Rob Prince wrote:

Thank you for your replies Annie and David. We would love to own Footprints but is out of our price range, unfortunately. 

You are a mine of information, Annie. We may like to take you up on your offer of having a look at her in late October. After looking at the sail plan on Redlapper in PJR it is remarkable to think how the junk rig has evolved over the years.

The Waterwitch might well suit us for the type of cruising we plan to do at our time of life - slow, steady and in shallow waters.

Rob 

I'm going to Mot anyway, to catch up with some chums, so would be more than happy to have an excuse to go and look over her.

Whaddya mean 'our time of life'??  Life begins at 60, didn't you know?

And Scott - you'd better be emigrating - we couldn't bear to see Footprints leave!

David Thatcher wrote:

Seems like quite a lot of boat for the money, and if it is in good condition probably a bargain when you look at what else is for sale at that price in NZ, and I like the solid dodger. I would be thinking about possible future maintenance requirements with all those painted timber surfaces, and any possible mechanical or electrical issues. I know a very good Underwood designed junk rig yacht which is going to be up for sale very soon.

David!  Expect an email from me soon.

Hi Rob.  Just stopped for a cuppa and got side-tracked!!

I know both the design and the boat in question.  Pete and I almost built a Waterwitch, in fact.  They have the reputation of being rather slow - I suspect that they are generally undercanvassed - and they have a rather silly little side deck, instead of a full-width cabin, because that used the plywood sheets better.  The boat was designed for home building.  Heaps have crossed the Atlantic and I suspect that more than a few will have circumnavigated.  I knew one in the West Indies that a couple had had for about 30 years and they brought their children up on it.  They loved the boat.

If you look in PJR, you will see Redlapper, a Waterwitch with junk rig.  I suspect a different sail plan might be preferred these days.

The boat you're looking at, lived a couple of jetties down from me when I lived in Mot.  The owner had had her for many years and at the time - 2012 - she was in very good order.  I'm going down at the end of October - I could go and have a look at her, if you'd like me to, if you can wait that long!