possible, and it's a question of when Beneteau can get her to our dealer. We are hoping to be on her with our boys the week of August 18, which means I really want to get her the weekend before (August 9). Even then I'm sure we'll fumble through that first week on her trying to learn her systems, probably run the batteries dead or something similarly pathetic.

An issue we'll have is getting some of the options installed by the dealer before we go. We've agreed that they'll install what they can by the time we want to take the boat, and then install the remainder over the winter. The biggest item is something we so rarely use that it's fine by me if it gets installed later, and that's air conditioning. There's other stuff too, like davits and teak on the cockpit floor. There are some options that we won't leave the dock without that must be dealer installed, like an autopilot (who makes a 49 foot boat and doesn't put an autopilot in at the factory while the deck is off?), inverter/charger, and canvas. Then there are others that fall in between and we'd like to get done for our trip, but are not really essential, such as the electric primary winches, television, and Max Prop.

So, that's a long way of saying we expect to have her in mid August, but some equipment might not yet be installed by then.

I'll post pictures as soon as I have them (no point in posting generic pictures of any old B49; I'll wait till I have them of our girl).

Dan

[jnsailing]

congratulations on the new boat Dan - i'm sure you'll have fair weather and wonderful travels

John N.

[teshannon]

Congrats on the new boat.

[craigtoo]

AWESOME AWESOME! YAY!

forty - freakin' - nine....! HELL YEAH...

[Sabreman]

Congrats!! You'll love installing stuff instead of fixing stuff, I'm sure. Plus, there's that nice "new boat" smell (I really like the smell of a new boat over superheated old-mold and diesel fuel).

I guess that being in New England makes the A/C an option, but on the Chesapeake, I'd ditch the autopilot over the A/C anyday.

Fair winds and following seas (until you head home)