Lessons from a refit

I was asked for ‘lessons identified’ on my boat’s ongoing refit as issues were discovered which affect safety.  ‘Wight Leopard’ is the non-epoxy H400, 2-cabin, single wheel steering version from 2008 with engine hrs ~1350.  Sailed extensively in European & Atlantic waters for about 6 months/year, all fittings and systems have suffered a lot of cyclic loading.

The refit was part of a 3-year program to update kit and give confidence in the boat to handle extended offshore and ocean sailing.  I wrote a detailed schedule of work with riggers, mechanical and electrical engineers, sailmaker, shipwrights and metalsmiths all having sight to allow coordination/deconfliction, with one acting as a principal point of contact.   Living 2000 miles from where the boat is kept, trust in the craftsmen was essential; I would not have attempted this otherwise.  All were also asked to examine the boat in detail according to their experience.

All electronics, standing and running rigging, sails were already replaced.  A Balmar 100A alternator had been fitted, with 2x 115W panels being added to the existing 140W solar on a new cockpit arch.  The charging capacity and regime meets my DC power needs with AC provided via inverter and ‘Ecoflow’ Lithium brick; it’s surprising how much power iPads, laptops, TV etc can draw.  The arch, with steel rails carried forward to the sprayhood (dodger), was also to give added security in the cockpit and as the base for aerials and a doppler radar.    Being very aware of the effects of weight at the ends of the boat, the extra 35-40kg was, as is ever the case, a reluctant compromise.  Other homes were found for the outboard and raft to compensate.

Some serious issues were identified; confirmed by two independent Surveyors:

Keel.  Intending to have the hull epoxy-coated, the hull was soda-blasted back to gelcoat.  However, it was seen that water was trickling out of the boat just aft of the keel; this continued for some weeks in the cradle.  Observing no obvious damage anywhere to the keel or keel/hull joint and with all keel-bolts checked correct, two surveyors skilled and experienced in keel faults were called.  The boat was raised in slings and the keel manipulated with an unacceptable degree of movement found.  I stress that no faults were visible to the eye.

Fortunately, in the words of one Surveyor, the Yard handling ‘Leopard’ is the best in the UK for keel repairs.  Even so, the keel was dropped only with great difficulty as, in contrast to the rudder (see below), the Shipwright stated that “Hanse builds ‘em very ####ing strong, like”.  All bolts were found to be in good condition.   However, aft of the keel the hull below the gelcoat was delaminating very badly. I understand that the layers between outer and inner skins were increasingly flexing with the motion at sea and were acting as a sponge, actively soaking up water.  Only when the boat was raised with the keel pressing up was this water then squeezed out.  At no time had I ever noted much water in the bilges so it was all held between the layers within the GRP.

Neither the Surveyors nor the Yard staff could tell for certain if previous repairs had been made to the area.  However, they all agreed that the damage was consistent with grounding.  To my immense relief, the £14000 repair estimate was covered by insurance.  At the time of writing ‘Leopard’ remains with her keel removed as several layers of GRP both to the hull and the internal matrix are made up.  I’m assured that the whole area will be much stronger than the original following repair, to be certified by a specialist surveyor.

I don’t know if the boat had grounded under its previous ownership, but the only time I did it was at under 2kts on sand while manouvering for a buoy (discovering that my high-tone deafness is at exactly the same frequency as the depth alarm …)  While there’s no way I would have thought that such grounding could cause that amount of damage I’m told that it is indeed possible.  Even a small crack can cause water ingress which, over time, with the flexing of the boat at sea followed by pressure when ashore in a cradle, can lead to serious delamination if not spotted.  With years of anti-fouling paint, the damage was completely invisible to the naked eye – even that of a good Shipwright.

Very strongly recommend that any grounding is reported to your insurance company immediately.  I understand that following a number of incidents, insurers take this seriously and will pay for the boat to be lifted and inspected.  Having checked the issue in detail, I believe that not all Surveyors and Yards have the necessary experience to assess let alone repair keels properly.  Reputation is critical in such areas; it’s essential to check that the Surveyor and Yard are suitably qualified and experienced rather than just have Sid or Bubba come take a look.  Happy to provide details if required.

Rudder.   This had several concave ‘dents’ about the size and depth of a dinner-plate that were degrading performance and indicative of structural breakdown.  Moisture readings were very high and, as is common, there was significant pitting in the rudder stock.  The internal metals had corroded badly (the Shipwrights technical explanation was “They use crap materials, don’t they?”) and the rudder was delaminating.  I understand this isn’t confined to Hanses; a rudder from the same maker on a Hallberg-Rassy had the same problem last year.

Like that HR and another owner I’m aware of, I chose to have a replacement made locally to a stronger design.  Although this cost £6000 to the original maker’s quote of £4500, I had lost trust in that manufacturer.  Also, there were no shipping charges and all bearings, cables etc in the steering system were replaced.   It also ensured that all works would be done within the required timescale with sea-trials part of the deal.  It’s hard to say if the old rudder would have failed at sea but I wasn’t prepared to bet the safety of my wife on that (and I didn’t like the hit to performance either…) 

Recommend that owners check their rudders for such indentations.  If found, consult with a Surveyor or Yard properly experienced in such matters.  I’d also advise that rudders are dropped to a regular schedule with a dye-penetrant test of the entire visible stock done.  While pitting on the stock has been discussed at length in this forum there is an area of particular weakness where the shaft narrows which may need a dye to reveal.  Bearings should also be checked and replaced.

Mast.    The riggers noted several deformities on the mast tubing around the Spreaders.  This was wear & tear caused by cyclic loading at sea and basically, the areas were just worn out.  It required the fitting of ‘mast doublers’ to ensure the structural integrity of the mast but the cost was a painful £3500.  However, that was nothing compared to a sudden failure of the mast at sea.  Recommend that owners lower masts at least every 3-4 years and have a thorough check by a professional rigger.   

Mechanicals.      I’d planned for the SD50 clutch kit from saildrives@yahoo.com to be fitted, the SD gaiter to be replaced and the injectors to be removed for specialist servicing.  While the old gaiter was in perfect condition, the engine mounts were misaligned, the prop shaft badly scored and the oil contaminated.  It was hard to see the issue with the mounts from casual observation as they looked and felt in good order; it only became obvious when the engine was removed.  The contaminated oil was a surprise as I change it regularly but the scoring on the shaft was serious; the mechanic stated he’d never seen one in such poor condition.  The conjecture was that ‘Leopard’s’ berth was fine mud and, in need of dredging, the keel and saildrive were immersed in it at low water.

While there’s been much argument about the need to replace the SD gaiter at the recommended interval, there’s no doubt that the process permitted a much deeper inspection of the power train. Recommend that owners at least include removing and inspecting prop shaft as part of routine maintenance and, unless they are very confident in their own abilities, have a thorough professional inspection of the power train at regular intervals.

Philosophical musing, as I wait impatiently to begin cruising this year:

There were plenty of other issues but these are enough to make my point. With 49 years of coastal and ocean experience, I thought my checks were good enough and that I knew everything that I should have been looking for – yet much was missed.  The big lesson is, that no matter how skilled and experienced we are, it’s worth calling in a real pro from time to time for double-checks on vital systems.  The next lesson is to ensure that your pro actually is a pro in the specific area of concern. 

These lessons probably won’t concern those fortunate enough to be able to buy a boat new and who buys another whenever the first one gets too dirty, because you had a pro thoroughly check your boat in great detail on delivery - didn't you?  For us ordinary mortals, preventative maintenance can literally be a life-saver.  If you sink (no pun intended) all your cash into buying the boat and don’t retain enough to properly maintain it then you’ll quickly discover the meaning behind :

Matthew, Chapter 13, verse 12……  (With apologies to the King James Bible)

Iain

Chunks of delaminated GRP from aft of the keel

 Area of hull removed for strengthening & relamination

Mast doubler