Enora and Matt have just found their rare pearl. They got their hands on a trimaran, a 1983 Newick design, 11.85 m long. Sailors both, liking fast boats, mainly multihulls, they discovered an ad on LeBonCoin. In a few days the boat changed hands.
A mixed aluminum polyester
Enora tells us: " We were living in England at the time. Two days after seeing the ad, Matt went down to the South of France to Balaruc Les Bains (near Sète) to see the boat. It was dry in a field on the shore of the Etang de Thau. It is a trimaran with an aluminum central hull and polyester floats. It is obviously a rarity, because to our knowledge, no other Newick has been built in this way. "
A quick decision
The trimaran is abandoned in this field following the death of its owner. The family has put it up for sale at an affordable price: " The sailboat was for sale at 12 000 euros. We did not even negotiate "adds Enora. Quickly after the purchase, the couple, with the help of a friend, returned to the boat with the objective of launching it and preparing it for delivery to England by sea. " With nearly 8 m wide, we could not pass through the Canal du Midi. "
4 days to launch
These three thieves get to work. They know a thing or two about it. Matt is a mechanical engineer, Brandon is a composite specialist and Enora is a shipbuilding engineer. Armed with a pallet delivered from England that includes material, resin and tools, they set out to repair the boat. It will be 4 days of intense work at 10 hours a day under the summer sun, to achieve this.
A big job
On the first day, the engine (a 3-cylinder Lombardini) starts up again with buckets of sea water to cool it down. The wardrobe of the sailboat will be the bad surprise. Indeed, the announcement spoke of several sails. It is 3 big sails that are on board. The first one died torn, the second one is not the right size. The third one is old, but will do. A tired genoa is also rigged on the furler. On the resin side, the floats seem quite bruised. Obviously the boat has been knocked around on the rocks and has some after-effects. Fortunately not too important and repaired by Brandon.
Return home
4 days later, the boat is launched. It does not leak (too much). The crew of the 3 friends could take the sea towards the south of Spain. Unfortunately, the departure was postponed for 3 days, blocked by a bridge in Sète that refused to open. This leaves time to refine a little more the preparation, but also to discover at the bottom of a trunk under a bunk a brand new staysail which can be rigged on a forestay in front of the furler.
Finally, the trimaran went to sea with the damage that inevitably happens on a boat of this age with so little preparation. Before Barcelona, the steering system broke, then the engine started to act up (starter out of order). But the crew still managed to reach Valencia, happy to discover a healthy boat which, despite the age of its sails, shows good averages.
An eventful trip
After a forced stop in Valencia, the crew will leave again in September 2019 to pass Gibraltar and go up along Portugal and reach England. A navigation of nearly 2000 miles that will be completed in 2 weeks. In addition to the halyards or lines that break, the engine that works only with a full tank or the pilot who breaks his axles, this trimaran reaches the English Cornwall.
Transferred to the Netherlands, Enora and Matt repatriated the boat to continue renovating it. These regatta enthusiasts wanted to give her a second life without penalizing her performance. Thus, the original wooden fittings were gradually replaced by sandwiches. The saloon on the port side was placed so high that you could touch the ceiling when seated. It will be lowered and especially reduced. No need for 6 seats when there are no more than 4 on board. The galley in front of the drift shaft will also be replaced soon. A shower and hot water will be installed in the toilet.
Everything to review
On the fittings side, the mainsail traveller has given up the ghost and has just been replaced. The mast received a track to put carts that hold a nice mainsail. A winch has also been added on the piano.
The engine also offered many (bad) surprises, while it was announced to be 10 years old on the advertisement, it turns out to be rather double. But above all, it has never been maintained and has often been tinkered with. Some points of the electrical harness were even badly connected. In short, it had to be completely revised. In addition, the tank turned out to be full of sand. Hence the repeated breakdowns during the delivery.
Already in love with their boat
But Enora and Matt do not regret their purchase, on the contrary! " I have never felt as safe as I do on this trimaran says Enora " even with bad weather in the Bay of Biscay, it remained safe, without flinching, and comfortable. Only the rudder is a bit hard, we will probably have to compensate a bit for the rudder to make it softer. "
As for the program, the boat will continue its resurrection in Rotterdam and then it will be a program of English regattas this summer (Tour of the Isle of White and other major British races) and why not an idea of a long trip one day? " It's true that when I see the living space on board with this really comfortable double cabin at the back, I can see myself casting off for longer "says Enora, " but without overloading it with too much material, Matt wouldn't like "
