We took ownership of our yacht on 14th March 2018, it had been a long journey to get our yacht but we felt that this was a great big step in the right direction to a different life offering new challenges and adventures.

On the Friday after we took ownership, we went up to the yacht with our marigolds and cleaning supplies ready to give the yacht a good cleaning out and to do an inventory of the stuff that was left on board.

We had bought the yacht from a lovely couple who were looking to get a much smaller yacht that could be managed single handed, as he was 84 and she was suffering from arthritis in her hands and could no longer help her husband even helm the yacht. This meant that they were going to leave lots of stuff on-board for which I am extremely grateful.

When we arrived at Troon Yacht Haven we talked to the harbour master to be told that the yacht had been moved to a slip with electricity and water, which was fantastic news as it meant that we just had to carry our stuff aboard rather than ferry our stuff via a dinghy.

Our first task was to get all our stuff aboard, which was a lot more exercise than you think as the tide was out, which meant that it was a steep climb every time we returned to the car to get more stuff. While we were moving stuff, the tripod bag burst open and several bits of equipment spilled out into the maria, including the mini microphone, the selfie stick and the tripod mount. Of these only the tripod mount could still be seen as it had a green blob on the end.

By the time we had all our stuff on board, the main saloon looked like a bomb had hit it as we had dumped all our stuff every where, on chairs, tables, etc. No raised flat surface was safe, they were all covered.

Once we were aboard, the first task was to find the electric cable for the yacht which we had been told was in a starboard locker, of course we found in on the port side but at least we found it on the yacht. Once found, it was a case of hunt the inlet, we guessed correctly that it was some where on the stern but even so it took us a while to find as it was hiding under the dinghy that was tied onto the back.

We attached the cable to the yacht remembering one of the rules from our competent crew course,

"Always plug the yacht in first"

That way, you are not carrying a live cable around.

Once we were connected there was no excuses but to get stuck in and put the kettle on. This meant that we were forced to deal with the next set of obstacles, how to turn the gas on. The previous owners had kindly left a kettle as well as a pad of paper with all the major systems described so soon a well deserved cuppa was on its way.

We split the jobs with Bev taking the galley and heads, while I got the V-birth. The main lockers in the V-Birth just needed a clean but the lockers under the bed and seat yielded an "Aladdin's cave" of goodies, like fishing tackle, lee sheets, which turned out to be a sheet that protects the yacht from scuffing, rope, a hoover and a bosman's chair plus two or three bags which contained an electric kettle, spare anchor and chain, battery charger, boom tent and a collection of sail bags.

Once the V-birth was better organised there was plenty of space under the bed to pick up the spare sails which had been left in storage at the harbour office.

Once the sails were stored, it was a simple job of making up the beds and storing some of our stuff in the lockers.

Meanwhile Bev had sterilised the heads and was making good progress on cleaning the kitchen, always the messiest room in a house and on a yacht, it is no different. In the kitchen Bev had found a huge array of goodies like pots and pans, knives, forks, spoons and a varied assortment of cooking utensils, in fact everything that you would need to make a meal. I was incredibly happy with all these finds asit meant that we would not need to fund the kitting out of a new kitchen

While Bev continued cleaning out the kitchen, I started cleaning out the port side of the saloon, where yet more goodies were found like wine glasses. With the discovery of wine glasses and a space on the yacht to eat, we sat down to eat some cooked chicken, bread and a salad. A very simple meal but after all the hard work we had put in, it tasted delicious.