After 7 long years in the yard, I finally managed to launch Pleinair back into the environment she was built for.
At the end of the season in 2017, I had her lifted out and placed in the yard here in Essex. The main aim was to do an osmosis treatment on her bottom, whilst also rewiring the mast. Then good old COVID came along and added 2 years to the project, after which I was rushed to the hospital and taken into intensive care for a week. All adding to my inability to do any work on her for a long period of time. After an additional 2 years I’m still waiting for the operation that put me in the hospital in the first place.
So, during this time, I’ve managed to do a few things
Her bottom was completely stripped of everything. All 13 layers, most of which were various antifouls. right back to the glass layup. It turns out that she appears to have had some form of treatment before, as there was absolutely no gel coat below the waterline at all. Instead was just a single coat of what appeared to be a primer of some description; needless to say, this was also removed.
Once the bottom was completely sanded back to glass, which is a highly demoralising task and took months to do with just an orbital sander, the blisters were ground out, washed, allowed to dry then rewashed and dryed four or five more times. She then sat for around three years before I was able to get some epoxy and epoxy paint on the bottom, which meant, yes… more sanding. The final coat of epoxy paint went on in October of 2024 during one of my better weekends.
In July this year (2025), I finally managed to replace the cutlass bearing, after which I just had to put the shaft back in, purely for that uplifting photo that reminds you that work is, albeit very slowly, actually taking place.
During all this time, I also had the mast removed to do some work there. A complete rewire, removal of the extremely power-hungry relic of a radar and the fitting of new masthead lights and vhf mount. Unfortunately, there are no pictures of this work. The mast was re-stepped back in February, duly connected up and verified to be working. Unfortunately I’ve since discovered a leak on the deck gland, which I need to fix as soon as I can.
A new upgraded solar arch has been built and the previous 180 watts of solar is now 360 watts, along with 390 Amp hrs of batteries for domestics and a new 75 AMP starter battery.
Along with a load of other internal touches carried out over the recent months, in late August this year she had 2 coats of barnacle food added to the bottom and was relaunched on 9th September. As I sit and write this, I can safely say that she definitely floats. Hopefully for a long while yet. However, there was a major scare with the stern Gland once I’d left the hoist and had been placed on the mooring by the yard dory and crew. Fortunately, I was able to rectify this while still afloat, thankfully.
Since being refloated, she’s also had the engine electrics sorted out (they were rotten), the engine serviced, and is now running with a suitable amount of cooling water, doing what it should.
Next is to start the big clean up, remove the aged teak slats in the cockpit and replace them with something nicer. Finish off strengthening the solar arch and try to find a way of hiding all the cabling.
After that, I might, just might, be able to get some sailing in, even if it’s just a trip down and bacvk up the river.
Oh well, back to work!!!