I think you'd need to decide now if you want to take it. If it doesn't come off you shoulbe able to move the booking on, as long as there's room on the boat for another person - bear in mind you'll still need your passenger place. Payment won't be due until the end of February though, so you should have a clearer idea by then what you'll be doing and book accordingly.

As for taking the NSU, why not? A lot of us will remember Harry the Professor who used to come from Sweden on a Honda C90. He's gone now but he was a bit of a legend. Maybe you'll become his natural sucessor!