The picture to the left was the first "sight" of Dobra Kusa. I had been browsing the local sales site for potential boat projects...And suddenly this caught my eye! A little bit of an odd shape, but quite beguiling. A long list of work recently completed on her and a few pictures - the price...Offers! I reluctantly moved on...'Don't have that kind of money...

Move on a few months to the start of the summer. I'm in the middle of my busy season in the shop. I've not had time to sail my folkboat....And the advert turns up again! This time with a price - a price I can't really afford, but not too far from my means. A price that is insane for any classic boat in good condition.
After a discussion with my wife I arrange a time to meet the owner. The owner is a youngish, time served boat-builder - Per. We take a look at the boat. Everything "outside" is showroom condition - obviously well restored by a serious craftsman. The interior ( small though it is) is a shell, and will require extensive work before a weekend afloat is possible.
The tale of the restoration is told. And the circumstances of the sale - Per is moving to the US to build boats and can't take her with him. She needs a good home. So I cycle back to my wife...Katja doesn't sail, but understands that I'm falling for this boat. The whole family decides to go down and "try" her. With me re-telling the history of the boat at every opportunity.
Katja - who is an artist - sees the shape and falls immediately for the boat...The name was just the "icing on the cake". Katja has russian ancestry and one of the original owners was probably russian or polish; he named her Dobra Kusa, which would seem to mean Nice Bitch! We walked away smiling after telling Per we had to think about it.
When out of ear-shot, Katja asked me what we had to think about?

There were other interested parties, but Per decided to sell to us. I think mainly because of our enthusiasm. The papers were signed; money and fair words exchanges...Now we owned a nice bit of wood!