What's type of craft I shall be using!

I've been planning this trip for over 5 years and every time I plan it the boat changes. I've gone from Laser sailing dinghies to high performance transat 650 racing yachts and have considered home designed/built catamarans to high performance F18s. But through all my research there is one boat I have settled on, the Hunter Europa.

Hunter Europas are 19 foot long fin keeled yachts designed for speed and short offshore races such as cross channel races. The Europas are also known as a squib with a lid. Hunter designed a racing keelboat called a Squib, to get the Europa they literally stuck a cabin on it, first calling it Hunter 19 then they improved the accommodation slightly to get the Hunter Europa. They proved very popular little racing yachts and in 1972 David Blanden Raced across the Atlantic single-handed in one, his boat is the smallest boat to ever race across the Atlantic.

There are many reasons I choose the Europa, I'm afraid money was the biggest factor. My ideal boat would be a Van De Stadt Splinter, but it cost £1000 more. The positive reasons why I choose her was for her proven sea worthiness with crossing the Atlantic, so I knew the boat would survive better than I probably could. Her performance also impressed me, she's fast and I like fast! She is capable of keeping up with cruising yachts much bigger than her. When I bought Selkie, the boat I shall be using (but a refit and new name to come), I fell in love with her design, she is amazingly well balanced and is very light on the helm. I’ll tell you more about how I bought Selkie when I reach Largs.

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