We purchased Cassiopeia in August 2016. However, she has a history as all vessels do. Here’s what we were told/understand:
Cassie spent the first ten years of her life in fresh water, on a lake in Germany. Bodensee (Lake Constance), as that’s a large body of water with lots to do, and big enough to sail a boat of this size.
The first owner ordered her at the 1996 boat show on Lake Constance. He raced her several years on Lake Constance, with plans to eventually cross the Atlantic. However, he passed away before doing so. His sons sailed her a few more years and then sold her. Cassie’s second owners (he a retired jumbo pilot for KLM and she a retired eye surgeon), bought her and kept her on the lake for a few more years. In 2008 they had her trucked to Croatia and sailed in the Mediterranean that summer.
In the fall of 2008 they sailed to the Canary Islands and participated in the ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) crossing to the Caribbean. In 2010 they sailed the boat up the east coast of the US, and then back to the Mediterranean. My understanding is they then prepared to circumnavigate.
There are a lot of log entries for maintenance and repairs at Marin Gocek in Turkey.
They kept a log and recorded that in July-September 2011:
- Engine
- full service, engine at 550 hrs
- propeller overhauled
- new shift mechanism
- Plumbing
- gray water disconnected and drains directed overboard
- holding tank installed
- new fresh water accumulator
- Deck/cockpit
- new anchor windlass and roller
- added 40 m chain to the anchor and 30 m of rope rode
- stanchions and lifelines repaired and renewed and adjusted
- new bimini, spray hood and lazy bag
- new cushions for cockpit
- Electrical
- new Victron battery charger and charge controller
- Victron battery monitor
- bow thruster motor overhauled
- Interior
- new salon seat covers
- audio system updated
- amplifier, woofer, selection panel, cockpit speakers
I think they left in November/December 2011 to sail her through the Med.
The fuel log indicates they filled the diesel tank on October 20, 2011 in Gocek.
The next fuel entry was Rhodos, Greece: November 15, 2011.
Itea, (not sure where this is): November 21, 2011
Cartagena: December 8, 2011
Gibraltar: December 10, 2011, departing on Dec 13
Santa Cruz, Canary Islands: December 20, 2011
Departed on January 2, 2012
They sailed across the Atlantic to the Caribbean, arriving in Beguia St. Vincent and the Grenadines: January 25, 2012
From there they sailed north through the islands, arriving in Simpson Bay, St. Maarten: February 24, 2012.
They entered Cassiopeia in the March 2012 Heinneken Regatta
On Sunday, March 4, 2012 at 12:20 pm she was dismasted (here’s the location) due to possibly being over canvassed in strong winds, and possibly a structural failure: 18°01’00.0″N 63°07’00.0″W
The port chainplate came loose, the port shrouds went slack and the mast went over the starboard side. The crew cut the rigging lose, tied a buoy to it and motored into the Simpson Bay marina.
I found some photos of Cassie taken during the regatta.
Here’s the narrative from the broker we purchased Cassie from:
The second owners, (he a jumbo pilot for KLM and she an Eye surgeon both retired) bought her to circumnavigate.
They were in the 2012 Heineken regatta (March 2012) and had her way over canvassed (it was gusting 30kts plus I am told) and they had a full main and genoa up and leading the fleet by about 6 boat lengths when the windward chain plate let go and the mast came down.
They buoyed the mast, cut it loose and motored back to the marina.
They were just about to head for Panama and beyond, so when the insurance paid out they just bought a Beneteau 57 and took off.
My wife just loved the space, the owner’s master suite, the large 2nd and 3rd cabins, the storage, the cockpit space and the fact that it was immaculately kept down below.
I liked the electric winches, the headroom, the bow thruster, the watermaker, and the fact that she could actually SAIL.
So we bought her for ourselves and then sold the steel boat after owning her for 23 years and ten months.
Nearly ripped my heart out selling her.
We were able to salvage the mast (160 ft down) and had it inspected. It was perfect.
We spent a couple of months cleaning it, sanding, etching, priming and painting and finally re-rigging it.
She has brand new standing and running rigging, new furler, new kicker and new sails and stack pack… and bits and pieces.
We were originally fixing it for us, so we didn’t spare the money and did everything properly belts and braces.
