Our story

My husband and I acquired this beautiful sailing yacht in Antibes in June 2021, with the exciting project of sailing across the Atlantic and exploring the Caribbean. 

The name Take Five came to us in a brainstorming session as the perfect name for our vessel:  with our three children, there are five of us in the family; we are taking a break from our regular lives to live this dream; and of course a tribute to the illustrious jazz piece by Dave Brubeck fit in nicely as I am a jazz pianist and singer.  I had the logo professionally created by the Mexican designer Miros Camacho Ponce, and applied in Antibes by Didier Nacach of Sigma Publicité.

We set sail in September, 2020, having fully prepared Take Five for the Atlantic crossing.  We decided to go for one year, and then see... after one year, it was clear that we wanted to prolong for at least another year!   So we have continued to explore the beautiful Caribbean and only regret that we now must take a break from our life afloat to return to France where our youngest daughter is starting her studies at the University of Nice in September.

We know that in a few years, we will be looking to buy another Beneteau 57, because it so exactly suited us in every way!

After years of research and considering many different models, my husband and I agreed on this one - but not for the same reasons!  As the captain, and a well-seasoned sailor with a lifetime of experience racing (and winning) in many regattas, he was convinced by the excellent performance and reliability of the boat.  He was thrilled to find this one as it had a recent motor, the highest quality anchor, excellent quality sails, and makes great time during passages, averaging around 8 knots but sometimes peaking at 12 or 13.  The Spinnaker carried us across the Atlantic with the Trade Winds and it went very smoothly for us.

For me, the criteria I was looking for were all about comfort.  Knowing I would be living long-term on board, and accustomed to the comfort of a luxury villa, I needed to know that I would have enough space to feel free;  I absolutely insisted on having a hard-top bimini to protect my Irish skin; and I wanted the master cabin to have a large and comfortable bed we could walk around.  I also wanted electric toilets, showers with doors that close, a kitchen that was not in the centre of my living room, and a cockpit table where I could host dinner parties of 12.  I wanted space to install my piano and music equipment and the possibility of giving concerts from the aft deck. 

When we discovered this boat, I knew immediately that it was to be ours. The high ceilings inside give such a feeling of space;  there is an excellent sound system allowing us to listen to music throughout the boat; we have installed flat-screen televisions in our cabin and in the main living space, and everywhere the seating is equipped with comfortable, beautifully designed cushions. 

What I also love about the Beneteau 57 is how safe I feel no matter how fast we are going or what angle the boat takes.  The central cockpit gives that security - as long as you stay within it, you run absolutely no risk. 

Throughout our odyssey, we have met many other sailing couples and families, and I have had the pleasure of hosting many of them for sunset drinks on our spacious aft deck, dinner parties and evenings of live music.

The concerts we gave during the summer season in Grenada created quite a sensation, and Take Five is a name people still talk about!