About Limbo

Limbo is a Samphire 26, which - unless you  have a particularly deep and perhaps slightly worrying knowledge of older yacht designs - will mean very little.  I knew I wanted a boat with a long keel, of traditional design and fairly heavy displacement: for strength, directional stability, and an easy motion at sea. She had to look right too.

I saw Limbo listed in Yachting Monthly.  Here, it seemed, was a compact but rugged cruiser, with more room inside than otherwise very appealing alternatives (I'm thinking of Contessas, Invictas, Cutlasses and Halycons here).  She looked good too - not elegant or streamlined, but tough and seamanlike and well-proportioned.  Rather like a smaller Vancouver 27 in many respects, a boat I've always admired but couldn't afford. 

There wasn't much information out there, but I found only encouraging things:  references to a 'proper little ship', and a review noting Samphires 'looked and were powerful seaboats, and proved capable of long passages'.  Limbo herself was in pretty good condition.  An epoxy-treated hull to stave off osmosis and a reasonably recent engine and electrics were bonuses.  The surveyor's report came through and concluded, approvingly, that she was a 'fine little yacht'.  I was sold (and so was she).