A Complete Boat Refit
PSS Boatyard, South Thailand
Removal of teak deck
After months of deliberation we removed the teak deck. Watch the refit videos to find out why.
Redesign of interior
Stripping away the yellowed ash interior to make way for a lighter, more contemporary look
Hull osmosis treatment
Extensive osmosis had to be dealt with
Complete respray
From masts to deck to topsides
Updating entire electronic system
Rewired with a new navigation system
Documented in Oyster News and Sailing Today
Sailing Today, recently bought out by Chelsea Publishing, has repositioned itself towards the cruiser market. ST is modern, fun, informative and relevant. We have been writing for ST for four years documenting our adventures as we travel east. The article will look at specifics like why we decided to remove our teak deck, and what it's like working with local labourers. We will be profiling each and every update aboard Esper, from navigation systems to remodelling the interior.
Oyster News is the glossy quarterly, published by one of the most successful custom luxury yacht manufacturers. They too have documented our adventures and, despite its world-wide distribution, it's free.
The Articles Are Reproduced Here
Sailboat Refit Pt 1: Introduction
Remaining on a pontoon in India for two years, despite basic servicing and upkeep, had led to some general deterioration of our boat. But for SY Esper to stand a chance of completing a passage to South Africa, she needed to be in the best possible shape. So we spent a full season planning, servicing and preparing.
Continue reading here
Real-time Esper Refit Blog Posts
Real-time Esper Refit Blog Posts
Esper Refit 4 – tent up; filling in a portlight
March 2, 2014Teak decks are being ripped off, toilets have been removed, the top-sides have been spraypainted black and someone is creating so much fibreglass particles and sawdust that even after three showers we're still itching like hell. The question, therefore, should be: exactly how close are we to a nervous breakdown after a month on the hard here in Thailand? The video clip should put it all in perspective...
Esper Refit 3 – removing deck fittings; interior mood boards
February 23, 2014Six days of work in a three minute video clip... and whilst Liz gets a smack in the head we bring the entire yard to a standstill as we move four boats out the way so we can take prime spot in the corner of the yard. A snippet of time-lapse video trickery in this week's video summary too. Low-point of this week was having to let one of the staff go, but this was off-set by being relocated to our new home.
Esper Refit 2 – removing the mizzen and main masts
February 16, 2014Week Two of Esper's refit moved as quickly as the first week. The crane was scheduled to arrive on Tuesday, which it did, and Un's team duly removed both main and mizzen mast in two hours. We recorded the whole shebang, though you'll be pleased to know we reduced to down to a short clip, complete with some explanatory commentary. If you've not seen this operation before, take a look and marvel at the ease in which both masts were removed.
Esper Refit 1 – an introduction to our boat refit
February 9, 2014We've been off the radar for the last few weeks, if you'll excuse the nautical pun there. It's been a busy time with us leaving Malaysia, entering Thailand, hauling out, finding a house, emptying Esper of our worldly goods and preparing our beautiful but tired boat for a strip down. Esper's refit is a monumental project. At the very least we'll be stripping her of her gelcoat, her teak deck, her masts and rigging and her electronics...
Esper Refit 9 – painting with Awlgrip primer; reforming the cabin
April 5, 2014It was all about the painters this week as they raced against the ensuing storms to spray the first couple of layers of Awlgrip 545 primer. The painters weren't the only ones getting messy, Mey managed to paint most of her face as she tackled the various deck lockers.
Esper Refit 8 – holes in deck; galley is tomato orange
March 30, 2014This week we get to play with a new toy whilst the painters cover the topsides with a high build paint. Frustratingly we discover a rather unpleasant hole in the deck but at least the galley's now covered in tomato and aluminium.
Esper Refit 7 – the E Team; first coat of primer
March 23, 2014Esper has changed colour and the first non-white Formica is up in the galley too. Check out our favourite video clip of the project so far, but do it soon before it gets taken down. I've just received notification of a copyright infringement! Meet The A Team, now called The E Team...
Esper Refit 6 – removing a dorade vent; white vine veneer
March 16, 2014Liz was doing the payroll the other week and as she went through the carpenters' names, Pong, Ton and Tui, she giggled to herself. Isn't that a cartoon dog that does kung fu? Here's our video dedication to our hard-working family of wood-workers...
Esper Refit 14 – Awlgrip 545; faring complete; Wilson Art laminate
May 15, 2014It was one of those weeks where progress seems to be accelerating. The decks have been fared and when we left Esper on Saturday lunchtime, she was being masked off for some priming. Meanwhile the carpenters have completed the heads doors, which means we now have one purple door and one green one. They look fantastic!
Esper Refit 13 – epoxy mixed with microballoon; Thea launch
May 10, 2014The paint has yet to be delivered but that's not stopping the painters from getting the deck ready. The saloon now has a teak floor and the carpenters continue to veneer the interior. The big news this week, however, was the launch of Thea after two years in the boatyard.
Esper Refit 12 – engine respray; bending teak toe rail; faring the deck
April 27, 2014We're into week 12 and things are starting to take shape. For the first time I walked into the saloon and got a glimpse of what it's all going to look like. The deck fittings and the engine look like new, whilst the teak floor in the saloon looks fantastic. We ended the week with a little farewell party.
Esper Refit 10-11 – polishing deck fittings; answering questions in Ko Lanta
April 20, 2014Whilst the local people celebrated Songkran we took a short break in Ko Lanta where we answered some of your questions.
Esper Refit 18 – osmosis treatment with biaxial fibreglass
June 8, 2014The stainless work is starting to take shape now, with a new companionway ladder being fitted. The floorboards are all up and the lads start preparing the hull for her layer of fibreglass.
Esper Refit 17 – stainless companionway ladder
June 1, 2014The stainless work is starting to take shape now, with a new companionway ladder being fitted. The floorboards are all up and the lads start preparing the hull for her layer of fibreglass.
Esper Refit 16 – teak cockpit with grey caulking
May 24, 2014In the week that Thailand falls under martial law we have a special news bulletin on how the locals are coping with the threat. Meanwhile, in the boatyard, the top coat is now being applied and the masts look like new. Goy's paint team are working on various lids and covers too, leaving just the topsides and deck to paint. That won't be until the toe-rail 'cuts' have been smoothed and the cockpit box finished though. Meanwhile the cockpit seats are complete and the varnishers are doing a fantastic job on the floor.
Esper Refit 15 – varnishing teak floorboards with polyurethane
May 18, 2014We're still waiting for the top coat to arrive and the painters are almost done faring the deck and boxes. The cockpit box is taking shape too, whilst the varnishers are applying polyurethane in their make-shift, dust-free workshop made of clingfilm.
Esper Refit 22 – Waldringfield boatyard special; the painter returns
July 20, 2014Sorry we're late. We said we were going to do something a little different this week... see the video clip for an update from both the UK and Thailand. Meanwhile, back in Turkey, guess who's back?
Esper Refit 21 – Awlcraft ‘Snow White’ painted on the deck
July 9, 2014The osmosis treatment continues with West System 410 Microlight applied to the hull. Pong, head carpenter, begins the task of shaping the toe rail whilst trying to maintain the bend in the wood!
Esper Refit 20 – West System 410 Microlight for osmosis
June 24, 2014The osmosis treatment continues with West System 410 Microlight applied to the hull. Pong, head carpenter, begins the task of shaping the toe rail whilst trying to maintain the bend in the wood!
Esper Refit 19 – painting topside with Awlgrip’s Awlcraft
June 18, 2014Week 19 was all about painting the topsides with the final coat of Awlcraft. The question is, what colour did we go for?
Esper Refit 6 Month Round-up
August 25, 2014We've been in the yard for six months now, and this week's round-up, which covers all the work so far, coincides with Jamie's return. The ceiling is going up and the mast is being dressed.
Esper Refit 25 – teak toe rail; rubbing strake
August 10, 2014As usual the busiest man on the Esper refit project is Pong, the head carpenter. He's been assisted by his sons in finishing off the new teak toe rail and the teak rubbing strake down the side of the boat. Sombat, meanwhile, cracks on with the electrics.
Esper Refit 24 – saloon table with incorporated coffee table
August 2, 2014This week we take a close look at that saloon table that has a coffee table incorporated into it. Amazing to think that in the same week the same man is also doing the rubbing strake.
Esper Refit 23 – carpenters finish trim; teak-lid deck boxes
July 23, 2014With the non-skid down the entire deck is now covered in 70s-pattered vinyl for protection. The remaining areas of Awlcraft have been buffed and polished, which means the painters have almost finished. Meanwhile, down below, three carpenters and two varnishers are cracking on with the cupboards, trim, floorboards and finally, the saloon table, which has a rather cool design feature. The swimming platform has to be sent to Hat Yai in order for it to be bent.
Esper Refit 33 – boat catches fire; redrilling deck fittings;
September 21, 2014This week has probably been the most eventful to date, and I’m not just talking about Esper’s progress. On Wednesday half of Chebilang turned out to watch a fishing boat burn right down to its hull, whilst a ferry bottoms out when being jacked up on a cradle. Other breakages include feet and motorbikes.
Esper Refit 32 – welding and polishing swim platform
September 14, 2014First week without Liz. After dropping her off at Hat Yai airport Moo and I visit the machine shop to try and get the swimming platform bent. Instead we get told off for filming on their premises. I wonder why?
Esper Refit 31 – shaft crevice corrosion
September 7, 2014Bad news this week as we inspect our shaft, which has some corrosion. We turn to Vyv Cox of Coxengineering to find out how and why this has happened. Meanwhile we attempt to offer the swimming platform up to the transom, only to find it is a little too big.
Esper Refit 30 – boat led lights
August 31, 2014Two big projects this week: the removal of a blockage in the mast conduit and the interior lights. The lights are on-going but the removal of the blockage took three days and was only achieved by Moo's brainwave.
Esper Refit 37 – how to bed a genoa track with butyl tape; rudder doesn’t fit
October 23, 2014In this week's refit video we show you how we bedded down our genoa track with butyl tape. No Sikaflex, no 3M, no polyurethane adhesive, just tape. Also I get to hang out with the locals, now that I'm fully entrenched in my new abode.
Esper Refit 36 – basic boat wiring schematic; Maxprop grease nipple; torlon cutlass bearing
October 12, 2014It's a short one this week since it was Eid and our workers took most of the week off. All except Nut, that is. He's made real progress with the mains/charging circuit.
Esper Refit 35 – PSS Dripless Seal; LED Dimmer
October 5, 2014Dang the varnisher's back, as are the electricians. The sparkies have finally installed the LED dimmer switch and it looks good. Dang is preparing the boat for its last coat of varnishing whilst I remove the old stuffing box in preparation for the new PSS Dripless Seal.
Esper Refit 34 – bedding deck fittings with butyl tape
October 2, 2014Lots of fiddly jobs this week. That's what the project is coming down to now, a collection of odd jobs, all interconnected in some way, and typically all held up by the late arrival of a vital material. This week we also play with butyl tape.
Esper Refit 41-42 – welding rodents; bow roller; Millie in hospital
November 25, 2014This week's video clip is a cracking one. The younger crew from s/y Totem spend a week project managing Esper's refit, discuss life in the boatyard and adopt, albeit temporarily, three lost kittens.
Esper Refit 40 – pushpit extension; buat ordination; loi kathrong
November 14, 2014It’s been a busy week both in the boatyard and in Satun town. We’ve finally extended our pushpit, and we were invited to the Loi Kathrong full-moon lantern festival and the ordination of a young monk.
Esper Refit 39 – Totem crew take over; life in the boatyard
November 6, 2014This week's video clip is a cracking one. The younger crew from s/y Totem spend a week project managing Esper's refit, discuss life in the boatyard and adopt, albeit temporarily, three lost kittens.
Esper Refit 38 – swim platform brackets; installing the rudder
October 26, 2014The swimming platform is pushed through the transom and into custom-made brackets, counterpoising it. We clean up the Aquadrive and coupling system and take a look at the veneer that's been varnished with polyurethane.
Esper Refit 47-49 – festivities; rudder design; more carpentry
January 11, 20152015 and we're close to hitting a year in the yard. For those of you asking why we don't just leave and finish the jobs at anchor, Liz has her answer in this week's video clip.
Esper Refit 46 – Christmas Special
December 22, 2014As Christmas approaches we are inundated with rain, rain and more rain. It’s just like being back in the UK! We still had fun, attending a Burmese wedding and rehousing some little animals.
Esper Refit 45 – tent down, masts up, davits on
December 14, 2014Yes, you read that title right. Esper has finally been revealed to the outside world and we witness the first ray of sunshine on that beautiful shiny hull, and we even got the masts up, though not without a headache or two.
Esper Refit 43-44 – Totem’s fund raiser; bow roller installed
December 9, 2014We said goodbye to s/y Totem this week but not before Behan pulls off an amazing fund-raiser for the workers kids. We also visit the workers' homes next to the boatyard.