sail yacht refit

Yacht Refit Guide: Making Your Pre-Owned Oyster Your Own

If you’ve just bought or are considering buying one of our pre-owned sailing yachts for sale, the first thing on your mind will likely be getting aboard and starting your adventure. However, just as each person has their unique preferences about home design, each yacht owner wants their yacht to suit their personal tastes. At Oyster, we have an extensive yacht refit department with capabilities to make your brokerage sailing yacht your own. Below, we run through the refit process, yard locations, what can be changed and the ‘Oyster difference’.

The oyster yacht refit process: step by step.

From the moment you get in touch to talk about yacht refurbishment we are by your side, and we will help you every step along the way. The yacht refit process generally goes as follows:

• You reach out to Oyster Yachts Palma, our primary European sailboat upgrade centre. Operations Manager of Oyster Yachts Palma, Mark Durham meets with you to discuss what you would like to have done.
• Based on this discussion, Mark assigns one of the three Project Managers (PMs) to oversee the refit, with each PM offering their own specialist skills:

Steve Colley

Joined Oyster Palma S.L. as Service Manager in 2017 having previously managed Oyster Service & Refit Southampton since 2011. Steve has managed numerous major refit and repair contracts as well as overseeing warranty works in the UK, Spain and the Caribbean.

Hamish Burgess-Simpson

A sailor come ashore who has lived, sailed and worked on both sides of the Atlantic, the Caribbean, Indian and Pacific Oceans, and the Mediterranean – focusing on a wide range of disciplines over the years. In the past 15 years, Hamish has primarily concentrated on yacht refit and new-build project management, and for the majority of his maritime career, he has sailed and worked on Oyster yachts.

Pierre Oberon

Recently joined Oyster having run his own yacht maintenance company in Palma for 15 years, Pierre has considerable experience of the entire yacht refurbishment process. He has worked in many areas of the marine industry; as a sailor, service manager, and workshop manager, project managing several refits of motor and sailing yachts, and as director of two service companies and a charter base over the last 34 years. Pierre is fluent in English, Spanish, French, with a comfortable understanding of German.

• The PM meets with you and talks through your ideas and requirements, bringing in the relevant members of the Oyster team to advise on pricing and timescales. They look at your budget and divide your wish-list as necessary paying careful attention to what is most important to you.
• The PM schedules in the necessary work, keeping the majority of this in-house with our expert professionals. If anything is subcontracted, such as upholstery or rigging, the PM will oversee the work to ensure it is completed to Oyster standards, providing you with warranty and peace of mind. We will provide a trustworthy and objective eye, sharing our years of knowledge while at the same time keeping you up-to-date. Oyster’s seal of approval on these works will help boost the resale value of your yacht. 
• You receive regular updates from the PM. If Oyster’s team finds anything that would benefit from being serviced while onboard, the PM will contact you to see whether you want to proceed.

WHERE CAN I BOOK AN OYSTER REFIT?

• Our yacht refit team in Palma are insured to work in any local yard, meaning we can be flexible to your needs and preferences.
• Our Oyster representative in Barcelona can support you there, offering advice on the best local yard for your projects and managing any refurbishment through.
• If you’re in the U.S., Oyster Yachts Newport offers everything from light maintenance to intensive sailboat upgrades.
• In the UK we have Oyster Service Centres in Southampton and Ipswich, which offer a broad range of services from yacht refurbishment through to annual maintenance.

WHAT CAN I CHANGE TO MAKE MY BROKERAGE YACHT FEEL LIKE HOME?

Yacht refurbishment can completely transform a vessel, making it almost unrecognisable. Other than impossible tasks such as moving structural bulkheads or changing the type/size of the yacht, the world is your Oyster. 

Below are some of the most common sailboat upgrades that will make a brokerage yacht feel like your own:

• Upholstery: This is the most popular way of personalising a yacht, allowing you to implement your taste in every little detail.
• Canvas work: Again, this adds a personal touch.
• AV system upgrade. This will depend on how high-tech you are, and what you will spend time doing on your yacht.
• Re-configuration of cabins: In some cases we have been able to change the cabin configuration to fit your family, perhaps adding bunk beds and games consoles for a kids cabin, or making one of the smaller cabins next to the owner’s suite into a cot room for very young children.

THE ‘OYSTER DIFFERENCE’

If you are planning on having your yacht refit, your first step should be to get in touch with our  Oyster sailing services  team. We know our boats inside out and are best equipped to refurbish your yacht, with countless hours of build experience under our belts. 

Not only does an Oyster refit guarantee you the best possible quality, but if you are planning to sell your luxury sailing yacht at some point in the future, her resale value will be boosted by the fact that your works have been managed by Oyster’s trusted team. Get in touch today to set your project in motion.

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• Refit and Repair
• Engineering
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Boat Refit & Repair

The experienced team at ancasta yacht services will get your yacht back on the water as soon as possible..

Over the years we have managed yacht and boat refit projects for some of the most prestigious yachts and motorboats, as well as high profile race boats and round-the-world fleets. From the initial survey and quote through to project management and quality control, we can look after every aspect of your yacht refit from start to finish.

Our expert and experienced yacht refit and repair team can also undertake GRP and composite boat repair . From collisions and groundings to general wear and tear, we can get your yacht or motorboat back on the water quickly and efficiently.

Teak Decking

Hatches & portlights, interior joinery, composite & gel repairs, matrix & keel repairs, osmosis prevention & repair.

• Insurance Repairs

Yacht Painting & Spraying

Yacht varnishing, jet thrusters, tunnel & retracting thrusters.

• Anchoring systems

Steering Systems

Davits, gangways & passerelles.

From teak deck refurbishment and caulking repairs to low maintenance teak alternatives, our boat builders offer a range of deck repair services including complete traditional or pre-made teak decks.

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Control of light and ventilation is key to cabin temperature, and your comfort below deck. As an Approved Lewmar installation and Service Centre, we offer a comprehensive range of high quality hatches, portlights and shades.

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From built-in storage solutions and bespoke joinery, to interior redesigns and galley refits, our experienced boatbuilders can help you to transform the interior of your yacht. Our workshops incorporate a 150m2 well equipped woodmill.

Composite repair work requires expert knowledge and skill to ensure a seamless finish. With a dedicated laminating workshop our team can accommodate a wide range of gelcoat work ranging from full structural reconstruction to cosmetic hull and deck work, for both GRP and carbon.

Slamming, grounding, over-stressing a hull in rough conditions, and hard racing can all cause damage to the inner keel matrix. The keel, keel bolts and matrix should be inspected annually to identify possible areas of de-bonding or areas of damage. In the event of damage being identified, as a professional repair yard, we can assist with a structural repair to meet your surveyors specification.

Osmosis is usually identified by the surface of a boat's hull starting to blister; to avoid this occurring you may consider protecting your hull with our anti-osmosis gel shield and epoxy coating. If it's too late for a preventive approach, then we offer an extensive repair treatment.

Yacht Insurance Repairs

With over 45 years experience, undercover storage for yachts up to 80ft with a dedicated paint bay, a large well equipped wood shop, engineering workshop and well stocked stores, we regularly carry out boat repair work on behalf of all major insurance companies.

Approved Insurance Repairers for Pantaenius

We offer a variety of yacht painting services in our dedicated paint bay, from small damage repairs to complete resprays for yachts and motor boats of all sizes. Working with the world’s best marine paint systems, our fully qualified paint application specialists with over 20 years experience offer a high level of expertise and service.

From deck brightwork to a glass finish on a yacht’s superstructure, our varnish specialists will ensure your boat not only looks beautiful but is well protected from the elements too.

Bow and stern thruster systems from Jet Thruster offer an innovative and quiet solution to make docking more comfortable and professional. A flexible system that can be added to the bow and stern with flush composite thro-hull thruster nozzles, and no moving parts under the water line for safety. Suitable for both shallow and deep keeled boats and easy to install. As a Jet Thruster UK Distributor we can offer parts or a full supply and fit option. Please talk to our team about the best solution for you.

Jet Thruster – UK Distributor

Manoeuvring in marina’s can be tricky, but the addition of a bow or stern thruster can compensate for external forces such as wind and current, making docking simple. A range of thruster solutions are available, including tunnel thrusters, retractable thrusters, and custom solutions.

Lewmar - approved gold installer Quick –installation and service agent

Anchoring Solutions

To fully enjoy a peaceful night at anchor you need absolute confidence in your ground tackle. Our team can guide you through the options available from galvanised or stainless anchors and chain options, to the correct windlass and bow roller for your boat, and safety measures such as chain stoppers, cleats and other mooring points.

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Regular maintenance of your steering system is vitally important - from rudder and shaft inspection to the replacement or overhaul of rudder bearings. A general service can correct alignment issues and avoid failure at critical moments. Autopilots are invaluable on long passages, and today have become an integral part of a yacht’s navigation system. Whether you’re looking to upgrade your steering system, or simply replace components such as wheels, pedestals or drives our knowledgeable team can assist.

To enhance your experience onboard, we offer a wide range of davits, gangways and passerelles as an elegant solution for launching tenders and jet skis, or boarding when stern to.

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Ancasta yacht services ltd.

Port Hamble, Satchell Lane, Hamble, Southampton, SO31 4NN

The Port Hamble AYS Office with stunning views overlooks the River Hamble. This is a prime location in the beautiful breathing space between the cities of Southampton, Winchester and Portsmouth.

Ancasta Yacht Services:

T: +44 (0)2380 454 111

E: [email protected]

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Yacht Servicing, Refit & Repair

Yacht servicing.

We offer general repair and maintenance including window repair, vinyl repair, furniture upholstery, locating & repairing small leaks, even minor electrical & plumbing repairs.

Yacht Refit

Are you interested in a full yacht refit? We can offer a full yacht remodel or simply help maximize your storage space, replace flooring, yacht carpet, install custom furniture, offer a full head remodel and more.

Yacht Furniture

We offer indoor upholstery repair for your yacht furniture and outdoor furniture repair including vinyl repair and replacement. Need custom built pieces? We can custom build furniture inside & out to fit your desired lounge areas.

Repair, Remodel, Refit, Reshape

When your vessel carries a lot of sentimental value, it is not easy to just replace it. That is why we are here. We understand every yacht is special, built custom and sometimes priceless to it’s owner. We treat each refit as an opportunity not a job. No matter where you are located, it is easy to get to us, and depending on where you might be in Florida, we can come to you.

We are located in Port Canaveral, Florida. Our port is a widely known international cruise ship port with plenty of depth and width for any size yacht. Call us today and let us get acquainted!

You will speak directly with Pete, our master craftsman.

Born and raised in South Florida Pete grew up fishing and diving in the Atlantic ocean. It is hard not to gain a natural love and respect for the ocean for both it’s beauty and power. Understanding how the ocean deteriorates anything over time has helped Pete become a master at repairing it’s inevitable damage. Now, with over 25 years experience designing and building custom furniture and over 15 years in the marine industry; not many things surprise Pete when it comes to repair.

What about luxury you ask? Before the COVID shutdown, Pete enjoyed 5 years as production lead building the magnificent Ocean Alexander 70e Motoryacht CLICK HERE TO SEE THE END PRODUCT . This experience gave Pete the knowledge of all aspects of yacht construction.

“I take a lot of pride in my work. I’m good with customers, I understand their vision and can bring it to reality! If you can dream it I can build it from conception to completion!” Pete DeJong

We offer full interior refits! Only need a specific area redone? We can do a head remodel, floor replacement, yacht carpet replacement, vinyl repairs and more.

We specialize in customizing furniture to maximize your living space, building custom storage and reupholstering overly damaged outdoor furniture.

We install vinyl fabric headliners, outdoor vinyl furniture and vinyl cladding. Need something fully replaced? We can mold padding and replace entire cushions.

We match and replace existing molding, cleats, bow rails, winches & all exterior stainless or brass. We also offer minor fiberglass repairs on your yacht exterior.

Are you in the area and need a bit of yacht maintenance? We offer bilge cleaning and gel coating.

We can re-caulk windshields, glass windows and hatches. Need a window replacement? We can do that as well.

Do you have a leak you can't find? We will find the spot of intrusion and fix it for you.

We are located in Port Canaveral with some of the only deep water marina's on the East Central Coast of Florida. We can accommodate any yacht size.

Frequently Asked Questions

We can schedule an appointment as soon as today. Give us a call so we can learn your dream interior, goal time range, schedule and budget.

Every yacht refit and owner preference is unique. That is why we offer custom refits. Once we have an idea of material availability as well as the extent of renovations needed; we can determine a custom refit timeline for your specific project.

Absolutely, in fact, many yacht refits begin with the need for more storage. Our craftsman can design custom storage space throughout your yacht to decrease clutter and expand the cargo you can carry.

We keep close communication with the owner during the entire refit timeline. When a delay happens due to weather, materials, unforeseen damage under the surface or anything else that may cause more time to finish; we contact you immediately.

With the most up to date materials, high density foam, luxury vinyl, top of the line flooring and veneers.

Call us and let us design your refit!

Most boat and some yacht owners use a polypropylene synthetic carpet for moisture resistance, UV fade resistance and increased traction. These carpets are expensive for the low quality look and not as comfortable as wool carpet since it is a plastic material. For a yacht, carpet is common issue that needs repair or replacement. When I personally do a carpet removal and new flooring installation, I suggest Amtico or other luxury options that last and feel better than manufactured marine carpeting.

From Miami to Jacksonville; Cocoa Beach to Tampa. If you are concerned about getting to us, our shop is located in the Port Canaveral cruise ship port. Our port can accommodate any size yacht and we have a Premier Marina for private yachts up to 110'. Check out what The Ocean Club Marina in Port Canaveral has to offer on their official website https://oceanclubmarina-pc.com/

We have multiple manufacturers to choose from with a plethora of color options available. It has not been a problem for us in the past to match any vinyl color. We can also change your color with a full vinyl reupholster while matching and complimenting your existing finishes.

When you need a vinyl repair that requires matching the correct color, the timeline starts with the availability of stock in the color you need. When your color is in stock, we can complete a vinyl repair as fast as 1 day.

Sometimes, we can speed up the process with a full vinyl reupholster of the furniture, padding or full headline replacement. We can find vinyl colors to match and compliment your existing finishes without waiting for a perfect match to come back in stock.

Normally a few days. Especially if the entire window must be removed, rebedded and allow for proper cure time. Luckily in the Florida Sun, the curing process does not take long.

We repair yacht furniture damage as small as a ding or tear all the way to a full upholstery removal and replacement. We can custom mold padding and foam for indoor yacht furniture with custom upholstery options. For exterior yacht furniture, we suggest vinyl fabric to withstand the harsh elements. There are many soft and colorful vinyl options to choose from.

Absolutely! Not only do we have options for yacht carpet replacement, we offer luxury Amtico Flooring upgrades that are manufactured to be more durable for your yacht than hard wood & yacht carpet. There are so many finishes, colors and countless possible layering patters, including an authentic Teak look most yacht owners prefer!

Contact Bilge 2 Bridge

321-266-2247

750 Mullet Rd Suite C, Cape Canaveral, FL 32920

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Yacht refits

If you think a custom built yacht is the stuff of dreams. Think again. We can refurbish your current yacht taking away what you don’t like about it, keeping what you love and adding what you were missing.

Home › The Services › Refits

Refit services

Aluminium repairs, maintenance, electricity.

With 20+ years of working with aluminium, we know this material inside and out. Got a dent from a buoy? Hit the rocks in Norway? Don’t worry. The experts that build our yachts are the same people who will fix yours.

Unless reclaimed, teak is no longer considered a sustainable choice for decking material. Luckily there are many other options available today. From anti-skid coatings and shot blasted aluminium to man made composite materials like Esthec which is durable, maintenance free and is available in various colours and custom options.

An overhaul, winterising or a brand new engine in your sailing or motor yacht? No problem. Our experienced engineers can handle any type of engine, whether it is new, used or refurbished.

From a new lick of paint and new upholstery to a complete makeover of your interior. We will be happy to discuss the various options and price tags to meet your needs. Our carpenters are true interior specialists. They can turn any type of wood into trims, decks, cabinets, and al sorts of furniture.

For many of us, finding the time to go sailing is already hard, let alone finding the time to work on your boat. Many boat owners opt for winter storage in combination with annual maintenance.

Painting your yacht requires precision. Our team of skilled professionals is equipped with the latest tools and techniques to ensure a flawless finish every time. We use only the highest quality paints and materials and take great care to protect your vessel or property during the painting process.

Since the beginning of 2023, our new painting halls have been ready for use. Besides the fact that we will make extensive use of it ourselves, we also offer opportunities for third parties to perform painting work here. Click here for more info about our painting service, painting venue and renting possibilities.

Our mast rigger Jan is always happy to perform a thourough inspection of your mast and rigging. After inspection we provide a report for the insurance company or the new owner.

On aluminium yachts in particular, extra care should be given to the electrics. Are you unsure or have you discovered electrolysis? We would be pleased to check your yacht and make the necessary amends.

Customer Care

Our commitment doesn’t stop after delivery. Carefree ownership is all-important to us. Our subsidiary KM Yachtservices provides peace of mind by keeping your yacht in peak condition and supporting owners with a full range of exceptional services.

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Refitted yachts, allures 39.9 imagine, altena 53 happy hours, hoek 65 weatherly, become part of the km family.

Our team is always ready to assist our yacht owners with advice and assistance in the event of contingencies.

Our Custom Yachts

Every yacht we built is unique, and built specifically for its owner. No two yachts are the same, as each owner has his own wishes and demands.

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Yacht refit 2: how a three-month refit of Zest was worth all the effort and expense

• Belinda Bird
• January 27, 2015

Rupert Holmes describes the refit of the Rob Humphreys-designed Zest, with schedule of work and costings

Zest in the yard

Many owners have found yacht refit to be a protracted process and in some cases have missed more than one season of sailing. This seems to be particularly the case when owners carry out the bulk of the work themselves.

We were wary of this when refitting Zest , my partner Kass’s custom-built design by Rob Humphreys, in the spring of 2013. The boat had already had a considerable amount of work done in her previous ownership, including a replacement teak deck and new mast, boom and standing rigging. Much of the running rigging had also been replaced and there was an almost unused offshore specification double taffeta laminate mainsail.

However, a refit was still needed to update other ageing systems and prepare Zest for her intended purpose of short-handed, long-distance racing and cruising. One of the overriding priorities we established at the outset was the need for reliability. Oversized gear was, therefore, fitted wherever possible and we did our best to plan for redundancy of systems.

An important part of planning the refit was to sail the boat for six weeks to gain a clear picture of exactly what needed to be done and to plan the schedule of work.

Zest refit schedule of work and costings

Electronics

• Entire systems replaced, including plotter, plus addition of AIS B, active radar transponder, satphone and high-spec pilot, with spare drive £10,000
• New AGM batteries. Add 100W solar panel and towed generator £2,000
• Single-line reefing, plus separate luff pennant led aft to the cockpit for third reef
• Removable inner forestay for storm jib and Dacron heavy weather jib
• Short fixed sprit for Code 0 and asymmetric spinnakers
• Furlex 300 series headsail furler, plus CX25 furler for Code 0
• Replace cams in all clutches
• Dyneema chafe jacket on halyards in way of the sheaves £8,000
• Third reef and second full-length batten added to existing nearly new laminate mainsail
• New Code 0, furling blade jib, Dacron heavy weather jib by One Sails
• Second-hand larger S2 spinnaker £7,000

Miscellaneous

• Replace bottom rudder needle bearing and ream worn rudder tube back to a perfect circle £1,800
• Cockpit floor renovation £600
• Other general expenses £3,000

As ever, the refit still didn’t progress entirely smoothly. A worrying, but easily resolved, concern was that the keel bolts were one size smaller than those specified in the plans. A nailbiting few hours followed this discovery, until Hamble-based structural engineer Richard Oliver ran the calculations, which showed that the bolts fitted were still several times larger than those needed to meet accepted minimum safety margins.

A bigger unexpected problem was with the teak cockpit floor, which had not been replaced with the rest of the deck. To speed up the refit we had hoped to delay renewing it by at least one season, which seemed like a viable plan, given low moisture meter readings on the plywood subdeck. However, the spring of 2013 was exceptionally dry and when it finally rained the meter readings spiked upwards well into the red zone.

Zest’s original cockpit sole

Zest’s cockpit 90 minutes later

Given that this was the busiest time of year for anyone working on boats, it was all but impossible to get a boatbuilder to commit to doing the work within a viable time-scale. We therefore pitched straight into doing the job ourselves, including replacing some of the structural ply deck underneath the teak. This delayed completion of the refit by two to three weeks, but our quick decision here minimised the delay to the programme.

With the benefit of hindsight, would we do a similar project again? No, at least not for a long time. But are we glad we did it? Absolutely.

Some suppliers were exemplary in the service they offered. OneSails, for instance, went out of their way to ensure the new sails were delivered to a tight schedule and found time to sail on Zest to check that they set as they should. Similarly, Medina Yard in Cowes and Paul Dunstan of marine engineering company Seatek were also extremely helpful, even though both were already very busy.

However, the most frustrating aspect of the project was with a small number of suppliers that were not able to meet anything resembling promised delivery dates. Some of these shipped part orders at apparently random times, occasionally without documentation, which made figuring out exactly what you had received, and what was missing, frustratingly time-consuming.

Zest sailing after her refit

In the 16 months following the refit Zest has covered more than 9,000 miles, from the Azores to Shetland, around half that distance being racing. Failures to date have been very minor: the masthead wind sensor, which was replaced under warranty, a broken spinnaker halyard and failed splice on the main halyard. Beyond routine maintenance and attending to cosmetics that were skipped for reasons of time and budget, as yet there’s no evidence of Zest needing another refit for many years to come.

With the benefit of hindsight, would we do a similar project again? No, at least not for a long time. But are we glad we did it? Absolutely. The three-month refit resulted in a boat that is optimised to our requirements and has quality new systems that help to make Zest even more of a joy to sail – the rewards of the effort and expense are recouped every time we sail her. We also have the benefit of knowing every inch of the boat.

See also the author’s description of the refit of the Oyster 56 Sea Flute

This is an extract from a feature in Yachting World January 2015

Updating a classic fiberglass cruising yacht.

S/V Sure Shot is for sale….

Notes on hiring a delivery team

How to sail alone from California to Hawaii

Notes from a Pacific Crossing

Counting down to a Trans-Pacific Journey

Brightwork refinishing

Replacing a raw-water impeller

Dodger-mounted Solar Panels

Garmin InReach Mini 2 Set-Up

Installing, Programming, and Testing a Balmar MC618 regulator

Balmar SmartLink Network and Balmar App

Power Update 4: Yanmar Balmar Renogy Noco Lithium Installation w/Costs

Power Update 3: Product Selections

Power Update 2: System Design Factors

Power Update 1: Forensic Analysis

Aries Vane Control Line Updates

Good work by Pineapple Sails

How to Sew Reefing Dog Bones

How to Sew Sheet Bags

How To Sew Fabric Winch Covers

How to replace a battery charger on a sailboat:

How to replace a Ronco freshwater tank on a sailboat

How to Rebuild a Raritan PHII Marine Toilet Pump

Yanmar 3GM30F Fuel Filter Change

Yanmar 3GM30F Oil Change

How to update mid-boom sheeting

Out of the Blue, Into the Black

How to replace sailboat engine compartment insulation:

Sailing to Drake’s Bay

How to service a Lewmar winch

Farallon Islands, Cetaceans, Beginnaker Experiments

How to remove Ericson Yacht galley drawers

Yanmar 3GM30F Heat Exchanger Service, Don’t Mix Coolant Colors

How to repair a fiberglass keel stub

How To Replace Keel Bolts

Yanmar Transmission Mount Fabrication

How a Propeller Connects to an Engine

Fiberglass Surgery, Minor Engine Work

How to remove a sailboat engine

How to remove a sailboat keel

Re-packing a propeller shaft stuffing box

Rudder Post Observations and Anatomy

How to remove an Edson radial quadrant: (Clean and Rehab)

A fine line between stupid and clever

The End of the Affair?

Projects: Voltage, Balls, Bilge, Cold Start

Spinnaker Pole

How to install Dyneema lifelines

New Mast Cleats

Aries Wind Vane: Rigging and Test Sail

Aries Wind Vane: Hardware fitment

Aries Wind Vane: Fabricating transom backer plates with G10 and Epoxy

Slip Flips, Speed Mods, Sunsets

Tides Marine Sailtrack 4: Test and Conclusion

Replacing Sideliners

Tensioning and Rigging a Harken Mk1 Furler

Standing Rigging Replacement: Colligo Install & Test Sail

KKMI Richmond Boatyard Review

Form, Function, and Folly on a Foray into Fiberglass

The Mechanical Windvane Market

Standing Rigging Replacement: Colligo order receipt and review

Yanmar Engine Panel Warning Light Diagnostics

Re-bedding Lewmar hatches and mast collar with Compass Marine Bed-It butyl tape

Tides Marine Sailtrack 3: Installing sail slides

Removing a painted boat name

Standing Rigging Replacement: Ordering from Colligo

AIS Systems for Sailboats

Splicing Tiny Wires

Connecting coaxial cables

Mast re-wiring, lighting upgrades

Stuffing box inspection, analysis

Tides Marine Sailtrack 2: Luff Track Installation

Bringing sexy back: Hull paint cleaning/buffing

Through-hull inspection, Minor maintenance

Haul out, Initial Conditions

Mast disassembly and cleaning

Tides Marine Sailtrack 1: How to order

Sparcraft Masthead Tour, ATN Mastclimber review

Installing new rope halyards

Haul out and mast-crane preparations

Preparing to climb the mast with an ATN Mastclimber

Installing a NMEA2000 network on a cruising sailboat

Replacing pedestal guard feet

Fabricating a new navigation station dashboard

Removing old wiring and electronics from a cruising sailboat

Installing a NavPod instrument enclosure and pedestal guard

Replacing corroded zipper pulls

“A culinary tour de force”

Recreational yacht as pandemic isolation chamber

How to design a NMEA 2000 network for a cruising sailboat

Removing a stuck Edson steering wheel

Go sailing, go sailing, go sailing

Reefing revisited

Hawaii, June 2021

Rebuilding Edson engine controls

Overhauling a Kenyon Boom, new reefing sheaves

Rebuilding an Edson Wheel Brake

Practice Reefing Sails

Maintaining a Forespar Twist-Lock Whisker Pole

Prototyping Dog Bones for Reefing

Find anything, super fast.

• Destinations
• Documentaries

J Class Sailing Yacht Endeavour Completes Refit

By Ben Roberts

Originally launched in 1934 by Camper & Nicholsons shipyard, the iconic J Class sloop Endeavour was proudly launched by Yachting Developments at their facilities in Auckland last week after an extensive 18 month refit project.

The 39m sailing yacht Endeavour was built in 1934 for Sir T.O.M Sopwith, a man who had a vision of competing in a wide variety of high-class regattas with an unrivalled sailing yacht. Since her launch, Endeavour has gathered a formidable history and has passed through a number of dedicated sailing enthusiasts over her 46 years.

Now, this stunning yacht has emerged from the Yachting Developments shipyard a new superyacht and a formidable racing opponent. Absolute care has been taken throughout the refit to preserve as much of the vessel as practical while taking advantage of twenty first century sailing systems, enhanced performance and improved functionality.

The comprehensive refit includes removal and replacement of the complete weather deck including all deck equipment. Steel deck framing has also been relocated to accommodate the new load paths of the new deck layout.

There has been a long term philosophy of longevity and serviceability throughout the refit ensuring Endeavour will remain the historic icon she is today for future generations.

Naval Architects, Dykstra & Partners, were reportedly instrumental in the design of the new sail plan, deck layout, and structural engineering. Alongside the structural changes, the main engines, generators, hydraulic systems, winches, electrical system, electronics, bow thruster and air conditioning have been replaced or upgraded.

Accommodation forward of the mast has been reconfigured by John Munford and Adam Lay, whilst the new interior design has been built by the in-house tradesmen of Yachting Developments.

Yachting Developments Managing Director Ian Cook describes working on Endeavour as “ an honor, she is something special, everyone involved has put their heart and soul into the refit, I think the care, and passion is very evident in the end result” .

After completing her final sea trials, Endeavour will have one last tune up on Auckland Harbor before being shipped to the Northern Hemisphere in February to compete in the 2012 J Class regattas: timed to coincide with the Olympic Games in London.

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Sailboat Refit for a Transatlantic

• By Lesley Davison and Tim Murphy
• Updated: January 26, 2021

The germ might not have sprouted on the Spanish Camino de Santiago in June 2013, but it found fertile ground there. By bicycle we were traversing the 1,000-year-old pilgrim’s route to the mythical crypt of St. James, and on crossing into Celtic Galicia, where the landscape starts feeling witchy, we both realized we wanted to travel more deeply along Europe’s outpost edges. We’d each lived in European capitals before, but now we wanted to dwell in places still older than those: not Madrid but Catalonia, not Paris but Brittany, not Dublin but Connemara.

Cycling was a great way to travel deeply in foreign countries, and we proved to ourselves that even in remote places, we could fix flat tires and adjust cables as simple mechanisms faltered. But our scope was ultimately limited by the twin 20-liter paniers each bike carried, and that revelation soon set us off to thinking about sailboats for some extended traveling. After many months exploring the yacht-brokerage market, in fall 2017 on Florida’s Atlantic coast, we found the right boat for our project: a 1988 Passport 40, designed by Robert Perry. She was Hull No. 141 of the 148 P-40s built in Taiwan between 1980 and 1991, and we named her Billy Pilgrim —a nod to our own peregrinations but also to the Kurt Vonnegut character who came unstuck in time. He or she; never they: Billy P abides gender fluidity but abhors sloppy grammar.

Porthole Project

The Punch List

The Passport 40 was perfect for us in a hundred different ways. Still, there’s no getting around Billy Pilgrim ’s 30 years of living. We knew that a shakedown would reveal items to update and refit. Sure enough, by the time we sailed from Florida to our home port in New England, we loved Billy P all the more, despite a pressing short list of shortcomings. One category earned its place at the top of the list: leaks. Fixing those became our priority when we hauled the boat for winter at Maine Yacht Center in Portland.

Tim has worked through boat problems before. As a teenager, he slept aboard his family’s liveaboard CT-41 ketch surrounded by Tupperware to catch the downpours from a leaky cabin top. Since then he’s partially refit a 1974 Vineyard Vixen 29 (see “A Jade Mist Dream Come True,” CW, October 1998). Lesley’s experience with boat ownership was limited to a fleet of kayaks and a 1985 Boston Whaler 15. She’s owned homes built more than a century ago and knows that when you address one problem, you inevitably uncover others, and that sometimes it seems best to just leave the damned dominoes alone rather than set off the whole series. Still, this particular home would also be oceangoing, so it was clear that some projects couldn’t be ignored forever. We went into the refit as enthusiastic amateur marine technicians, eager to learn. Yet the more we got into it, the more we realized there are some things the eight-hour-a-day guys know that we didn’t even know we didn’t yet know.

We determined that unwanted water was coming into the boat from three sources: portholes, chainplates and hatches. The process for stopping the leaks at each source suggested the same steps: Remove the items without damaging vital parts; keep track of what went where; and re-bed the parts snugly so that they don’t start leaking again.

One crucial choice stood over every part we removed: Repair it or replace it?

Re-bedding Portholes

On examination, the gaskets that seal the glass lens in the porthole frames weren’t compromised, nor were the frames themselves. Water was instead leaking in through the cabin house around the edges of the porthole assembly. We determined that five of our 10 portholes needed re-bedding: one on either side of the V-berth, two portside in the galley, and one above the starboard settee.

Each Hood porthole assembly comes in two parts. Installed from inside the cabin is the body of the porthole, which comprises the glass lens, stainless-steel frame, hinges, and a flange that protrudes from inside to the exterior. Outside the cabin, a flat trim ring fits over the protruding flange and provides surface area for sealant. Both the frame and trim ring are secured with wood screws into the plywood cabin side and are bedded in marine adhesive sealant.

Removing the wood screws was straightforward enough. But in order to remove the porthole, we had to break the seal of the 30-year-old sealant without damaging either the stainless fittings or the cabin sides. It may have been crusty and leaky, but it sure didn’t want to let go! We rank amateurs started by using a series of putty knives, screwdrivers and pry bars, working around the edges of the frame, slipping in the blades to loosen the sealant, and prying to get it to release from the cabin side, while at the same time trying not to scrape up the surface or bend the stainless trim ring. A slender putty knife with a certain amount of stiffness worked best to get under the edge and move around the trim ring’s circumference to break the seal. After our initial trials, one of the trained professionals at Maine Yacht Center came by to offer advice and provide us with a selection of small wooden wedges to replace our metal tools when we’d broken the seal. We were now able to move our tools and break the bond on another section.

Once the exterior trim ring came off, we had to break the seal on the porthole flange inside the boat. To do this, we started from the outside by bonking the flange toward the interior with a rubber mallet, trying to move it evenly so that the porthole would slide out at the same angle it had been inserted through the hull—challenging because we were still working against the ancient sealant. Our first porthole removal was not entirely elegant. Some of the melamine surface inside the cabin got a little chipped, but we hadn’t ruined anything vital. One down, four to go!

For the remaining portholes, our friends at Maine Yacht Center provided us with a simple custom-made porthole puller: a wooden contraption that looks kind of like an old-school vise with two feet. Using the puller, you still have to break the seal of the old goo under the trim ring. That done, you put the two feet of the puller against the interior cabin side and the other end against the outside edge of the flange; then you torque the nuts of the two bolts, thereby pushing it toward the inside of the boat. This was a revelation, a process far tidier than our bonking method.

With the portholes removed, now it was time to clean up the surfaces before reinstalling them. Both the porthole assemblies and the cabin-side holes through which they pass needed some work. The water that had seeped in had made a mess of things.

So we cleaned up all the nasty debris, using sandpaper and a stiff brush to get any loose chunks off, then we sealed all the plywood edges of the cutouts with thickened West System epoxy. In the worst spots we applied polyester filler with a putty knife, taking care not to alter the shape of the hole. On the stainless-­steel porthole assemblies we used a wire brush, sandpaper and even a Dremel tool in the spots that showed some pitting corrosion. All cleaned up, our parts were ready to be installed.

One charming moment came upon removing our second porthole, when a little note fell out of the cabin side. In Mandarin, we later learned, it read, “Good luck for selling your boat.” It was a sweet surprise to hear from one of the souls in Taiwan who had built our boat decades before.

We now needed to be very clear about two things. One was labeling. All the portholes we’d removed looked like they were the same size and shape. That wasn’t exactly true, but it was important that everything got labeled, to a kind of ridiculous extent. The second thing came before we started with the re-bedding: We vigilantly covered everything. We taped all edges religiously; we had tons of gloves and rags easily accessible; we covered any nearby surface with cardboard or plastic.

For our marine adhesive sealant, we used white UV-resistant Sikaflex Marine 295. Working with this stuff is ­basically like working with the insides of a well-toasted marshmallow. We tried hard not to get it on anything; once cured, it’s a nightmare to get off. So we taped around the work area, leaving about a quarter-inch gap to make a nice fillet around the edge of the frame or trim ring. We kept a trash bag ready to receive all of the nasty we were about to produce. We squeezed generous gobs of Sikaflex on all the parts (not just the backs of the trim rings, but also inside the tubular part of the porthole flange that protrudes through the cabin side) so that when we fastened them back into place, an ample amount oozed out the entire perimeter. This was our proof that the sealant filled all the voids where water might be tempted to leak in. Then we secured the trim rings and frames with new stainless-steel wood screws. With a clean gloved finger we made a nice fillet around each edge. Before it cured, we carefully pulled our tape, leaving an elegant arc of sealant between cabin side and stainless plate. This is really a four-handed job so that one person can remain goo-free and can clean the stainless with water-soaked rags. Our final step was to clean up all the unintended Sikaflex before it set and then gaze with pride. The fine white line of that fillet was the only visible sign of all our work.

Chainplate Project

Re-bedding the Chainplates

Chainplates are hidden workhorses. Before this project, Lesley hadn’t really been conscious of their existence. Ours are flat strips of stainless steel that pass through the deck. Below deck, they’re through-bolted to structural members massively laminated to the hull. Above deck is a hole in the chainplate through which the shroud terminals are pinned. These unsexy but crucial pieces of steel carry all the dynamic sailing loads, holding up the mast against all the forces from the sails and the waves.

On each side, the Passport 40 has four shrouds and therefore four chainplates. Capping the hole in the deck through which each chainplate passes is a flat, thin, rectangular steel cover; the receiving end of the chainplate sticks up through a slit in this cover. It looks kind of like a light-switch cover about 1/16-inch thick and mounts flat on the deck. Because the Passport has 4-inch bulwarks around the deck perimeter, seawater or rainwater sometimes stands deeper than these chainplate covers. It’s a recipe for leaks and crevice corrosion. Once we determined that we’d need to pull and re-bed all eight chainplates, we decided it might be a good time to add an upgrade: a step or a riser, which would raise the deck cover above the level of soaking saltwater pools. This presented us with a design project.

Inside the cabin, we removed the teak cladding that conceals the chainplates. Next, we carefully removed and labeled all of the grounding wires that were attached for galvanic bonding. Because these showed 30 years of corrosion, Tim replaced all the ring terminals and sealed them with heat-shrink tubing. Then we removed the nuts, washers and bolts from the chainplates. On deck, we removed the cover plates, which were attached with sealant and wood screws into the deck. Finally, we had to wiggle the chainplates out of their slot through the deck. Of course, inside the boat the chainplates are located in one awkward place or another: inside cabinetry in the head, behind other cabinetry in a hanging locker, or in the saloon. Each set of bolts required a different set of yogic contortions to access, but we are fortunate in that Lesley is right-handed and Tim’s a lefty, giving us options for any configuration. In several places we could read a nasty tale of leaked water. We had to release the grip of the old sealant and slide the chainplates up through the deck without distorting them. Our rubber mallet and some more bonking from above helped to free them. We again labeled everything compulsively, cleaned up any water damage, and gave white surfaces some fresh coats of paint.

Lesley made paper templates to create new risers from 3/8-inch fiberglass sheet—higher than standing water but not so high as to introduce toe-stubbers. In this new configuration, the screws that hold the deck covers in place would no longer penetrate the deck or sit in standing water, diminishing the likelihood of new leaks. Lesley cut out the risers on a band saw, then rounded the corners with a sander and sprayed each with Awlgrip. The new risers are a thing of beauty, and now the plates and their fasteners sit well above any standing water on deck.

When it came time to reinstall, we had to make a decision about how removable the new risers would be. Should we bed them to the deck with epoxy (­permanent) or Sikaflex (removable with a bit of ­effort)? What kind of legacy were we leaving for the imaginary future owners of Billy Pilgrim if they were ever going to re-bed or replace their chainplates? The Trained Professionals we consulted strongly advocated for Sikaflex, not epoxy, and we followed their advice. After ­examining the chainplates to ensure that they were still sound (they were), we refastened them with all new stainless-­steel bolts, washers and nuts. This step presented some puzzles to detangle. Some bolts originally ran from fore to aft and others from aft to fore in order to fit inside the teak cladding. In some places it seemed like the interior furniture was built around the chainplates when the boat was built in Taiwan, and it took some fiddling around before we got everything snugly in its original place, bolts tightened and grounding wires reattached. Now we were ready to reseal from above.

We made a dam underneath each hole that the chainplates traveled through on the deck using 3M Strip-Calk butyl tape—the Trained Professionals call it dum-dum tape—which comes on a roll and is basically the consistency of chewed gum. This way enough Sikaflex can be injected to fill in the gaps, but the Sikaflex won’t drip into the whole cavity under the deck. From above we taped around the risers, as we’d done with the portholes. Next we squeezed Sikaflex to fill the hole around the chainplates, covered the ­bottom of the new risers so that it oozed out all sides to seal that bond, then covered the bottom of the steel deck plates to seal them onto the risers. Finally, we fastened the deck plates with stainless-­steel wood screws, which no longer penetrated the deck. One less opportunity for water to come in!

Replacing and Installing New Hatches

The last of our three leak-eradicating jobs was perhaps the most straightforward: hatches. Billy Pilgrim has four—two big, two small—all made by Atkins & Hoyle in the mid-1980s. The aluminum struts had collapsed on themselves, and we sometimes found little chunks of powdered aluminum in the V-berth sheets. Previous owners kept these hatches open with wooden blocks, a proposition that always bespoke smashed fingers. More ­consequentially, the aluminum frames of two of the hatches were cracked—not a case for re-bedding or repair but rather full-on replacement.

Hatch Project

For the past 20 years, Tim has either directed or judged Cruising World ’s Boat of the Year event, giving him the chance to see and sail more than 500 new sailboats, as well as the gear that’s installed on them. That experience led him to prefer Lewmar Ocean series hatches, both for their security and user-friendliness. And no more wooden blocks to hold open the hatches.

Removing the old hatches was very much like removing the portholes and employed many of the same tools. Same goes for cleaning up the surfaces on which the hatches sit.

The main puzzle this job posed was that the frames of the Ocean hatches are slightly smaller than the composite bosses that are molded into the boat’s deck. We fashioned a solution from a ½-inch-thick flat marine plywood, finished off in the same way Lesley finished the chainplate risers. For each hatch, we cut out a piece whose outside perimeter matched the outside edge of the boss, and whose inside cutout matched the inside of the hatch frame. We used wood screws and Sikaflex to fasten them—no more aluminum powder in the bed!

Better still, no more unwanted water in the boat.

Billy Pilgrim has a permanent mooring in Gloucester, Massachusetts, but spent the COVID-19 summer of 2020 hauled out at Maine Yacht Center in Portland, Maine, where Lesley Davison and Tim Murphy visited on self-quarantined day trips so that work could progress.

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How the 29m Jongert yacht La Joie de Mer is positioned for cruising and Bucket racing pleasure

Translating as "Joy of the Sea", the 29-metre Jongert sailing yacht La Joie de Mer is celebrated for her top build quality, modern comforts of a well-heeled yacht and exceptional sailing performance.

Built in 2005, the yacht boasts a high-pedigree design by Tony Castro . Not only does she demonstrate lively sailing performance, thanks to custom optimisation of the keel, but her modern amenities make her the perfect candidate for comfortable living. Currently on the market with Northrop & Johnson , La Joie de Mer has an asking price of €2,995,000. Whether cruising or embarking on a blue water voyage, this yacht for sale is not to be missed – BOAT unpacks her best features.

Exceptional sailing performance

Perfect for someone who wants to enjoy the thrills of the express lane, La Joie de Mer has proven regatta success thanks to her considered sailing package – encompassing an optimised keel, carbon rig and sails. Sail aficionados can rejoice in her custom carbon Hall Spars mast, Park Avenue boom, rod rigging, Harken winches and a captive main winch (all underscored by North 3DI sails).

The yacht has a range of 2,500 nautical miles and can be sailed from the double steering position behind the cockpit, whilst cruising functions are also comfortably controlled from the navigation area in the inside cockpit. Here, her owner will benefit from 360-degree visibility of the yacht, heightened by a jump seat for an unparalleled vantage point.

A functional design and recent refit

La Joie de Mer benefits from several nifty features to keep the deck space clear, including a custom submarine anchor forward and tender stowage in the aft garage. Always generously and rigorously maintained, the yacht has had several recent big-ticket upgrades, including a completed five-year rig survey in 2023 and a full repaint of her hull and superstructure in 2022, as well as a new night generator, stern thruster, batteries, mainsail and galley equipment for smooth operations. In terms of technical upgrades, the key improvements completed in 2011 to optimise her keel and sailing prowess resulted specifically in allowing her to excel in light winds – an asset for everyday sailing as well as Corinthian racing.

Refined comfort

As well as landing in an active racing role, La Joie de Mer features a practical layout and is a good size for cruising. Whether sailing or at anchor, guests can make the most of the enclosed deck saloon, featuring twin tables, sofas, opening windows and hatches, plus a bar for refreshments. This relaxing ambiance extends forward to a small bar and the interior helm/navigation station, which provides excellent visibility and protection. Her deck layout is functional, with the double steering position located behind the cockpit, granting easy access to the stern swim platform and outdoor settee/lounge pads.

Her interior, the work of Peter Sijm , is warm and welcoming, characterised by rich, honey-coloured teak running throughout. An expansive skylight in the lower saloon allows light to filter into the teak interior, where guests can benefit from a dining area with a table that converts to a lower cocktail table, as well as a lounge area on the other side. A corridor aft leads to the accommodation – comprising a master suite, VIP (featuring a double bed and Pullman berth) and twin cabin - for up to seven guests. All of the ensuite cabins are equipped with ample storage and hanging lockers as well as 200-centimetre (6.6-foot) berths. Meanwhile, the spacious galley is forward of the saloon, where there is further space for a crew of four.

Carefully maintained and ready to go, La Joie de Mer is available for purchase in the Caribbean, positioned to give a new owner immediate cruising and Bucket racing pleasure. Prospective buyers will be pleased to know that La Joie de Mer will be attending the St Barths Bucket 2024 - whilst she will not be participating, she will be available for viewing appointments.

To book a viewing of La Joie de Mer during the St Barths Bucket, or for further information, contact the team at Northrop & Johnson today .

Sponsored content created for Northrop & Johnson

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Alone on the Ocean, With 400,000 Friends

As Cole Brauer sped to the finish of a solo race around the world, she used Instagram to blow up sailing’s elitist image.

Before she could begin the Global Solo Challenge, a nonstop solo race around the world, Cole Brauer had to sail First Light, a 40-foot yacht, from Rhode Island to Spain. Credit... Samuel Hodges

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By Chris Museler

• Published Feb. 29, 2024 Updated March 7, 2024

Video dinner parties, spa days, stuffed animals, favorite hoodies and cozy, colorful fleece blankets. Cole Brauer’s Instagram feed hardly feels like the work of someone racing a 40-foot sailboat around the world in the Global Solo Challenge. But Ms. Brauer, 29, is not an average ocean racer.

In 2022, Ms. Brauer had tried out for another competition, the Ocean Race, which is considered the pinnacle of professional ocean racing. Sailors in that race are highly trained, wear matching foul weather gear and have corporate sponsors. And most of them are men. Ms. Brauer, who had sailed thousands of miles on high performance ocean racing boats, felt she was ready to join their ranks.

But after competing in trials in France, Ms. Brauer was told she was “too short for the Southern Ocean” and was sent on her way.

In spite of her small stature — she stands 5 feet 1 inch — Ms. Brauer rounded Cape Horn, Chile, on Jan. 26, the last of the three great capes of her journey to finish the Global Solo Challenge. It is a feat most of the Ocean Race sailors picked instead of her have never even attempted. And despite being the youngest competitor in the race, she is ranked second overall, just days away from reaching the finish line in A Coruña, Spain.

Along the way, her tearful reports of breakages and failures, awe-struck moments during fiery sunrises, dance parties and “shakas” signs at the end of each video have garnered her a following that has eclipsed any sailor’s or sailing event’s online, even the Ocean Race and the America’s Cup, a prestigious race that is more well known by mainstream audiences.

“I’m so happy to have rounded the Horn,” Ms. Brauer said in a video call from her boat, First Light, after a morning spent sponging out endless condensation and mildew from its bilges. “It feels like Day 1. I feel reborn knowing I’ll be in warmer weather. The depression you feel that no one in the world can fix that. Your house is trying to sink and you can’t stop it.”

Shifting gears, she added, “It’s all getting better.”

Ms. Brauer’s rise in popularity — she has more than 400,000 followers on Instagram — has come as a surprise to her, but her achievements, combined with her bright personality, have struck a chord. And she has set a goal of using her platform to change the image of professional ocean sailing.

“Cole wants to prove you can go around the world and watch Netflix every once in a while and wear your pajamas,” said Lydia Mullan, Ms. Brauer’s media manager. “As for her mental health, she’s really creating a space in her routine for herself, to create that joy she hasn’t seen in other sailors.”

Four months after she began the Global Solo Challenge, a solo, nonstop race around the world featuring sailboats of different sizes, Ms. Brauer is holding strong. Sixteen sailors began the journey and only eight remain on the ocean, with the Frenchman Philippe Delamare having finished first on Feb. 24 after 147 days at sea.

Ms. Brauer, who was more than a week ahead of her next closest competitor as of Thursday morning, is on track to set a speed record for her boat class, and to be the first American woman to complete a solo, nonstop sailing race around the world.

Her Authentic Self

Ms. Brauer has been happy to turn the image of a professional sailor on its head. Competitors in the Ocean Race and the America’s Cup tend to pose for static social media posts with their arms crossed high on their chests, throwing stern glares. Ms. Brauer would rather be more comfortable.

She brought objects like fleece blankets on her journey, despite the additional weight, and said solo sailing has helped give her the freedom to be herself.

“Without those things I would be homesick and miserable,” she said of her supply list. “We need comfort to be human. Doing my nails. Flossing. It’s hard for the general public to reach pro sailors. People stop watching. If you treat people below you, people stop watching.”

Other female sailors have noticed the same disconnect. “The year I did the Vendée Globe, Michel Desjoyeaux didn’t mention that anything went wrong,” Dee Caffari, a mentor of Ms. Brauer’s who has sailed around the world six times, said of that race’s winner. “Then we saw his jobs list after the finish and we realized he was human.”

Ms. Brauer, as her social media followers can attest, is decidedly human.

They have gotten used to her “hangout” clothes and rock-out sessions. Her team produces “Tracker Tuesdays,” where a weather forecaster explains the routes Ms. Brauer chooses and why she uses different sails, and “Shore Team Sunday,” where team members are introduced.

“In the beginning I looked at what she was doing, posting about washing her knickers in bucket and I was like, ‘No! What are you doing?’” Ms. Caffari said. “I’ve been so professional and corporate in my career. She’s been so authentic and taken everyone around the world with her. Cole is that next generation of sailor. They tell their story in a different way and it’s working.”

Finding a Purpose

Ms. Brauer was introduced to sailing at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Those days of casual racing on the turquoise waters of Kaneohe Bay informed her vision of an inclusive sailing community. That image was shattered when she came to the mainland to try her hand at professional sailing.

“When I came to the East Coast it was so closed off,” she said of those early experiences. “I couldn’t get a job in the industry. Pro sailors were jaded. They didn’t want anyone to take their job. It’s a gig-based economy. Competition, we’re pinned against each other, especially women in high-performance sailing since there are fewer of us.”

“This whole process of being a pro sailor over the past five years, I feel mentally punched in the face and my legs kicked out from under me,” she added. “I screamed and I cried. Without those experiences I wouldn’t be as mentally tough. It made me callused.”

A big break happened when she landed a gig as boat captain for Michael Hennessy’s successful Class40 Dragon. The boat was a perfect platform to hone her ocean sailing skills as she ripped up and down the East Coast delivering it to races, often alone, pushing Dragon to its limits. Her Instagram posts of those adventures drew attention, and she was invited to tryout for the Ocean Race, a fully crewed race around the world in powerful 65-footers.

“I was crushed,” Ms. Brauer said of being rejected after the trials.

Ms. Brauer, though, found a new purpose. After months of living in her van and working on Dragon, she found a benefactor in F.K. Day, the president of World Bicycle Relief and the executive vice president of SRAM Corporation, who, along with his brother Lincoln, agreed to buy a boat and fund a massive refit for the Global Solo Challenge, which was only three months away.

Conducting the hurricane of activity last summer in Newport, R.I., Ms. Brauer knew this was her moment to shine. But representatives for her new sponsors had reservations about her bold social media experiment.

“I got a massive pushback: ‘How can you be so vain. This isn’t important. We don’t want to pay for this,’” she said. “I said none of this is going to matter if the world can’t see it.”

Her boat was covered with cameras her shore team could monitor, with technology allowing for constant recording that could be used to capture unexpected twists. Ms. Brauer got some immediate traction, but nothing prepared her for the numbers she would hit once the race began.

“We were taking bets in Spain,” said Ms. Brauer, who had to sail First Light nearly 3,000 miles from Newport to Spain as a qualifier for the race. “There was a photo of me excited we hit 10,000 followers. Ten thousand for a little race? That’s massive.”

A few months later she has 40 times that count.

A Dangerous Journey

Only a handful of solo ocean racers have been American, all of whom being male. Now Ms. Brauer has a larger following than any of them, pushing far beyond the typical reach of her sport.

“This is a really good case study,” says Marcus Hutchinson, a project manager for ocean racing teams. “For me she’s an influencer. She’s a Kardashian. People will be looking for her to promote a product. She doesn’t need to worry about what the American sailors think. That’s parochial. She has to split with the American environment.”

Unlike her peers, Ms. Brauer is happy to do some extracurricular work along the way toward goals like competing in the prestigious Vendée Globe. “I’m part of the social media generation,” she said. “It’s not a burden to me.”

The playful videos and colorful backdrop, though, can make it easy for her followers to forget that she is in the middle of a dangerous race. Half her competitors in the Global Solo Challenge have pulled out, and ocean races still claim lives, particularly in the violent, frigid storms of the Southern Ocean.

“She was apprehensive,” Ms. Caffari said of Ms. Brauer’s rounding Cape Horn. “I told her: ‘You were devastated that you didn’t get on the Ocean Race. Now look at you. Those sailors didn’t even get to go to the Southern Ocean.’”

The question now is how Ms. Brauer will retain her followers’ desire for content after the race is over.

“She will be unaware of the transition she went through,” Mr. Hutchinson said. “She’s become a celebrity and hasn’t really realized it.”

Ms. Brauer, however, said she received as much from her followers as she gave them.

“They are so loving,” she said. “I send a photo of a sunset, and they paint watercolors of the scene to sell and raise money for the campaign. When I start to feel down, they let me stand on their shoulders.”

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5th International exhibition of boats and yachts Moscow Boat Show a Huge Success

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Written by Zuzana Bednarova

The first pavilion of Crocus Expo IEC hosted an extraordinary exposition of the 5th International exhibition of yachts and boats Moscow Boat Show. The show had been incredibly famous for five years already not only thanks to the specialists of the market segment as well as professional sportsmen but also thanks to those who consider sailing sport to be their hobby and well cherished dream.

Moscow Boat Show 2012

The organizer of the project was the Crocus Expo International Exhibition Centre. The show was supported by Aston Martin Moscow, Burevestnik Group logistics department and the Yachting specialized magazine.

The exposition space increased up to 30 000 sq m and was accommodated in all 4 exhibition halls of the fairgrounds! 280 Russian (Arkhangelsk, Vyborg, Kazan, Kaluga, Republic of Karelia, Moscow and Moscow region, Nizhny Novgorod, Novorossiysk, Novosibirsk, Rostov-on-Don, Samara, St. Petersburg, Sverdlovsk region, Sochi, Chelyabinsk, Tyumen and Yaroslavl region) and foreign ( Denmark , Germany , Holland , Greece , Spain , Italy , Cyprus , China , Latvia , Poland , USA , Turkey , Ukraine, Finland , France , Montenegro and Croatia ) companies participate in the show.

Moscow Boat Show provided the perfect platform from which to preview new products, evaluate market trends, and establish long-lasting and commercially profitable partnerships. Despite the dynamic changes taking place in Russia and the rapid growth of the yachting sector, the show continued to complement and reflect the industry’s demand and is a promotional opportunity not to be missed!

Unique exhibits were presented at the show for the first time: exposition of private submarines from U-Boat Russia company, Marquis Yachts 420 SB motor yacht from Sport Bridge S. Marine series, SAGA-415 yacht from Saga Boats Norwegian shipyard, Jetlev-Flyer from MS Watersports.

Moscow Boat Show a Great Success

More than 400 yachts were displayed within the frames of the event including the largest boats ever exhibited in Russia – the 19-meter giant motor yacht Princess 54 as well as the Princess 50 yacht from Nord Marine and Baja speed boat from Burevestnik.

Domfinland OY unveiled a luxury project from Finnish real estate: a seaside premium class hotel in Hanko named consonant with the location Merihanko.

The trade fair was traditionally opened by a Gala Opening Ceremony. Arcady Zlotnikov, First Deputy Director Crocus Expo IEC, was the first to take the floor at the official opening ceremony. He greeted warmly exhibitors, guests and visitors of Moscow Boat Show. Nikolay Krjuchek, Deputy Chief of the State Inspection on Small size Vessels (GIMS) of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of Russia, Georguiy Shaiduko, Acting President of the Russian Yachting Federation (VFPS), Olympic champion in Atlanta and Ekaterina Grishechkina, Director of exhibition Moscow Boat Show also spoke at the ceremony.

The high-ranking guests noted dynamic development of the branch which well reasoned the intensive growth of the exposition and appearance of rather unique “gems”.

A number of business meetings and negotiations were held within the frames of the project: the exhibition was visited by a large delegation of Greek businessmen for the purpose of establishment of mutually beneficial cooperation with the Russian colleagues.

More than 400 yachts on display at the Show

Russian Yachting Federation (VFPS) celebrated its 100 anniversary within the frames of Moscow Boat Show and arranged an exposition of future sailing sport museum (rare awards, gifts, articles from private collections, pictures and etc.) which had been collected since 1912.

Due to carefully chosen running dates the show was visited by more than 26 000 people. The majority of the visitors were of targeted audience – vessel owners and specialists of the branch.

The work at the next edition of the show is under way! The show will be held in March 2013. The overall exhibit space will comprise 40 000 sq m. The exhibition will impress with exclusive exhibits and the latest technological achievements.

Moscow Boat Show was not only an entertaining but at the same time a business promotional event. Participation in the trade fair was a unique opportunity to present a company and products to a distinctly selected targeted audience of industry specialists. They were well prepared to discuss business in the Russian market and even to close a deal on-site.

The show helped representatives of yachting business to get acquainted with their Russian colleagues and gradually improved national yachting market to a new level. It is obvious that for 5 years of its running the project has turned to a status event of the international exhibitions calendar.

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