Geoff and Louise Hatton have recently welcomed the Integrity 340 “Pearla” into their lives and their mooring in Batemans Bay, after a leisurely cruise from the Gold Coast.
The Hatton’s have owned various trailer boats over the years, and the Integrity 340 is their first “real boat”, as Geoff explains.
“Pre-retirement, we wanted to find our forever boat. Louise and I have been talking about it since we met 30 years ago! We spent a lot of time speaking with Adam (Integrity’s Sydney based dealer) at Sydney boat show a few years ago and we did a lot of research. We kept coming back to the Integrity for its classic lines and economical running.”
Geoff has just arrived back in his home port of Batemans Bay on the NSW south coast – a haven of boating with a magnificent marina and access to wonderful waterways, islands and the entire east coast.
Their Integrity 340 was named “Pearla” because she is, according to Geoff, a one-of-a-kind delight.
With one master cabin, Pearla also provides a convertible double bed in the saloon and another in the cockpit for when their adult children visit. “We didn’t want a flybridge because the skipper can often be separated from the rest of the guests,” Geoff commented.
For the delivery voyage from the Gold Coast to Batemans Bay, Geoff, his mate Stuart, and delivery skipper, David Rowland took advantage of weather windows to make the journey south.
“We took 23 hours to Coffs, then another 22 to Nelsons Bay, and 18 hours to Shell Harbour, and another 10 to Batemans Bay. We saw heaps of whales and dolphins, amazing sunsets, and shared lots of laughs and stories. We topped up with fuel at Coffs, but we could have made it on one tank.”
One of the Integrity brand virtues is fuel economy, which appealed to Geoff and Louise.
“We cruised at 7 to 8 knots and used around 11 Litres per hour. She just purred along. I always say the journey is more important than the destination, and in this case, the shakedown cruise was a great learning experience. It was my first big passage.”
Other features that sealed the deal over other brands included the layout which the couple customised in several aspects, including two forward-facing helm chairs and interior styling.
“We liked the layout because it’s configured for an adult family,” Geoff explained. “The bathroom with separate head, large cockpit, walkaround decks for safety and convenience, and of course, the single engine which means lower maintenance and running costs.”
But most of all, what stood out was the customer service provided by Integrity and the team at Spectrum Marine at Runaway Bay Marina.
“We asked a lot of questions, and the team was on hand to answer them – nothing was too much trouble,” said Geoff. “We enjoyed a smooth handover and orientation on the Broadwater and then set off south.”
Now, awaiting the arrival of their interstate family ahead of Christmas on board Pearla, Geoff and Louise are planning itineraries and provisioning. “We’re looking forward to showing them the ropes. They are going to love the boat!”
