VAGABUNDO II
“Boatbuilding paralysis had set in. It was a pinnacle moment. We wanted to carry on but had run out of energy.”
Above: Deck crew: left and far right, friend Tano Noblia; centre (blond hair), Henry, Robbie’s younger brother
stiffen that area and improve access to the cockpit sole and steering system. The Mediterranean’s stern-to mooring habit meant that movement had also occurred in the taffrail and had cracked the floor there. Stainless- steel bolts were inserted to the forward face of the taffrail and through the 75mm-deep quarter knees. Fairing to the capping rail and counter was started, and a cracked floor discovered and replaced.
Robbie had soon realised that if he was to correct the problems highhlighted by the survey (many of them unexpected) and have Vagabundo ready to sail to the Med in June, he needed some help. The answer was to recruit fellow students from the IBTC at Lowestoft. They would commute to Southampton for long weekends (and sometimes longer), sleeping on board to make the most of their time and save money. Unfortunately the portholes had been removed at an early stage and sent away to be stripped, re-chromed and resealed. “Even our drinks would freeze overnight,” says Robbie. The extremes of weather also affected Vagabundo’s teak deck, which moved, meaning about half the seams needed raking out and resealing. It had also split in certain places and had to be routed and splined. Another major job involved the 74hp Yanmar engine. Its waterlock and filter had to be made more accessible, but also the engine mounts needed investigating as they
14 CLASSIC BOAT FEBRUARY 2012
set up an annoying knocking at certain RPMs. During that process, the engine was moved to the saloon, where it became the boys’ bedside table.
The grey-water system was removed to gain access to keel bolts and limber holes. The refrigeration system was reorganised to run off domestic batteries, helped by a keel cooling system – so easing off strain on the engine when cruising, especially in the Med. The anchor locker was remodelled to a third of its size, and made to drain away to the grey-water system.
‘DINOSAUR’ CENTREBOARD
Progress on fixing the drop-down centreboard (which adds 75cm to the draught), however, was “nothing short of glacial”, according to Robbie. The operating motor was taken out to be reconditioned, but condemned as too far gone. After spending some time deliberating over a manual system, and deciding it would intrude to much into the accommodation, they decided to fit a new motor to the ‘dinosaur’ mechanism and revisit the job this winter. Making the new sails meant an unscheduled drive to Port Grimaud to pick up the old ones and get measurements. Blocks were made to match and Harken tracks were replaced with more traditional, and longer, ones by Dryade. In March, the job of sanding back the varnish began: 16-hour shifts day after day by the IBTC
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