The Boat ...

SOL

SOL is a 41ft Schionning Wilderness catamaran, built in Townsville, Australia, over a period of about seven years by George and Corry Brinks. She was launched in 2013 and we were lucky to find such a beautifully made and maintained boat to call our own. We bought her on 19th August 2016 and will sail around parts of Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific and further all going well.

SOL is short for "Spice of Life"  - she was named this before we bought her, and we probably would not have named her this, however it's not a bad name for a boat or a lifestyle.

Entering the saloon the galley is on the right and nav table on the left.

There are four steps down into each hull - on the port side is the separate shower and toilet aft and forward is our cabin. As you go up and down the stairs you can see through the escape hatch a great view of the water below.

Stairs down to cabins

Above each of the beds are a couple of natty vents that go direct through to the anchor hatch so there is always fresh airflow no matter what the weather. Each side of the bed is space - no you can't quite walk around the bed but there is easy access to make it and certainly no climbing over another body when you get up. In our cabin we even have a walk-in robe - never had one before!!!

The shower has a full length mirror - luxuries that you don't expect really in a small space, and in a corner of the bathroom there is even a laundry basket.

Back through the saloon and down on the starboard side there is again a double berth and storage forward and aft is a single cabin.

In the passageway between the starboard cabins is my pantry storage, cupboards with numerous wire baskets and so much room I have yet to fill it all.

The fridge has both a top and a side opening, frequently used things are easily accessible from the galley through the top opening, the side door being down in the pantry passage. The freezer is beside the fridge, with a top door. Both are fairly large - certainly big enough for our needs.

In two years I have not managed to fill even half the storage areas on SOL - and I'm actually not sure that I ever will.

Powered by two 30hp Yanmar engines with shaft drives, SOL moves along pretty well at about 6knots running both engines and 5.5knots when only using one - so, as often as possible we only have one going and therefore only burn about 2litres of diesel an hour - something we have to be aware of as we only have two small (40 litre) fuel tanks.

With 470watts of solar power and a wind generator unless we get an extended period of windless, overcast days (hardly ever) we have enough power in the 600amp hour batteries. But also we have a cheap Chinese generator for those very infrequent times.

SOL has a watermaker, making 30litres/hour, we run it about once a week or so, and it runs well from just the solar power which is great. 

We have been really happy with her - although the engine bays are so tight that even routine maintenance is not easy due to the restricted space, and the four extra jerry cans for fuel fit into the locker like tetris blocks!!

She is a great boat to sail, and to live in.

 Good enough for an adult but a perfect cabin for a grandchild!!