Don’t make a Freestyle mistake

Late spring we rather tragically lost both our vehicles in the space of three weeks. That time will go down in family lore as the Great Car Debacle of 2018.

The scramble to replace vehicles while keeping in mind we would sell them again in eight months was not an enjoyable process. We decided on “it’ll do” cars instead of cars we felt confident about. We bought a 2007 Ford Freestyle and a 2007 Honda Odyssey. About a month went by and the Freestyle stranded me on the side of the road, TWICE. A trip to the mechanics disabused us of the “this was my grandparents’ car and well taken care of” story that we heard from the seller. Replacing the engine or scrapping the vehicle were our options. Gritting our teeth, we replaced the engine. It was a mentally and financially painful situation.

However, when we looked at a monohull in August that on paper we were very excited about but in reality needed so much work, we reminded ourselves, “don’t make a Freestyle mistake,” and we passed. When Dave found a custom built catamaran that was a little quirky but her history was rich and I fell in love with her story, we cautioned ourselves, “don’t make a Freestyle mistake,” and when the owner wouldn’t budge on the price we walked away.

The painful mistake wielded powerful staying power for us. And that staying power has rewarded us with a boat that not only suits our family’s needs but also exceeds our expectations. We are delighted with Kairos5.

Painful lessons have their place in our journeys and as my brother graciously pointed out, this won’t be the last time we pour money down a drain.

And now the only question that remains is; anyone want to buy a Freestyle? New engine, smooth highway rider; we’ll make you a deal.