Hocus Pocus

[Doc]

My wife and I have been planning to go travelling around the world for a while now and part of those plans have come to fruition.

Back in September after many years of research and viewings we purchased a wonderful sailing catamaran which was based in Portsmouth and re-named her Hocus Pocus.

I then sailed her from Portsmouth Harbour along the South Coast and around Lands End, then headed North up to a marina in nearby Preston where she now lies over the winter months while I fit her out ready for the big trip next year.

She was built in Canvey Island, Essex England in 1996 by Prout Catamarans and since her launch has had very little use. She is suffering a bit from a lack of TLC but all her major systems are in good working order.

2012-09-24 13.05.31-1.jpg

She is 50 feet long by 23 feet wide
She has a draft of just 40 inches
3 x double cabins all with en-suite
2 x Volvo Penta MD22 diesel engines 57HP with saildrives and Kiwi Fold Propellers.
a 7kva Mitsubushi diesel generator
Both Gas and electric hob and oven along with a microwave in the spacious galley
and up to date electronics throughout including a wind generator and satellite TV

She has had very little use over the years and her previous owner was cashing in all his assets to go and live abroad, so in the end I managed to purchase her at a very good price compared to the current market values of such boats.

She is more than large enough for my wife and I and will easily accommodate family and friends when they want to visit us.

Below is a youtube video made by the previous owners yacht broker which gives a lot more detail of the boat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKlmj5LziJQ

Over the next few months I will be busy at weekends getting the boat ready for the big trip, I will also be creating a website that will allow viewers to monitor our progress around the world. But before we set off on the big circumnavigation of the planet I told my wife that I would take her and the boat around Ireland first, just to make sure everything and everyone was as it should be.

[Tripps]

WOW!! Thanks for the tour. Just had a nosy around and found..

"Your Prout will take you around the bay or around the world in comfort and safety.
Make sure it's a Prout, there are no substitutes."


How did you choose the name?

[Doc]

Prout catamarans have a reputation for being solidly built unlike the mass production boats of today, they are a great sea boat with good sea keeping qualities and being a catamaran are also very stable (No heeling). Carole does not like sailing on an angle all the time.

The name Hocus Pocus was eventually (3 hours debate) picked out by Carole and the rest of the family who wanted a witchy name for the boat.

Other possible candidates were:

Pendle Witch - Already registered
Barlick Witch
Black Cat
Sea Witch - Already Registered
amongst many others

After 2 hours 45 minutes of heated debate my contributions were

Kiss My Bass
Betty Swallocks

which didn't get any votes

[Stanley]

I suggested Abalone, the shells that always have holes in them.... Doc has promised to take Margaret's engine to Fremantle....

[Moh]

What a boat - room for hitchhikers??

[Stanley]

It's impressive isn't it. Pity the canal isn't wide enough to get it up to Barlick!

[Nolic]

Kinnell's a good name too. Nolic

[Stanley]

Why?

[Nolic]

Falls in the same genre as Doc's rejected names. Say it to yourself!!. Nolic

[Tizer]

I saw the photo and thought he'd bought two boats, but then I put on my glasses!

[Bodger]

Doc., i wish you well on your venture, many years ago whlst working in Sandwich, Kent, im met a couple called Tetley, " of tea fame", their catamaran was called Pinta, they had it built with a view to using it has a for hire boat in the Carriebean, Nigel as skipper and his wife as head cook & bottle washer, i was invited aboard for a look see, it was a very sumptuos set up, i never heard for them since i came to Ireland, i often wondered how they fared !