Maintenance – Cachalot: a gentleman's cutter

Category: Maintenance

Fitting out and OGA Deben Rally

After a month away on our rail trip to Greece in March and a couple of days in London for the Classic Boat Awards our first visit to Suffolk was 24 April this year.

Laying up

The weather seemed to be set fair when we left the boat in early September, it looked like there would be time for another trip before laying up . . . but a different project took priority given the weather was so good!

Preparation for Return to Dunkirk, 2025

This year marks the 85th anniversary of ‘Operation Dynamo’ and we plan to take ‘Cachalot’ on the ADLS Commemorative Return 21 – 26 May.

Laying up: engine repairs & the dinghy

Steve had been doing some research, talking with James and Jim, about how to fix the engine. He returned to Suffolk in the Freelander on 13 September, then drove down to join Peter at the Southampton Boat Show.

Bowsprit and a survey

Bev realised she’d forgotten to book a survey on receipt of the insurance renewal this month. A condition is for an out of the water survey every seven years – it really is that long since the launch in 2017!

Mast, spars and brightwork

Once again, Steve was thwarted in getting as much done as he’d hoped, dodging showers and rainstorms forcing breaks in varnishing the spars. At last the storms have abated and the mast was re-stepped on 25 June, 2024.

Time for some maintenance

After our extended winter roadtrip to Spain and Portugal in Spring 2024 Steve decided there was just about time to lift the mast out for some overdue maintenance before going sailing this season.

Laying up, October 2023

With Storm Babet threatening, we retreated home after Bev’s second birthday party and returned to finish the laying up at the end of October.

An extra berth

Once the OGA60 celebrations were over in September 2023, Steve started work on the double bunk, allowing three full length berths in the main cabin.

Some more fitting out . . .

There’s always plenty of jobs to do aboard ‘Cachalot’ to make life on board that bit more comfortable as well as improvements to her sailing capabilities.