Joshua back in the water after extensive work
Indissociable from its renowned skipper, Bernard Moitessier, whose voyages and works such as the Longue Route have left their mark on generations of sailors, the sailboat Joshua found salt water in the La Rochelle basins on June 5, 2023. Ashore since 2019, many fears had been raised about the future of this iconic boat . It took a long time to find the funding for the extensive work needed to keep her sailing, but in the end, Joshua was able to enter the shipyard in 2022.
The project took 8 months to complete. Lecamus, the boiler specialist from La Rochelle, replaced the damaged steel sheets. Indeed, the boat, built in steel at the Meta yard in the early 1960s, had suffered the consequences of corrosion, with thicknesses of "like cigarette paper ". The shipyard in La Rochelle's Vieux-Port carried out the rest of the work on board. Owned by the Musée Maritime de La Rochelle, Joshua retains 80% of its original features, and is once again sporting its red livery with eyes on the bow.
Remaining work and a navigation season
Before returning to sailing with the crews of the Association des Amis du Musée Maritime de La Rochelle (AAMMLR), which keeps the boat alive on behalf of the Museum, Joshua will have to undergo some engine work and be rearmed.
After 4 years without sailing, the association's skippers will also have to retrain on the boat, before tackling the summer program. Joshua is expected to take part in the Voiles de Nuit at the Grand Pavois 2023, and is also in demand in French ports, such as Lorient for the Festival des Aventuriers, where his participation is under discussion.
