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In 2003 we decided, for a number of reasons, to try to replace out Parker
275 'Zest' with a Parker 325. As these rarely come up for sale I decided
to write to all owners, who are members of the SSA, to enquire if they
were considering selling at the end of the season. All were adamant that
they would not be doing so for the foreseeable future, except one, the
owner of 'Calypso' the last Parker 325, number 39 (Number 40 is the first
of the 335s) Being the last 325 it is indistinguishable from the 335
with which it also shares many internal features.
It's worth recounting a coincidence that led to us travelling to
Shalfleet on the IOW to see Calypso.
On returning home one weekend after sending out the e-mails, and
letters to those 325 owners who had not registered an e-mail address, we
found a message on the answer phone from the owner asking how he could
advertise his 325 on the SSA web site!. The next message expressed
his amazement that one half hour after calling me, my letter seeking a 325
dropped through his letter box.
We arranged to go and see the boat and subsequently bought it. 'Zest'
was advertised on the web and sold within one weekend.
The visit to Calypso is one Brenda would like to forget as it resulted
in a dislocated and smashed right shoulder for which, 3 months on she is
still going for intensive physiotherapy - with no end in sight.
The following pictures are a record of the acquiring of 'Calypso' and
shows the survey being carried out by Bill Parker and son Bruce - a rare
event. I was very pleased when Bill agreed to do the survey as the Parker
yacht is a specialized boat and I felt no one would know it better than
the builder. Bill and Bruce also changed the ram anode which no other
surveyor would have done (likely as not, being unable to do so).
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