Update: Repairs and Outfitting

As with houses, boat projects take much longer than one would expect at the outset. Our Main and Genoa sails were taken for repair on the day we arrived home, June 4th. We needed to repair the tears in the Genoa's sunscreen, caused by chaffing against the mast stays. And we had another batten pocket to repair in the main sail--the second to tear on the crossing.

(Katie demonstrates the torn batten one month after her shoulder surgery, thus the big sling on her arm.) We decided to replace the existing batten system, which was plastic and lacked sufficient yardage in the sail fabric for a sustainable seam. We also replaced the sunscreen on the Genoa with a bit heavier fabric in the hope that it will last longer. We also added leather gloves around the ends of the mast stays to help prevent chaffing in the future.

As you can see, the repairs are great, but it took six weeks to get our sails back. Jon was getting quite anxious to sail his boat. He said the wait was a bit like a groom going through the wedding preparation and ceremony only to be told he'd have to wait six weeks for the honeymoon.

While waiting for our sails to be repaired, we took the île de Grâce for repair estimates to the only boatyard on the bay that can haul out large catamarans --Georgetown Yacht Basin, in Georgetown, Maryland on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay, up the lovely Sassafras River.

On thcrossing, we have several significant leaks, the rack and pinion steering rod torqued, and a few other minor problems that the factory will repair under its warranty. Here, you can see where the helm station separated from the saloon.

It took until September to get all the estimates; into the fall to get Fountaine Pajot’s approval; and, as of January 1st, GYB has yet to begin...much patience is required.

In the meantime, we added two cleats to the bows (under the seat) and two to the inside sterns to allow for better mooring and docking.

In early August, Furuno re-wired all our navigation instruments, which had quit working a day out from Norfolk, Virginia. While they had our boat, we added radar, AIS (Automatic Identification System), and a chart plotter—our first major upgrades. The chart plotter integrates a chart, with GPS, radar and can give you a three-dimension perspective. The AIS
lets us identify any large ships that appear on our radar. It’s really cool, and was well worth rearranging the helm station a bit.


We were able to sail the île de Grâce for most of August through the fall. Jon was finally able to get to know his boat and get a feel for how she sails. Katie became the official “Hoister of the Main Sail” with the electric winch. And we had many lovely outings with friends and family.

This photo from mid-October hopefully shows how happy Jon and I are to sail her.

In late November, Jon and I returned her to Georgetown to be hauled out for the winter. Hopefully, the repairs will go smoothly, and our “to do” list will be well underway.

We have yet to install a water-maker, freezer, washing machine, solar panels and a wind vane. We will sand and repaint the bottom, and hope to add extra handrails and metalwork.

In addition, we are beginning to plan our route and travel logistics. Jon is studying for his Ham Radio license, and I am preparing to lease the house and put furniture in storage, which means cleaning out closets, the basement and attic. 

Sorry for the delay in posting, but hopefully, we’ll have updates more frequently.  Cheers.