Boat owner vicissitudes

My computer is repaired. All misery is over and I deleted the Jeremiah-lamentations of my last posting, including the illustration the colors of which clashed so vehemently with the blog colors.
Apart from some problems with people I will not bother you with, our days are in the theme of the newly acquired sailing boat. I bought it “in three”: boat, outboard engine and rigging separately. Listen to the story.

On Internet I found a very cheap sailing boat “without engine” . I found the model and type attractive (=old fashioned quality, steel, nice and smooth lines, just big enough to lodge four people, suited for the sea if needed), and after having visited it and spoken with the seller several times, we decided to buy. The seller wanted to sell his boat because he was too busy with other activities than sailing, and wasn’t a typical sailor such as I am; he followed a short sailing course just for this boat which was his first one. Luckily he was very handy and rebuilt her so to speak. The boat is old (between 20 and 30 years) but well restored after he had bought her with big overdue maintenance.
Only, as soon as he had decided to sell her, he took her out of the safe harbor to “park” her nearby his house, at the private waterside of a farm in the attic of which he stored the mast, sails and other riggings. Then Maintenance Service of our provincial canals announced to the farmer that his boat had to be removed because of heavy maintenance work on the waterside. But the farmer forgot to pass this message to the boat owner. The morning that the works had to start, the working people (time = money) removed the boat themselves to 300 meters further at the waterside, during which operation they caused a small dent in the hulk (no big deal, barely visible). Within a few days his outboard engine got stolen and the insurance didn’t cover the damage because of the unsafe mooring place. So that was sh.. for him.

I had to find another engine, and I found one, from a reliable sales-and repair shop with 1 year guarantee. He would install the engine on the boat, but asked information about the specific type of cables. I sent him photos of the cables but the piece of info he was looking for, wasn’t on the pictures. Anyway, I learned what he was looking for and made a new set of pictures. He had to drive 40 kilometers to the boat and also 40 back so if he had the wrong cables with him it would be in vain (afterwards I thought what's against bringing several cable types?)

I also have to phone the former owner, who immediately after the sale departed for Turkey for a vacation from which he would return today (Wednesday), so I have to phone this evening, and ask him about the type of fuel, too.

I chartered my brother to help me Friday with getting the boat to the farm, putting the mast on the ship, and after the engine will have been installed, get the whole composition to the yacht harbor 35 kilometers further, with the mast down because of the many bridges.

I comfort myself with the idea that if I would have it otherwise (a complete ship ready-to-sail) it would cost me a x times the amount it costs me now.

Saturday, when hopefully everything will have come to a happy end, I’ll heave a big sigh of relief. I 'll keep you informed.