Ebba sailing again

Ebba sailing again 12th of JUL. Few decorations will need to be fixed and the dust of restoration need to clean up and because it is is everywhere. Now we are in Kärlda, Estoni. Kärdla is very nice new harbour. We lay side by side with Marttha, CA40 own by harboumaster Hillar Kukk who did circumnavigation with thos vessel a few years ago.

Almost ready

A huge interior construction is now on the phase that to be honest I couldn´t believe. I is almost ready.
We have had five weeks delay, but it´s nothing if we look at the whole project and amont of work it needed. We started by recunstruction OCT2013! Now is June 2014. It mean nine months hard working. I have a perfect team. I have done something of course but the most valuable works like wood construction, electricity and painting has needed to hi-skilled team. Everuone can paint and pull and connect some wires, but when we go over serialstyle and took about seaworthyness, I must say that count on professonals.  I also suffered during the whole autumn, winter and spring the lack of time. I think that it is better than I earn some money that my guys can do their best. I am so proud of amy team, but never the less of my role being as a art director what should she need to be look alike. I was happy that I kept my when choosen the colour of pabels, what  materials we should use, what kind of low-tech but seaworthy electrics we need and what kind of tratitionell style we gonna create. As I mentioned earlier, I adobted the main style from Pommern ship (1903 Åland) we soo in summer 2013 in Marienhamn.

Reflex Diesel heater

Tail lamp can be also as a saloon lamp

Not as a Bavaria Cruiser -style

First book in the library, Ferench Mate´s From a Bare Hull

25 days left

We have 25 working days left and our cabinet maker is busy by the next project. It is not a major problem bacause it seems that those days are enough with my high skilled team (electric man, painter and cabinet maker). Last week she got her new saloon. This week we hopefully reach the front cabin, toilet and prehaps next week the heating room and floor I hope so. Then we can prepaire to finish this huge work. I´m trying to solve in a same time some technical problems like blackout of instrument panel (not ground connection in gauges) and how to fuel Reflex heater without electric pump. As I mentioned, I´m trying to avoid all hi-tech systems using manual equipments as much I can.

More than 1300 working hours is now burned with this project. Budget is expand only a little, but not because of work but because of some extra costs I could not resist like Viking lifedraft maintaining (830e) and special materials like extra seaworthy wires, cable, battery and switches, and some basic equipments like new Mastervolt  inverter, Standard Horizon VHF+hi-tech antenna (app. 4500e).

Origo on its place waiting for the spirit

Traditional colour of wooden panels

Better arragments than home

Just a moment, soon she can sail again

Robin Knox-Johnston and SUHAILI

I´d like to share you some inspiring story about seaworthy vessel and brave man.

Here we goes

Source:   http://saltwaterpeoplehistoricalsociety.blogspot.fi/2012/02/great-solo-circumnavigator-robin-knox.html

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The Great Solo Circumnavigator ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ Robin Knox-Johnston and SUHAILI 

In early afternoon on 14 June 1968, Robin Knox-Johnston had a final beer in a local pub before stepping onto a small heavily laden sailboat rising gently to the swell in Falmouth Harbor. As usual when important events are in the wind, last minute preparations were still being done and two friends of Knox-Johnston's busied themselves forward bolting down a final deck fitting. With his departure imminent, the loneliness and doubt of the passage ahead seemed to suddenly press in on the young Englishman, threatening to undo all the resolve built up during the long months of preparation. Finally he called out, "Okay, I'll finish that, I'm off." And so he was. Off on one of the truly epic adventures in nautical history; one man and his small vessel would sail 30,000 miles non-stop around the world.

At age 29, Knox-Johnston had 11 years of experience in the British Merchant Navy behind him with a passage from India under sail to toughen him mentally and physically for what lay ahead. But to many observers, his little 32-foot wooden ketch appeared to be a most singularly unqualified candidate for such an undertaking.

 Colin Archer?

Basically slow, with antiquated gear, a high cabin trunk, and a rickety self-steering system, the boat had not been the one Knox-Johnston had had in mind when a chance remark first started him thinking about attempting the passage. But as is often the case, money, or the lack of it, is the final determinant for the vessel many a sailor sails. And besides, there was more to SUHAILI than met the eye. Named after the Arabic word for southeast wind, she had been built in Bombay using handhewn Indian teak for stringers, frames, floors, and deck. Completed in 1965, even her planking was 1 ¼-inch teak and, with the exception of the high cabin coaming which would cause trouble southwest of Cape Town, she was a sturdy craft.

Shortly after Knox-Johnston made his decision to go, an English newspaper announced a $12,000 prize for the first man to do the circumnavigation non-stop. Suddenly SUHAILI had seven competitors, and nearly all much faster. So it was a race against the clock, the solitude and the elements, as the SUHAILI sailed into the Southern Ocean and its wailing winds and crashing seas. The specter of failure and total disaster was continually raised as fitting after fitting packed up. SUHAILI nearly lost her high cabin when smashed flat in a knockdown. Later her hull began leaking badly and had to be repaired under water. The steering vane broke, battery acid splashed into the skipper's eye. The gooseneck sheered off, water became contaminated, and the sextant took a severe jolt. Two tillers broke, and the boat was temporarily grounded on a sand bar south of New Zealand. A jibstay parted, and the engine seized up. The sails and even the skipper's clothes disintegrated as the gallant little vessel weathered gale after gale in the austral waters. It was a marvel of courage and endurance. At last as the competitors dropped out one by one, it was SUHAILI alone that laid claim to the prize. On 22 April 1969, after 313 days at sea, a heavily reefed SUHAILI entered Falmouth Harbor in half a gale. The ship and crew had accomplished what no boat and no man had ever done before. Together they had encircled the world non-stop under sail.

"Where from?" The English customs man asked the time-honoured question as the skipper stepped aboard.
      "Falmouth" Robin Knox-Johnston replied. The long journey into history was over.

Knox-Johnston donated his prize money for being the fastest competitor in the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race to the family of Donald Crowhurst, who committed suicide after attempting to fake his round the world sailing voyage.
The sailor of long-standing, with a big heart, was knighted in 1995.

Winter 2008-2009

The National Maritime Historical Society (USA) recognized Sir Robin Knox-Johnston for his accomplishments and contributions promoting the heritage of seafaring by bestowing upon him the NMHS Distinguished Service Award.
Since the Golden Globe Race in 1969 he has competed in countless sailing races both solo and crewed, written a number of very popular books, and worked tirelessly to promote world-class marine events.
He was interviewed by Richard du Moulin for the NMHS's journal Sea History winter issue 2008/09 when he asked Knox-Johnston several questions; two we've chosen to include here:
Du Moulin--How did you first get involved in sailboat racing, and solo sailing in particular?
Knox-Johnston: I learned to sail in the merchant navy. In the 1950s, lifeboats still carried masts and sails--so we had to learn how to use them. But I was lucky, I was sent to a Cadet ship where the crew were replaced by apprentices, and we were given a sailing whaler and two dinghies for recreational purposes.
      I had built my boat SUHAILI in Bombay (Mumbai) and sailed her home via Arabia and the Cape of Good Hope. Whilst I was doing that, Frances Chichester sailed around the world with one stop, and I felt that left just one thing left in sailing--to go 'round alone non-stop.
Du Moulin--How did you finance the 1969 Golden Globe Race?
Knox-Johnston--I tried to get sponsorship but failed completely, so I financed the voyage on a bank overdraft and by writing. The advances for a book helped.
Du Moulin--In hindsight, what is your most memorable observation or recollection of that race?
Knox-Johnston--My most memorable recollection is dealing with those who told me the voyage was not possible and I could not do it. I thought differently.

EBBA floating again

Interior restoration goes on

Interior construction is now got ahead again, step by step.  We were lucky bacause of warm winter but spring has been a still very busy. 33ft boat interior is harder to build than a small house.
It seems that our project delay prehaps only one month. First timeframe was 15 th of OCT 2013 to 1st of JUN 2014. Now we estimate that if we can lift anchor for holiday sailing 5th of JULY, I am more than happy.  It is possible bacaus our team, carpenter Johnny, electric enhusiast Hannu and painter Sakke has done a brilliant work.

Boath two back cabins will get a little extra by three windows.

We´re lucky, warm winter allow us to make a outdoor composite works as well

Windows back, soon we are in a water. Unbeliveable!

Fit like a glow

Dometic Origo slave and Waeco electric refrigerator. No propaine in a boat.

Painted and poliched, four times

WC waterline stayed too up. WTF!

Ebba  released back to the water 3 th of MAY.

We faced only a minor harm in dropping day. After first wet start we noticed that raw water intake was week. It bascaus of leak in raw water filter cover. Again, motor idle run adjustments didn´t work properly. Was it air in the system or dust betveen steering rods, we dont know yet, but those was nothing. I almost needed to lift the mast away bacause the old VHF cable didn´t want to come out from new gables channel. I solve the porblem by using the other reserve cannel for this new cable.

Soon you are free

We´ve got a nice temporary sideplace where we can finish the interior works

VHF cable, why dont you can just come out of there!

Interior start to get it´s frame, and when I write this texts, doors and panels are already painted four times.

Pentry start getting a frame

This is something why we need professonals, good planning and skills to make it happen

Sakke,  painter but absolutely also the artist

BMW D50, still going strong

Once more this quite naked stage of this project

Confident mind, dont look down, only up

Melkein kuin vuoden 1980 suunnitelma (by Framboat, Juka Pohjola)

Prapairing to saling season

Ebba is now almost ready to drop to the water. Interior is not, but in the phase that rest of the work can be done in floating boat. And if she´s not, I maintained the life draft. 30years old Viking was good condition, and I´ve been told that she worked well when launched a few week ago by service man. I was suprised because last maintaining happened many years ago (eleven, dont tell anyone). I´ve also heard that the over pressure vents was a little inflexibel, but draft stay inflated within three days, as Viking maintaining procedure insist to be sure is airproof.

Here is my floating frend. Hopefully we do meet anymore outside of hard container. But if so, I am happy that you prehaps really work if I need you.

Doors to spring

Switch hatch

EBBA's first door is done now. Two more is under work yet, and the whole saloon and pentry as well. Roof panels went to the painting. Electric system, including wires, batterys, equipments and switches is also under work by local boat electric enthusiast. I am lucky, he really seems to know something about seaworthyness and what blue water boat need under heavy weather conditon. He also believed and follow my basic low-tech idea: keep it simple if you can.

1st cabin door

What else new she get now:
 
Inverter
Mastervolt AC Master 12/300
VHF
Standard Horizon GX1700E with integrated GPS
Automatic Charging Ralay with Start Isolation
Blue Sea System SI-ACR
Analog meters
DC Analog Voltmeter - 8 to 16V DC.
One for engine battery 120Ah, one for 3x 85Ah Exide Nautilus utility batteries and common Ammeter for all.

I wonder is it possible to get everything ready within this spring. I can see that the most difficult part of the work is almost be done. We have still a huge project left if I want to sail with she´s new interior in next summer. Painting and polishing need many hours yet. Also some improvement on deck, like a new assembling for Viking life draft for 6 person, new sprayhood, handbars on cabin roof outside etc.