I bought my 1987 Moody 31 MkII in September 2017 and still remember the excitement of flying down with a friend from Edinburgh to Southampton for the day to view her.
Tidecatcher, or TC as she is now affectionately known, was well appointed and, for her age, in generally good condition. The Volvo Penta 2003 engine, although original (yes Volvo launched its 2000 series in the 1980s), seemed to run well under test and, as an added bonus, it came with a one year warranty.
And sure enough, the 30-year-old engine served me well, including, in my first season as owner, a 740-mile return trip through the Caledonian Canal to the west coast of Scotland from my home berth at the Royal Forth Yacht Club in Edinburgh.
However, to reduce…