Amati

Starting in June 2002 we will start our 1-2 year sabbatical with our new sailboat, Amati. We will sail from Turku, Finland, along the European coast all the way to the Canary Islands, which is off the African coast. On Nov 24, 2002, we will start the Atlantic crossing to the Caribbean by taking part in the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers. Nikki's brother, Roland, will join us for the crossing, which will take about three weeks.

Amati is a Nauticat 42. She is a sturdy pilothouse sailboat with lots of room for family cruising. Since she will be our home for the next year or two, we are equipping her with all the necessities of a home. Being a true Finn, the boat even comes with a sauna. The name Amati comes from a famous Italian make of cellos and violins. A hand crafted boat such as the Nauticat is like a fine instrument, too. Actually three of us are playing the cello, and one of us the violin. We are planning to take some instruments along for the voyage.

Here are some pictures from my visit to Siltala Yachts Oy in Riihikoski, Finland. Riihikoski is near Turku, a city with a long history. My son, Thomas, was flying with me. He was quite excited to see our new boat being built. The sales manager Tuula Granqvist, CEO Kaj Gustafsson, and his two sons Patrik and Martin have been extremely helpful in helping to make decisions with all the interior, rigging, and equipment options. We feel that we are truly getting our dream boat. This was my third visit to the factory, and this time I also got to talk with the master carpenter Risto and the sailmaker Timo from North Sails.