Gilles was no novice in sailing when he bought Mayaguana, a 1974 Dufour Safari. After some refit work (especially outside) in Le Pouldu (South Brittany), he will start the delivery to his home port on the Rance (in the Channel near Saint-Malo).
For this cruise, which he will carry out at the end of June 2019, he is sailing solo. He loves the sea. And even if the autopilot on board doesn't work, solo sailing doesn't frighten this 60-year-old sailor, who also has a Captain 200 certificate. But although this delivery trip seems well prepared, it won't go as planned.
Like a lapping sound in the boat
After being launched and re-masted by the shipyard on June 20, Gilles set sail the next day. Cautiously, he sets sail to the open sea to go around Brittany, aware that the danger at sea is land. He sailed on starboard tack with good weather. Without a pilot, he spent his time at the helm. In fact, he has food and water within reach.
But after a few hours of sailing, he hears a lapping sound, not coming from the bow, but from inside. When he goes down into the cabin, he already finds 50 cm of water on the bottom. The water is at the level of the saloon berths.
VHF and telephone for CROSS
With this level, he can't locate the waterway. He then tried the hand pump in the cockpit, but it was too weak and could not spread the water ingress. Very calm, Gilles then considers the possibility of leaving the boat. He prepares his raft and stows his belongings in a waterproof bag. Finally, he calls CROSS Etel on the VHF to let him know his situation. CROSS asks him to call them back with a mobile phone to triangulate his position. Gilles indicates that he is going to activate the EPRIB beacon, specifying that it is still in the name of the previous owner.
The motor as a pump
While waiting for help, Gilles has the idea of using the diesel engine as a bilge pump. High enough perched on its support, it hasn't yet taken on water. Only the batteries are completely submerged... Relief the engine starts. He disconnects the water intake hose at the valve and plunges it into the bilge under the floors. Quickly the water level drops. Taking advantage of the engine (and still under sail), Gilles sets course for land, hoping to run aground his sailboat so as not to see it sink. During all this time the engine is pumping, Gilles has only one fear: it will suck up dirt that will permanently damage the water pump wheel. In fact, no strainer is installed at the end of the suction hose. But the problem will come from elsewhere.
At the stern of the engine, a bilge air duct will become detached and wrap around the propeller shaft. With heavy smoke, the engine stalls. This diagnosis will come later. For now, Gilles continues sailing towards the coast.
A helicopter and an SNSM launch
A helicopter is approaching. Gilles guides it with a hand fire. A diver jumps into the water and embarks on Mayaguana. He immediately gets in touch with Gilles who is always very calm. Gilles explains the situation, shows the raft ready to be used and the bag ready to embark. In front of the high water, the rescuer tells Gilles that he will have to abandon his boat and get a helicopter. That's when the SNSM Men Meur speedboat arrives. With a rescuer on board, they decide to save the boat. The diver returns to his helicopter. Quickly a tow is hit on the bow and the tow to Lesconil, the nearest port, begins at high speed.
Once alongside the dock, the speedboat is paired up and, with the help of a powerful motor pump, quickly empties the boat. Three SNSM crewmembers then look for the entrance of water which seems to be impossible to find. Once empty, the boat doesn't fill up anymore!
Only the engine water intake hose, the one used to pump out the bilge, appears to have been worn. Shortened, it returns to its place on the valve. End of the SNSM intervention. But Gilles has doubts about the real cause of the water intakes..
Recovering from your emotions
Gilles is going to stay a day at the port to dry out the boat a bit. It is only the next day that he goes back to sea. His engine still doesn't work, but the weather is good for rounding Brittany. Little weather in prospect. So Gilles will cross the Ras de Sein, and sleep one night in Camaret. Still with an eye on his floors, he doesn't see any water coming back. From Camaret, he leaves to make a stop at the Aber Benoit, then he will go to Paimpol where the entrance and the passage of the lock without engine are a bit tricky. Luckily some boaters come to his aid. A gale warning for the night is announced. Gilles will stay quietly in the harbour.
This break in port will allow him to look for the causes of the engine failure. Passing through the coffin bunk, he discovers the pot au rose. He will spend the evening getting everything back in order and with joy to see his engine restarting.
More water inside!
After consulting the weather forecast (the gale warning is no longer in progress), Gilles is back at sea. Alas, before reaching Cape Erquy, he will find himself in a gale from the front and against the current. After having tacked squarely in front of the point, Gilles decided to use the engine to help him round the cape. But 15 minutes after starting, the engine stalled! Gilles tries to hold his position for a good part of the night, tacking without making too much progress towards the goal.
Very tired, he decides to moor the helm and rest for a while. But it is the cold shower: water still invades the cabin!
This time Gilles decides to shoot down the whole thing and look for the escape. Let him find it. The toilet drain pipe is loose. Fixed on the valve with 2 Serflex clamps which are loose, the overpressure of the water when the boat is sailing on starboard tack, creates a leak. Gilles closes the valve (and all those of the boat at the same time). With a bucket and a bailer, he dries out the interior before resuming his course.
With a long tack towards Guernsey, he managed to set a course for Saint Malo, which he reached exhausted after 48 hours of sailing without leaving the helm. He took a buoy in front of the Rance dam, which he passed in tow of a semi-rigid friend.
The next day, comfortably moored, he can look for the engine problem and discovers that some electrical wires have probably been disconnected due to the shocks of the sea. The engine restarts and Mayaguana can finally reach its new anchorage..
Lessons to be learned
Gilles is happy to have experienced this episode at sea. It enabled him to gain confidence in his new boat and above all to validate the fact that he is not panicking. He has always kept his calm in the face of all these repeated events.
He is also grateful to the sailors of the SNSM Men Meur who towed him and helped him refit his boat. This towing was invoiced at 1200 euros (2 hours at 600 euros/hour) which was fortunately covered by Gilles' all-risk insurance. This help, which came at a time when Gilles was physically and morally exhausted, was very welcome.
Gilles is also happy to have read stories that have given him ideas to put into practice in such situations. The experience of others has helped him a lot.
Finally, for Gilles the law of series really exists. When one event happens, the others often follow one another.
Gilles, who has been sailing for 30 years, admits that this adventure is his fault. Confident, he didn't check his boat enough before the start. In a hurry to take it in hand, happy with his purchase, he probably sailed too quickly. What's more, the boat out of the water hadn't sailed for a long time. The nearly new sails also showed that the previous owner had not used it much.
On the other hand, this adventure will have proved that the Dufour Safari is a good boat, and on this point, Gilles is happy with his choice and now knows her much better..
No more pictures...
His biggest regret? Not having been able to save his cell phone with which he had taken care to take pictures of all the adventures. Those pictures are now lost with the camera that took the water. All that remains for Gilles are memories and memories.
