Story by Barry Wiseman for the West Australian newspaper – published 24 August 2013.
David and Beverley Smale swap power-boat scene for more leisurely and economical travel on the seas.
Power or sail? For some, there is no argument, it’s either one or the other. But for Mandurah couple David and Beverley Smale, turning to sail power was really the only sensible and economical way of fulfilling their lifelong dreams of long-distance cruising.
Having reached the time in their lives when tley’re no longer rushing to business or family commitments, the couple moved out of the large power-boat scene and invested in a sailing catamaran – a big decision since they had never sailed before.
David has been involved in the power-boat industry in WA for decades and was instrumental in developing the Baldivis Water Ski Park and, later on, the sport of jet sprinting for small, highly powered racing boats.
Over about 40 years, he had owned 44 power boats of one size or another: big cruisers for short breaks to Rottnest Island, jet boats for racing and ski boats for his passion for skiing.
Life’s pace has slowed down and the Smales now want to take their time getting to their chosen destinations and the most affordable means is by sail.
For them, making the shift from flybridge power boats to a sailing catamaran has been very positive and the choice of boat has helped make it so.
Their Fountaine Pajot He]ia 44 was the first of its kind in Australia when they took delivery in February through Australian agent Multihull Solutions, of Mooloolaba in Queensland.
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