Buy the Boat - Buy the Race

Buy the Boat - Buy the Race

Persevere - Hanse 545 - News Release

14 September 2016

After leaving their American northeast coast home and sailing across seven oceans and visiting 33 countries, the Rath family decided to trade in their sailing lifestyle for a land based one in New Zealand.

Colin Rath, his wife and three girls departed Stamford CT in the autumn of 2014 for a worldwide cruise aboard their Hanse 545 yacht Persevere. After many adventures, lots of fun times and successfully competing in a number of ocean races, they made landfall in Auckland on a gale swept evening early in September.

But the trials and tribulations of several ocean passages were nothing compared to the troubles they had developing real estate in Manhattan. Colin Rath wrote a book about an unbelievable saga involving investors, financiers, planners, architects – and neighbors – that he would rather forget about.

Colin has penned the story in his book ‘It Is What It Is’, available at Unity Books in Auckland or at www.ColinRath.com.

So enough was enough. They set sail from the states and are immigrating to New Zealand. They are now looking into purchasing property in the Marlborough wine region.

But first, the boat. Colin published a log about their blue water adventures, and now he plans to close the chapter on the sailing – for now – by selling the family’s beautiful and comfortable ocean-going cruising and racing yacht.

Colin has entered Persevere in the forthcoming Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, and is offering the boat for sale to an owner who can buy, perhaps with the option to have Colin skipper the boat, and then continue his own journey to his home port or to other blue water adventures.

The Hanse 545 is a popular German design, built and equipped with everything needed for racing, cruising, living, and exploring, both ashore and afloat. She has three separate cabins, two toilets and two showers, and a dining table that can seat eight in a spacious main cabin.

The electronic navigational gear aboard Persevere would make any yachtsman’s mouth water, the 17 sails are enough to equip five smaller boats, and the ‘garage’ in the aft end of the 54ft yacht contains a 9ft long inflatable boat with 6hp outboard, and three foldup bikes. She was completely overhauled and upgraded last May 2015.

The family is now looking for the right Marlborough property in a campervan, while Persevere stays in Auckland – where she is on the market for NZ$950,000.

And the name? Persevere is more than a yacht. She is a symbol of the struggles the Raths overcame in their travails to make a fresh start in New Zealand.

Auckland yacht broker Blair Harkness, who is managing the sale of Persevere, says she is a magnificent example of the best in European boat building. She has a huge inventory of sailing and cruising equipment and is in great condition.

“Persevere would be a perfect buy for someone wanting to live aboard and cruise long distances around New Zealand or overseas,” says Harkness. “The boat is extraordinarily well equipped for the job with high spec and expensive marine gear, and will attract a great deal of attention from this country’s discerning yachtsmen.”

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