Cracks in the keel
When Rêvuha had problems with humidity, Sophie decided to take her boat out of the water and put it in the yard. On the program, the hull is exposed to dry and straighten.
Except that she discovered cracks on the bottom of the hull, around her keel. " You could see them spilling out beyond the keel sole, not knowing how they got underneath. They were very old cracks and the old osmosis curative treatment had been done over them."
She takes a blow to the morale and studies the different possibilities: sell it as is or repair it. "This was my home and I was left without a home."
Sell or keep?
Finally, in the midst of a life change, she decided to keep her sailboat and devote herself to its repair. Taken out of the water in July 2018, the boat is now under construction at Bretagne Nautic, in Port La Forêt. Staying with friends, she gave herself until July 2020 to finish the work and put her boat back in the water.
"The sale crossed my mind for financial reasons. There is a lot of work to be done on it. It's a 12m boat with maintenance and renovation costs. But I told myself that thanks to my job which took me a lot of time and energy euros even if I really liked what I was doing euros I could finally afford this boat. I took the time to think about it and I said to myself "I'm going back with it."
A make-up removal in due form
With the help of Pascal, manager of the Finistère shipyard, and a few acquaintances, she then attacked the 14 keel bolts that hold the appendage in place. The keel is now completely bare and dry, protected by a tarp. There are still 3 keel pins that she was unable to remove, corroded by rust.
"I did a lot of research, consulted with people around me. I like to do things the right way and I couldn't see myself putting on spackle to cover up the cracks. I decided to strip the paint off to see what was underneath."
A big job
Even if it means coming back to live on board, Sophie is embarking on a major project. In addition to the hull, the keel, the painting of the hull and the cockpit, she has started a major interior project.
"I couldn't see these varnishes since the boat is completely emptied to dry, I thought I would take advantage of it to make a top decoration! It will be enough to arrange a nice and clean universe"
Self-taught and passionate
So how do you take on such a big job when you only have a few acquaintances? " I am quite self-taught. I learn a lot by myself and I have to anyway since I do the work myself. I have learned a lot since I got it since I have already done a lot of things on it. For the rest, I look at forums, magazines, I take advice from professionals of the building site
This manual side is also something she got from her father, who passed on many things to her during their past navigations. Apart from the pride she takes in it, it is also a great saving that Sophie realizes. "Overall, if I had had the work done by a professional, it would have cost me between 40,000 and 50,000 euros".
A professional for security
For safety, she entrusts the rework of the hull bottom to a professional. If the interior is already done, she will tackle the live works alone.
on the inside, it is at the moment at the woodwork and painting. The valves will all be changed, then the electricity and the piping system will follow.
"It doesn't scare me. I had already redone my roof windows back in the day. It took me 130 hours, or about three weeks."
Drying of the hull
For the past nine months, the hull has been air-drying, without any activator or process to accelerate the process. Today, the moisture content is still too high. It must be less than 5% for the hull to be considered dry and to be processed.
Outdoor work
After the interior, Sophie will tackle the deck of her boat. The cockpit floor will be renovated, and the skirt, which has structural problems, will be repaired. Finally, the owner will perhaps equip Rêvuha with a new engine and a secure rigging within two years, if the desire for a long voyage resurfaces.
A sharing of experience
euros 36 years old, Sophie's Sun Shine 36 will start a second life. This project has a strong financial and sentimental value and to share her dream, Sophie has opened a Facebook dedicated to its renovation. She shares her progress in photos of many euros to show everyone that it is possible to achieve by oneself what we hold dear.
