The first in a series of articles on Esper’s complete refit in Thailand, originally written for Sailing Today magazine. We are reproducing the original articles on FTB complete with new photographs… 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.
Groundhog Day: Back to PSS Ship yard for repairs
We made our run down the east side of imposing Tarutao, one of Thailand’s largest islands and the country’s first national marine park. Once a penal colony, it was the perfect place to cast away undesirables. With its unforgiving tropical rainforest, strong tidal currents and fierce salt-water crocodiles escape would have been impossible.
Esper – Post Refit First Look
As you can imagine, when we dropped the hook in Bass Harbour, Langkawi, 25 miles away from PSS Shipyard, we did absolutely nothing for a whole week. It was bliss.
Esper Refit 53-55 – Esper Launches!
Finally, after one year and one month in the yard, Esper launches!
Esper Refit 50-52 – one year in the yard! Portabote improvements; interior carpentry
Would you believe it? More to the point, would we have believed it? One year in the boatyard calls for a party. Plus there’s some much-requested boat updates in the video clip, which also covers a rather strange phenomenon in the yard.
Esper Refit 47-49 – festivities; rudder design; more carpentry
2015 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
As 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
Yes, 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
We 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.
Esper Refit 41-42 – welding rodents; bow roller; Millie in hospital
This 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
It’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
This 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
The 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 37 – how to bed a genoa track with butyl tape; rudder doesn’t fit
In 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
It’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
Dang 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
Lots 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 33 – boat catches fire; redrilling deck fittings;
This 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
First 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
Bad 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.
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