We first learned that Circe (sursee) was coming up for sale through the Freeport Owners Group:
The FOGgers have a very active web forum with a lot of helpful members who are a great source of useful information on boats in general and Freeports in particular. We had been 'lurking' on their forum for a year or more while we researched and plotted for our next (last) boat. After putting together our 'must have' and 'can't stand' lists, and comparing them with literally hundreds of different boat models both on line and through prowling marinas and yards, we kept coming back to the Freeport 36 with the B Plan layout. It is an ideal set-up for a couple of 'old matelots' who still enjoy a few creature comforts and don't plan to share their retirement retreat with anyone other than a very few, very occasional, day trippers! The F36B has great accommodations, turning over more living space, storage space and natural light to the crew than any other sub-38 foot mono-hulls we have seen. Rugged design, an easy motion in a seaway and fairly stiff in a blow makes short-handing or single-handing less of a challenge for a couple of old matelots who are well past their 'round the buoys' best! Add a good reputation for durability and a strong owners group and the final decision was an easy one.
So, earlier this year while we were planning a visit with (non-sailing) friends in San Diego and, knowing that there were numerous FOGgers in the SD area, we posted on the forum a request to meet and pick FOGger brains! We were delighted to receive several positive responses and ended up meeting with a great bunch of people and touring four Freeports. A huge thank you to JD, Don & Jan, Chip & Debbie and Bill. We came away with mountains of good info, many useful photos and our conviction that a Freeport B was the way to go firmly validated.
Almost as soon as we returned home we learned that Circe had just come on the market, right here in the Bay Area! Knowing about the FOGgers, her previous owner had decided to use the forum as a first avenue to find a buyer before signing up with a broker and accepting a commission liability. FOGgers, knowing about our interest let us know and the rest is history!
We want to be able to get off the grid as much as possible and plan to set Circe up for self sufficiency, even though we aren't planning any serious blue water excursions. We will be mostly SF Bay cruising and harbour hopping up and down the West Coast, with possibly some time in the Sea of Cortez in a couple of years when we are fully retired and Circe is set up the way we want.
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