Two Tiki 46s in Abaco, Bahamas!

[Ann and Neville Clement]

Back in 1997 Nev and I began to build Peace IV in England.  At about the same time Bertran and Marie Ellen Fercot began to build their Tiki 46 Grand PHA in France.  But first they built a Tiki 30 as an experiment because they planned many innovations and wanted to try them out on a smaller boat first.  One mast each hull, junk sails, larger pod, and all sorts of other ideas they had.  The test boat was sailed non stop from Martinique to France the long way so they could use the winds and the result was they decided to build proportionally larger sails.

So the Tiki 46 sailed across the Atlantic in 19 days and was a grand success.  And today, on Bertran's birthday, they sailed into the Abacos and Peace met them at the passage, and both boats sailed up the Sea of Abaco together with each one taking pictures of the other one.  I will get someone to post some of the pictures tomorrow because I do not know how to do that.  But Grand PHA is spectacular and those sails work just fine.  

Sometimes the dream is to build a boat and sometimes the dream is to sail the boat and sometimes the dream is to do it all.  We did it all, and then Bertran and Marie Ellen did it all too but they did it with some very fancy innovations.  I admire that dedication to complete the project and to respect the dream.  

Of course they are younger than we are and so they had more years left to spend on the build than we did.  They are still young and agile and strong.  But we have had 50,000 miles of sailing and we will always be grateful for those memories.  We kept to our dream too. 

Now those of you who are dreaming must remember that dreams are best when you make them happen.  That will happen to you when you get going mixing glue and fitting the pieces of the boat together and fiberglassing the shapes, painting them, and launching that dream into the reality of the ocean where you can live with beauty above and below you and all  360 degrees around you too.  Beauty and nature restore our minds and spirits and these boats keep our bodies strong also.  Nev and I are growing older but we are not too old yet.  

I promise the pics as soon as I can.  Love,  Ann and Nev

[Demi & Dirk]

Hi Ann and Nev,
Thanks for this great story. Stories like this are motivating us for mixing the glue and the whole building process. All the best and have a great time! We are looking forward to see the pictures of Peace and Grand PHA.
Demi and Dirk
(Building a Tiki 46)

[Ann and Neville Clement]

I will now go and hope to find pics of your build on your page.  X

[Marie-Hélène]

[Demi & Dirk]

A great picture showing an outstanding Moment! Thanks for sharing.
D & D

[Bertrand FERCOT]

Since a few days the TIKI 46 N°01 "PEACE4 and the TIKI 46  N°02 are  in ABACO (North of the Bahamas). Here are pictures of them  meeting together in Marsh Harbour :

Thank you Ann and Nev to have invited us to meet you here and so we began to discover the Bahamas which are a marvellous area to sail with a multitude of good anchorages in shallow of very clear water.

To discover all the "cays of this large archipelagos will need a lot of years.

And thank you for this good meeting in the restaurant today.

Bertrand

[Ann and Neville Clement]

And best of all, Bertran, was the sailing in fresh winds with two ocean going boats in bright sunshine and good friends who understand the long committment to building a big Wharram and dedication to the cruising life.  We can only race you when you are overloaded as now with over one ton of gifts for Haiti relief.  Once your boat is unloaded and raises in the water, it will be very different, we know that!  But maybe we could empty our boat too.....?  Oh YES!  

Thank you for these pictures of Peace and Grand PHA.  We are looking for pictures to hang on the wall and this will certainly be among them.  

Love to you,  Ann and Nev

[Bertrand FERCOT]

Here are  a few pics  from Peace4 (Thank you Ann) of our meeting after to have entered the lagoon via Whale Cay Channel early the 22d in the morning (the day of my birthday). It was a very good birthday gift.

Peace4 visited us in the beginning of January 2003 when we were living in Martinique building our Tiki30. It was the beginning of their life on board Peace4 and now we are visiting them 11 years latter  and it is the end of their life on board Peace4.....

All has a beginning and and end.......We wish a long living time aboard their next cruising boat who will be more adapted for Nev.

Bertrand

[kim whitmyre]

Lovely shots, Bertrand! May you all have a wonderful voyage to come! Puissiez-vous tous un merveilleux voyage à venir!

[Ann and Neville Clement]

Many thanks to to good and high tech people on Grand PHA for helping to get the pics out of my phone and onto this website.  And many thanks also for the beautiful pics they took.  When Peace goes on the market later this year, we will be putting all the pics up on the walls so we can remember these fine cruising years of our lives.  The next boat will be floating and therefore wonderful, but nothing will ever be so nice as our beautiful Wharram Tiki 46 hand built with love and care with memories always so bright and delightful.

Happy New YEar to all,  Ann and Nev