Seventy-one. That is how many Hylas 49 sailing yachts were ever manufactured since they were designed by Sparkman and Stevens in 19 . Presumably most of these boats are still afloat around the world, many of them on the east coast of the Americas, since they were conceived and created especially for conditions in the Caribbean. In fact, only three are known to be in Europe, one in Sweden and two in the Mediterranean.
All that said, what are the odds that Hylas 49 hull #46 and Hull #47, literally created beside one another in 2004. would be docked side by side in Syros, Greece? Well, it happened.
This convergence is not as coincidental as it seems, although there was a bit of serendipity at play. John had heard of Quintessa’s sibling, Manketti, and through AIS knew that she was in Greece. As we traveled south and east, he contacted Manketti’s owners to see if they were interested in meeting. They very much were, and eventually we arranged to cross paths and meet the boat and the delightful family that calls her home.
We met Dave and Emily and their 10-year-old daughter Jessica at the city quay in Ermoupoli, and immediately began to geek out on examining each other’s boats. When the boats were ordered two decades ago, the original buyers were able to choose from various options for interior configuration, rigging, accessories, etc, not unlike ordering a new automobile. And of course, subsequent owners (each boat is now on her third) made additions and modifications. Therefore the five of us madly pursued a game of “spot the differences” between the boats:
Dave: That’s genius how you have rigged your mainsheet, I’m going to change mine right now!
Kate: Cool! Your boat has windows where we have bookshelves.
Jesse: No fair, they have more drawers in the galley!
John: I want to see how that wind vane works.
Emily: Your cabin sole is done in a lighter color; I like that.
And so on. Subsequent time together has allowed us to share boat buying stories and tales of the adventures we have had so far.
kateandjohnsail.boats 
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