shanghai

We had spent months researching the best boat for us, before selecting the Outbound 44. Our spare bedroom was stacked with spools of rope, shackles, chain, anchors, life vests, safety harnesses and crockery. Now we were traveling to Shanghai to witness and approve the release of Sequoia for shipment to Seattle and final commissioning. In the process of negotiating the contract for the construction and purchase of this boat, we had asked for an explanation of the term �First Title of Transfer� (USCG Form CG-1261), something that would be issued by the builder. The explanation was that this was the boat�s birth certificate. So, as Craig and I sat in the cramped coach section, during our 13 hour flight to Shanghai, we decided that we were on our way to witnessing Sequoia�s birth. So far, she seemed not quite real, even though we had seen construction photographs.

We had previously owned an Islander Bahama 30 on Puget Sound, but had been boatless since moving to Portland, Oregon, in 1989. A couple of enjoyable summer charters in Desolation Sound, British Columbia, had convinced us that it was time to own our own boat again, and fulfill our longtime but repeatedly postponed goal of circumnavigating Vancouver Island. Our children were now grown, with college expenses completed, and we were looking for something that could take us around Vancouver Island in the summer of 2001, and potentially around the world. The Outbound 44 is a relatively new design, and ours would be hull number 4. During construction it would be referred to as number 5, since the Chinese consider the word for 4 to be unlucky.

An unexpected and intriguing surprise, which was part of the purchase arrangement, was the requirement that we (or someone on our behalf) travel to Shanghai to approve the boat before release to shipping. Superior Yachts West, the Emeryville, California brokerage that developed and imports the Outbound 44, would pay our airfare and two nights lodging in Shanghai, as included in the purchase price.
It turns out this is a common arrangement for Asian-built boats. After the initial down payment, the balance due is secured by a letter of credit from a bank or other lending institution. The bank releases the loan money to the builder only after the builder produces a number of documents, including proof of shipping, our signature on a certificate of acceptance, and the �birth certificate� (USCG Form CG-1261). So our trip to Shanghai was coupled with the knowledge and expectation that as soon as we signed off and Sequoia was aboard a freighter on its way to Seattle our interest payments to the bank would begin.

The Inspection Team
We were accompanied by our marine surveyor, A.W. (Chip) Gardes, and his wife, Kit. Chip�s job was to find any system or fabrication that didn�t meet ABYC standards, and give us a full report as to the condition and quality of the boat. Later commissioning in Seattle would include all the electronics, spars and rigging, so this was actually only the first half of Chip�s job. We planned to stay a few extra days, breaking the Shanghai inspection into two parts � on the first and last full days � so that the yard would have an opportunity to fix any problems that we initially found, while we were there. In between, we planned to do some sightseeing. Chip and Kit turned out to be delightful traveling companions. (Chip later told us that it was a real effort for him not to sound too excited when Craig first called up to inquire whether he could find the time in his schedule for a survey in Shanghai.)

Shanghai Traffic
Phil Lambert, of Superior Yachts West, was there to greet us at the airport. Our introduction to Shanghai traffic came at the calm hands of Mr. Ji, a Hampton employee. Driving in Shanghai is a complex game of chicken. They don�t let foreigners drive without taking an exam, and for good reason. Huge trucks belching diesel fumes compete for space with crowded buses, taxis, limousines, private cars, and hordes of bicycles and motor scooters. Some bicycles carry fashionably dressed office workers, moms with a small child, or propane tanks. Some bicycles pull trailers with fruits and vegetables, construction debris, or stacks of merchandise. We even saw bicyclists talking on their cell phones. Pedestrians cross any intersection at their peril � green light or not. Vehicles appear out of nowhere, insisting on a left turn, at speed, through a crowded crosswalk. All the vehicles travel at about the same speed, opportunistically inserting themselves into any available opening. The hapless back seat passenger, freshly arrived from the States, is visually assaulted by monstrous trucks, three inches from the side window. Oncoming bicyclists look as though they must certainly be crushed. Yet in our time there, we never saw an accident or other mishap.