An older friend owned it. It was in decent condition but with no new equipment. The A4 had a sticking valve, etc. But we were going off for a year down the coast and needed a boat, it would have been a good one for us to go on.

I think I offered him 24k for the 1975 P30, 2k less than his asking price then, around 1986, and wanted no survey contingency. He got cold feet and decided not to take it. It was crazy. I don't think he ever sailed the boat again(his wife had no desire) and got serious a few years later and sold it for maybe 18k or less.

Alex was in love with the idea of sailing(he and I talked constantly about it), grew up near the water but I don't think he had the passion to sail. His boat, that rarely left the dock, was a powerful personal haven for him, if only in his mind.