Hi all. After 10 years and 50,000 + off shore miles in Ocean Pearl SM 299 I thought strongly and seriously about stepping up to a 54. However I was put off by following the posts on this site It seemed I would be buying trouble. While I had positive experience of 20 years  with volvo the 110hp  volvo in the 54 seemed a serious problem. The bamar furlers another issue Likewise the multitude of electrical and electronic issues. Also  although I could possibly have avoided them, the number of 54 that had electronic and electrical upgrades concerned me. Complexity is an archilies heel in a yacht that cruises the more far flung regions. Rightly or wrongly I felt that many of these 54s were being converted into marina hopping med or Caribbean vessels

 Lastly, after considering all this I returned to my belief that in the SM, which was the culmination of a life dedicated to designing the perfect yacht for a couple to sail around the world,  Henry had indeed done just that. So I remain the proud and happy owner of SM 299.

Danny

Ocean Pearl

Mangonui

New Zealand