Our boat: Merryn
Our adventures on Merryn
We bought Merryn, our 43 foot Malö sailing yacht, in 2018. We set sail across the channel in June 2019 on her first big voyage with us and visited the French Biscay coast… we have included a little video of that trip (see below), and had planned more for 2020. World events brought major changes to our plans, so 2020 was a little more subdued (for which, read “no sailing at all”!), but we were back on course in 2021, sailing across the Biscay, along the Portuguese and Atlantic Spanish coasts, then into the Mediterranean. In the Med we headed across to the Balearics, and from those lovely islands to Sardinia, where we left Merryn for the winter.
In 2022 we explored the Eastern Mediterranean. From Sardinia we sailed to Sicily, taking in the amazing volcanic Aolian islands, before making passages along the heel of Italy, then across to Greece. We cruised around the Ionians, traversed the Corinth Canal, and in the latter half of the Summer sailed the Aegean, visiting the Cyclades, and finishing in the Dodecanese.
2023 was a year of gentle cruising, and adapting to the slow pace of life aboard. We explored some more of the Greek islands and mainland – including a passage west around the Peloponnese. Later in the Summer we left Greece on an overnight passage (in lively conditions!) to Italy, and from there retraced our steps back to Sicily and Sardinia (another overnight passage), where we have left Merryn for the winter in the same boatyard as two winters ago.
We have more ambitious plans for 2024. Our plan will be for a cruise around Corsica, before heading out of the Med in mid-Sumer, with the intention to reach a suitable port (such as Lagos) around July/August. From there we will be making plans to sail down to the Canary Islands later in the Sumer, and will be joining the Viking Explorers rally to sail across to the Caribbean in a two-stage passage via the Cape Verde islands. By then we will be into 2025, and will keep sailing (we hope!) until around May that year before leaving our oat somewhere safe for the Summer.
The boat
Merryn, our 43 foot Malö sailing yacht, was built in 2013 in the Malö boatyard on the island of Orust off Sweden’s west coast. That island is famed for it’s sailing heritage – Hallberg-Rassy, Najad, Sweden yachts and others all hail from there, and all are built to a recognisable Swedish style and solid, sea-worthy construction.
We have the mark II version of the 43, and only two of these boats have been made – one in 2012 and our one in 2013. Sadly, Malö fell into difficulties around that time, as did many boat builders in the aftermath of the global financial crisis of 2008. The yard went into virtual hibernation, and has only recently re-emerged having joined forces with neighbouring boatyards. One result was to put a stop to the build of any further 43s, although they will still build one if requested (and we would highly recommend a 43 based on our own experience!).
The Swedish couple who owned our boat before us had only used her lightly, limiting sailing to summertime cruises around the Baltic, and storing her ashore in heated warehouses over the winters. Consequently, although she was some five years old when we bought her, she looked as good as new. The original owners had fitted her for ease of sailing – electric winches and furling sails – but not for offshore sailing. This gave us a great opportunity to refit Merryn as we wanted. Over the first couple of years of ownership we have worked hard (and spent not inconsiderable sums) to kit Merryn out with all bells and whistles. This includes:
Above deck:
New suite of North Sails 3Di cruising laminate sails
New running rigging throughout – Dyneema for all halyards
Hydrovane wind powered self-steering system
Rocna 25kg anchor with 80m of 10mm chain, Fortress stern anchor and fittings
Carbon fibre spinnaker pole (but no spinnaker! – the pole is to pole out the headsail)
Replacement canvas (spray hood and cockpit tent)
Sunbeam solar panels (total circa 400 watt)
Ocean safety ISO9650 6 person life raft, fitted to the pushpit with Hammar auto release
Jordan series drogue
And below deck:
Red LED night lights throughout
Lee cloths to saloon berths
GN Espace Lavante gas cooker
Soba washing machine fitted in aft heads
Custom fridge under saloon berth
Schenker Zen 30 water maker
McMurdo AIS EPIRB
Racor dual fuel filter system
Steamrock digital barometer
New AGM batteries throughout (2023)
Rutland 1200 wind generator (bought and fitted 2023)
EFOY Pro 2200 fuel cell
Iridium Go Exec satellite communications system (to be purchased in 2024)
With the exception (thankfully!) of the life raft, EPIRB and drogue, all have been put to good use since setting off on our travels. So far, most have been pretty reliable, although the fridge needed some fixing in Spain (this due to a poor quality installation back in the UK). No doubt there will be more toys and more expenses to come…
Our latest position
Here is where we are. Or at least, where Merryn last transmitted an AIS signal. Over the winter, that’s going to be the lay-up port. When we are sailing the AIS signal frequently gets lost once we are offshore, so don’t be too alarmed if we seem to have no current position report.
Our first passage of any length: in 2019 we set sail from Falmouth to La Rochelle, along the biscay coast. Joined by our friend John for the first few days, we had a lovely maiden trip. Sun, sailing, dolphins, and, of course, plenty of fine food and wine!