Catamaran for Sale, Seawind 1200, Bella Via - Live in Luxury

A Testimonial:
"We first saw 'Bella Via' in 2005 when we anchored beside her in our own 38' catamaran. We now know her very well, having spent many wonderful days with Paul and Mary, both cruising in company and sailing on Bella Via including a passage to Papua New Guinea and cruising in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.
 
As ex-owners of a similar sized catamaran we appreciate the fact that to present a boat to Bella Via's standard is no small task and is not something that can be addressed just before a sale.  The maintenance and attention paid to this boat on a continual basis, the upgrading and replacement when necessary shows everywhere you look both inside and out.  The condition of this boat after nine years has to be seen to be believed and is a credit to the diligence of her owners.
 
Anyone looking for a well-equipped, beautifully appointed catamaran will not be disappointed." (Julia and Bob, Tin Can Bay, Australia)

Paul and Mary, what a boat! - of all the boats we been traveled on Bella Via is by far and away the very best in so many ways - Mary's wonderful hospitality is a match for the beautifully maintained ship that Paul skippers. To have done so many weeks on board and thousands of miles at sea has been one of the pleasures of my life. Di described the passage that she shared from Tonga to NZ as " like being on a cruise ship". She still feels like 2 or 3 years old (Bella Via I mean...).

Hi Paul and Mary,
"It was the first time We had been sailing on a catamaran, being used to a monohull. The boat handled well. The motion and speed of the boat was very easy to get used to.
We were impressed by the spaciousness of Bella Via. The cockpit area is quite large, plenty deck area, and our cabin had heaps of space We also noticed that maintenance of this boat was high on the priorities. Every day something was polished or checked or regreased. We had a most enjoyable holiday on board this lovely boat. You knew Bella Via was well taken care of and was therefore a reliable seaworthy vessel.
 Its a great vessel."   Daph and Geoff

Hi Mary and Paul,
 
We have not been able to post a comment because neither of us now has a google email account. So I wondered if it would be acceptable to you to put up the following comment by me about Bella Via?
 
“I spent a fabulous 3 weeks on Bella Via in June 2012. I crewed for the ocean passage from Marsden Cove, New Zealand to Neiafu, Vava’u, Tonga, 1100 miles, then stayed for another week enjoying the idyll that is Vava’u and Mary and Paul’s fabulous hospitality. Before the trip I had only known Mary and Paul for a few months having met them while cruising in my own catamaran at Great Barrier Island, New Zealand. I have some sailing experience, having been involved for almost 60 years, and have owned several keelers as well as the cat over more than 30 years. This was my fourth major ocean crossing. Therefore I offer any prospective purchaser my own independent view of Bella Via.
Firstly she is a very strong boat. She is quite heavily laden, being Mary and Paul’s home of 8 years, with a lot of gear. But there is no sign I could find of structural damage after many ocean crossings. She is a very comfortable sea boat, has a kindly motion easy to take on a long trip. We averaged 6.5 knots for the trip, I thought good in the conditions with the load. In heavier conditions going to windward there was some bridge deck slamming as expected but she took it in her stride effortlessly. On all other points of sailing she was great. She motorsails very well, aided by the fantastic diesel capacity of around 800 liters, and the Gory props.   
Secondly she is very well and sensibly equipped with all the gear needed for anxiety free cruising, including comprehensive high quality electronics, sailing and domestic gear. The big alternators and big inverters, large battery bank, make life on board at sea luxurious, with microwaved meals on watch, autopilot doing all the steering, watermaker meaning no water restriction etc etc.
Thirdly she has been kept in excellent condition by Mary and Paul, almost as new in most places. Especially the interior surfaces are as new. I think she is so much better than a brand new boat because of all the wonderful gear she comes with, the changes made as a result of experience over several years.
I am sure whoever buys her will be delighted. If a purchaser would like to contact me that would be fine on robin.smart2@bigpond.com.
 
Robin Smart”
 
Best wishes
 
Robin

I have been fortunate to have been a guest on Bella Via many times (I think I may still hold the record!?) since Mary &  Paul began their adventure. I was also able to make a fast blue water passage with them from Coffs Harbour, NSW to New Caledonia, with my eldest Son, Sean. Sean also did Vanuatu to Bundaberg with M&P. Beyond the sailing experience, which has been incredible, I have always been in awe of the attention to detail in their safe and expert handling of the yacht and its care and maintenance. In my time in Australia, I have sailed on and owned several yachts including an S&S 34 and a Ross 780, and I  don't believe I have ever witnessed better ongoing care being taken of a vessel throughout its entire history, than on Bella Via. You just have to experience first hand Paul's enthusiasm about his spares inventory and his total knowledge of every technical and operational aspect of this yacht and you will feel totally comfortable that the vessel and all its equipment has been masterfully fitted out and maintained in excellent condition. There is no doubt in my mind that a new owner will be getting a pearl. (Only wish it could be me!)

After first meeting the Bella Via crew in about 2008, I've completed t wo passages between NZ and Tonga and on a separate occasion, Margaret and I have spent a separate two week holiday on board. After my first passage, I was a catamaran convert ( stressful as a mono hull power boat owner ). The stability and room on Bella Via is amazing. After many questions, the skipper was able teach me to handle the sails easily. The electronics are simple and easy to use, even for a novice such as myself.

Our latest visit on board was in Tonga with our 11 month old son, who had only just learned to crawl. I was anxious about how he would do aboard a sailboat on open water, but he thrived! This catamaran has so many open areas & space compared to a mono hull that he had total freedom & even learned to stand in the big sunken cockpit with its lovely padded surfaces. He slept beautifully in the aft cabin which was easily converted to a crib (yay for the fan!). Best floating family home out there!

I got to crew for the crossing of the Tasman Sea aboard Bella Via in 2009. Spending 8-10 days with my future inlaws in confined quarters in the middle of the ocean was a bit daunting, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much privacy & space this catamaran offers. As an inexperienced sailor I was also relieved to learn how well equipped the boat was for the open ocean and how I could easily learn to use the navigation equipment, all top of the line with backups. Comfort, quality & performance!

My wife and I have visited Bella Via on three separate occasions over a period of several years, spending two weeks on each visit. It was a pleasure to be a guest on a vessel that was as clean and comfortable on our last visit as it was the first time we boarded. The main cabin is spacious and airy. The guest quarters comfortable and private. I was also happy to travel with a sailor who was as conscientious with the engines as he was with the rigging. We always felt secure on Bella Via.

I was fortunate enough to spend a three week vacation aboard Bella Via in the spring of 2009. Before arriving in Australia to board Bella Via, I thought it would be a 3 week hunched back, cramped quarters, with little room to move about. To my surprise it was quite the opposite; I can't recall ever having to duck my 5' 11" height, with spacious sleeping accomodations and shower facilities that more than handled my large body frame. Bottom line, this was a luxury vacation I wasn't expecting.