August 8th was a great day as it was then we first set eyes on our brand new Nautitech Open 40 in Port Vauban near Antibes. Fresh from its delivery trip from La Rochelle, it sat bright and beautiful in the South of France sunshine just waiting for her adventures to begin. Our boat, Roccamare, was the culmination of a long process, starting with weeks of Internet hunting, a trip to the Multihull Show in La Grande Motte in 2014 and the seemingly endless wait to finally take delivery from the factory. After a few days handover and de-snagging in Port Vauban, we cast off the mooring lines for our first trip – a short 95 mile hop to Calvi and a three week drift down the Corsican coast to the Iles De Lavezzi and back via Bonifacio and the wild and lovely anchorages along the Eastern coast. The boat met all our expectations and more - easy to handle under all conditions and very comfortable to live aboard, she was exactly what we had been looking for, our buyer’s doubts disappeared as the miles stretched out behind us. After a few more days cruising up the French coast towards Hyeres, we left the boat in the hands of the factory for the Cannes Boat Show. Although Roccamare was among the smallest boats on show, she was definitely the most attractive. Judging from the number of visitors aboard, this is not just owner’s pride talking! Returning aboard after the show, we found Roccamare ready for her next big adventure – relocating the boat to her new winter home in Cyprus. Ten days of travel through two Force 8 storms covering an average of 190 miles per day including food and fuel stops convinced us (if we needed it), that this is a boat in which you can go places quickly and comfortably in all weathers. Now Roccamare rests quietly in her berth in Karpaz Gate Marina, Cyprus but not for long. We are already planning our next cruise to the Turkish coast and Greek islands next year!!
Anthony on board Roccamare
