From Charter Investment to Pacific Paradise
Get the full story in the 2 Hulls 1 Life Podcast episode above
August 6, 2025 | mhcadmin
From Charter Investment to Pacific Paradise: How One Couple Made Their Cruising Dreams Reality
When Colonel David Burke first bought a Seawind 1160 and put it into charter, he had no idea it would become the foundation for an extraordinary Pacific cruising adventure. Now, sitting in the pristine Lau Group of Fiji aboard his upgraded Seawind 1260, David’s story demonstrates how charter boat ownership can be the perfect stepping stone to achieving blue water cruising dreams.
A Strategic Path to Boat Ownership
David’s journey began during his military career, which saw him serving in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and across the Middle East as a helicopter pilot. “We were away overseas a lot,” David explains. “Charter was the perfect solution because when we came home for holidays, we’d always have a week or two on the boat. It was a great way for us to buy the boat we wanted.”
For five years, their Seawind 1160 earned charter income while they were stationed abroad. The arrangement proved ideal – the boat was professionally maintained, always ready for their brief visits home, and gradually paying for itself. When they were ready to upgrade, they sold the 1160 and purchased a Seawind 1260, which also went straight into charter for another five years.
“The charter experience was very positive,” David reflects. “When we came home, the boat was always really well maintained. We could just get on the boat, go for a sail, hand it back and not worry about it while we were away.”
From Charter to Cruising
After retiring in 2019, David and his wife Linda took their 1260 out of charter and began what David calls a “midlife upgrade.” They completely overhauled the boat’s systems, installing lithium batteries, new electrical systems, safety gear, life rafts, and new sails. This intensive preparation phase proved invaluable for their subsequent adventures.
“Having been part of upgrading the boat and being involved in even technical things I wasn’t able to do myself… I had a good understanding of what was there,” David notes. This hands-on knowledge became crucial when dealing with the inevitable repairs that come with extended cruising.
The Pacific Rally Experience
Rather than tackle their first major passage alone, David and Linda joined the Pacific Rally – a decision that proved transformative. The rally provided comprehensive preparation through webinars, safety courses, and detailed guides that brought their boat up to Category 1 standard.
“What is an incredibly daunting thing to look at to start with, she just breaks it down into bite-sized pieces,” David says of rally organizer Vicky Moore’s approach. The rally’s support network proved invaluable, from real-time boat tracking to weather routing assistance and even diplomatic support during unexpected political unrest in New Caledonia.
Living the Dream in Paradise
After two years and 10,000 nautical miles of Pacific cruising, David’s enthusiasm is infectious. Their Seawind has taken them through New Caledonia, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, and now Fiji – destinations accessible only by boat and offering experiences impossible to replicate on land.
“Don’t leave it too late,” David advises potential cruisers. “If you’ve got the dream of doing it, absolutely get out there and do it. Right here, off the Australian coast, we have this amazing cruising ground.”
The Perfect Pacific Cruising Platform: Seawind 1260
David’s enthusiasm for his Seawind 1260 is evident as he describes its performance across thousands of Pacific miles. “The Seawind is just designed for this sort of Pacific sailing. It’s just a great boat, it’s very comfortable, and it actually sails really well,” he explains from his anchorage among much larger vessels.
“I’ve got some great photos of our boat sitting amongst a whole bunch of great big French boats and we look like a little greyhound compared to the rest of them. We can sail to windward quite comfortably.”
The boat’s seaworthiness has been thoroughly tested in challenging conditions. “We’ve had 30-knot squalls and big seas and wind on the nose when we didn’t expect it. And the boat just handles it superbly,” David notes. “For just the two of us, I think the 1260 is a perfect size. It’s manageable and if we have an issue and I have to go up front and handle sails… between a husband and wife in their 60s, it’s a good size.”
His testimony echoes what many experienced cruisers have discovered – that while the industry trend has moved toward larger boats, the Seawind’s thoughtful design and robust construction make it an ideal choice for serious blue water cruising.
For those considering the charter-to-cruising path, David’s story proves it’s not just viable – it’s brilliant. Charter ownership provided the financial foundation and boat familiarity that made their Pacific adventure possible, transforming what could have been an overwhelming dream into an achievable, step-by-step reality.
For an information pack on Charter Boat Investments, CLICK HERE.
2HULLS 1 LIFE PODCAST
We interview inspirational sailors taking their two hull catamarans on incredible journeys and making the most of this one amazing life along the way.
Brent Vaughan is the the CEO of Multihull Central and has a life time sailing and racing competitively, while also shares his 25 years experience in the marine industry.
Other News
Paul Hooge and his wife transitioned from life in Colorado to full-time cruising after retiring. With little sailing experience, they purchased a Seawind 1370 and decided to commission it in Thailand instead of shipping it home. With support from local expert Phil Harper, they prepared the boat and joined the Sail Malaysia Rally—a multi-month cruising event from Langkawi through Malaysia, Indonesia, and Borneo.
The rally offered a mix of structured events and independent sailing, giving them access to stunning, less-traveled places like the Anambas and Natuna Islands. Along the way, they connected with local communities, joined parades, and received warm welcomes from various ports.
Despite initial inexperience, they successfully navigated the rally with help from fellow cruisers and the Seawind 1370’s performance. Paul praised the boat’s comfort, handling, and visibility, calling the journey both challenging and unforgettable.
AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…
Sydney, Australia – 24 October 2024
Multihull Central, distributors for Seawind Catamarans and Corsair Marine are pleased to announce a new format cruising rally for boat owners and crew to explore Moreton Bay and in support of charity Sailability.
AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…
Sydney, Australia – 16 October 2024
Multihull Central are excited to announce an all-new Regatta on Sydney Harbour dedicated to Multihulls, with an offer extended to all cruising and racing catamarans and trimarans with accommodation, including owners of Seawind, Corsair and all other brands who would like to enjoy racing on the world’s greatest harbour.
AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…
Sydney, Australia – 25 September 2024
Seawind Catamarans returns to the Melbourne Boat Show with Australian distributor Multihull Central, showing a brand new Seawind 1160 Lite catamaran now available to bareboat charter with Riviera Nautic on the Gippsland Lakes.
Maritime shepherd the fleet away from a visiting whale.
It’s certainly been a different winter on Sydney Harbour than usual, while there’s been plenty of sunshine, the breeze has not been so forthcoming. Normally winter consists of light sou-easters and the occasional fresh westerly, this time we’ve had gloriously sunny days with westerlies around five knots or lower, week after week, with a number of races abandoned as a result.
AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…
Sydney, Australia – 5th September 2024
The world’s most popular sailing trimaran is making a resurgence in Australia with two brand new pre-sold Corsair 880s arriving in Sydney this week for assembly by distributor Multihull Central, alongside a third also on display.
The Bay to Bay Regatta had been on my bucket list for a few years now and seeing this year it landed on my birthday, I decided it was an opportunity not to be missed. So I phoned up my mate Steve Medwell who I used to sail Tornadoes and F18s with and invited him along for a ride. The ride was our new award winning Corsair 760 trimaran.
Whether you are a first time sailor, or an experienced around the world circumnavigator, the iconic Australian-owned and founded Seawind brand has a boat and design for you for all levels of experience and planned adventures. But with four boats that are only a few feet apart in length, it can get tricky to decide which is the right boat to choose and the best fit for you. So, we have put together these special buyers guide to help unpack the design concept behind each and its characteristics, its pros and cons, and who we recommend them for to help you select not necessarily the most expensive boat, but the best boat for you.
Cruz Club is a 12 month program designed to help equip would-be cruisers who are inspired to set off exploring the world by sea but don’t yet have the skills, experience or a boat to do it on and want to get prepared and do it right and avoid making costly mistakes along the way.
AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…
The HH44 was met with enthusiasm and rave reviews at the Cannes Yachting Festival, when it made its international debut last month. Throngs of visitors came out to see the HH44, declaring it “spectacular”, “stunning”, “the future” and “the best boat in the show”.
Club Marine’s Kevin Green joins Multihull Central on the water to test the stunning HH50-SC Synergy.
HH Catamarans has named Multihull Central as the exclusive distributor for Australia and New Zealand as the up and coming brand of high performance catamarans releasing some innovative new designs and ramps up production for their new44 and 50foot models.
One of the world’s most popular and prolific YouTube sailing channels, Gone with the Wynns, have just announced their purchase of a new ecofriendly hybrid-electric HH44 sailing catamaran. The HH44 ‘Ocean Cruiser’ version is a high-performance cruising catamaran designed to sail around the world sustainably and efficiently while also providing a luxurious living platform for couples and families travelling the world.
Multihull Central announced the new Corsair 880 is on its way to Australia to be showcased at the upcoming Sydney International Boat Show.
A big day at Longreach as the first LR44 deck is turned following a successful resin infusion. Starting to take shape!
Tips for Delivery by Sea – Asia to Australia / New Zealand
The Summer of 2022 / 2023 has been and interesting journey for many of our customers taking delivery of boats over this period. With country borders being opened up in earnest, this saw new boat owners taking delivery of their cruising catamarans on mass, as we helped coordinate deliveries of 4 x Seawinds and 1 x HH50 from Asia back to Australia and New Zealand. We have gained some new and valuable insights for those considering taking delivery in Asia.
So here are some key points to consider…
AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Brent Vaughan from HH Catamarans distributor Multihull Central, takes the HH50-SC ‘Synergy’ out sailing off the Gold Coast to test how it sails in lumpy conditions and light winds. Here is the full account and transcript that accompanies the sailing video.
We plan to take our little Seawind 1000 catamaran ‘Seabbatical’ from Sydney Harbour, to Lady Musgrave Island. As I still have the demands of running a business and kids at school, this will be a mini seabbatical and so finding time is important but demanding.
‘Pirate Pete’ is the proud new owner of the brand new Seawind 1260, that Cumberland Charter Yachts will be welcoming in to the fleet in August this year. We asked him what his background story was in buying the Seawind 1260 and why he chose to have it chartered in the Whitsundays.
Here is his story:
The club has been formed with the objective of providing a means for multihull boat owners to build networks, learn about how others fix issues and engage in both cruising and racing/rallys whilst enjoying the social aspects that belonging to a club provides.
If you have ever considered swapping the suit & tie and air-conditioning, for deck shoes and salt air and running your own business, then a charter boat business might be just the thing you need to feed both your entrepreneurial and outdoor desires.
Charter boat ownership is a great way to accelerate buying your dream boat, profit from strong demand in the tourism industry and provides a fully managed solution to boat ownership while you are still busy working and with family commitments.
AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sydney, Australia – 17 February 2025 This week 20 multihulls entered the 2025 Sydney Multihull
AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE… Sydney, Australia – 24 October 2024 Multihull Central, distributors for Seawind Catamarans
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