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Blue Daisy

Blue Daisy at Ibiza

This is a total boatrefit of a HR46. This boat is owned by a Polish owner, Artur, and was sailed from Ibiza to Orust 

specifically for the refit.

Before committing for this major refit, the experts of the Refit Team of Adams Boat Care flow to Ibiza on behalf of the owner for a detailed investigation of the HR46. We found the boat sound and despite its outer appearance being in a very good condition for a total refit. The following photos were taken by the Refit Team on Ibiza in September 2013.

Artur, the new owner

Getting the boat to Orust 

The boat was delivered by the brave men of Professional Yacht Delivery (PYD), despite the harsh winter weather. I just cannot imagine how to cross the Bay of Biscay and the North Sea in December, and this even without a working heater! The heaters had never ever been used in this boat ever since she was new in 1999. Neither the people in the Mediterranean, nor the poor PYD crew was able to get it working. Instead, they had to put hot water bottles inside their clothes to survive during the passage. I feel so sorry for them!

Artur, the owner, had read about the refit of Regina Laska and decided to have his HR46 sailed up from the Med to Orust. Since the boat arrived rather late on 10 December, it was decided to split the refit project into two steps: During spring 2014, the HR46 will get a new vacuum glued teak deck, a new power system by Whisperpower, new navigation&communications by Furuno and a new lighting system by Båtsystem. The boat will also receive a special attention to her interior and exterior wood-work as well as new mattresses and possibly new upholstery. A new rigging, electrifying the manual furling systems, is also due this spring together with new sails. Safety equipment is also an important feature for this spring, so Artur can go sailing in confidence during summer, cruising in safety, comfort and style.

The HR46 arriving in Ellös after a 34 days voyage (23 days of sailing plus 11 days of delays due to paperwork, sail repairs and weather) Thank you PYD for an excellent job!

Lifting day with surprises
 It was a dark December day with freezing rain poring sideways in the stiff gale when Blue Daisy was lifted in Orust for the first time in a very long time. I believe the rig has never been taken down ever since the boat was new and was launched in Orust in 1999.


 The refit team of Orust works efficiently and has great experience in lifting boats. The lifting went as planned but the surprise came when Lady Blue Daisy showed her bottom for the first time, if I may express it so boldly.

Carl Adams reported:  

The shaft flange has moved and the inner tube has pulled out aft.
 There was a fishing net in the propeller as well and marks that the boat has ridden over something in the water. The delivery skipper who sailed her from Ibiza to Orust said he noticed nothing wrong with the boats performance, but above 2000 RPM it sounded like bubbles on the hull. The paint has rubbed off around that area and the prop was fouled.
 When I drove the boat over to the crane, I noticed no vibrations, either, but sure it looked frightening when we saw what had happened to the propeller once the boat had been lifted.
 After all the delivery crew had to go through with harsh winter weather over the Bay of Biscay and the North Sea, this could have been disaster for them! We can only thank our Saints and lucky stars that the boat was not crippled and forced to sail downwind off into the open Atlantic during that North-Easterly storm or something horrible!
 One of the engineers in the Refit Team has already taken the time to look at Blue Daisy and said there is no need to panic. Calmly he expressed that he had seen it all before. We might have to change the flange, but he knows exactly how to fix it.


It is very good to have the boat refitted with professionals who really know these boats and have seen most issues before. It´s like coming home to a doctor who looks at you and then says you will soon get well again. Sometimes no more is needed than to hear an expert express that all will be fine in order to feel so much better immediately. For sure, Blue Daisy is in good hands!
And besides, these pictures give yet another confirmation that a good rope cutter, such as the Ambassador Rope Stripper, is a good investment and an essential piece of safety equipment. 

The work has begun

When Artur came to Orust to see his boat for the first time, as usual, the boys had already started to work on her on this Saturday morning since 07.00 am. These boat builders in the Refit Team are so much enjoying their work with Adams Boat Care refitting boats that one really can’t stop them getting up early in the morning, even on a Saturday, to give their love and care for their refit-babies… We are all like a big family working together and we think our customers can feel the spirit!


When Artur arrived at the shed, Blue Daisy was all stripped and emptied and the boys were just about almost finished to drill out all old through-hulls.


Underneath the boat there was a pile of old through-hulls lying on the floor. Artur looked at them with astonishment.
He could see that almost all the brass has gone on these original through-hulls. And this boat is no more than 13 years old! This looked really frightening. Another through hull looked so much better because it was made of bronze instead of brass. Strong as ever! This really shows how crucial it is to install nothing but bronze under the waterline.

A bunch of old through-hulls in brass

An original 13-year-old through-hull in brass, with a lot of material having gone already

A through-hull from the same boat in bronze with all material still intact

As a next step, we looked at the rudder and the damage the net that was caught in the propeller had done. The marks on the rudder were only cosmetic and could easily be touched up, while the cutlass bearing and the stern tube fitting has to be replaced. This is no big deal, since it was planned to be done anyway, as a standard part of the refitting process.

Up on deck

The teak looked awful. Especially compared to the shining hull, the teak did not look very good. “The owner must have loved his teak to death” Carl Adams reflected. “While the topsides must have been cleaned and polished regularly, the teak must have undergone the same frequent treatment, possibly even with a brush! However, a teak deck should not be worked and scrubbed on. Just some Boracol from now and then is enough to keep a teak in good condition.”

 

 

Down below

When doing a refit project, the owner has all possibilities to influence the boat. We discussed the placement of batteries, the colour of the cupboard doors in the heads and placement of mirrors, the microwave oven and instruments and many more things. The Refit Team sees a flourishing future and feels confident when thinking of the boats that will be taken care of this coming fall: So far we have no less than four HR46’s, one HR45, one HR40 and one HR312 that will be taken care of by Adams Boat Care and his team.

 

While some work is by now a standard job, Artur came up with some real fun challenges, in order to personalize his new boat. Being a wine lover, he wants to build a wine cellar into his new boat to carry his dear drops with style. A wine cellar should have a constant temperature, be in the centre of the boat and as close as possible to the centre of movement. A classic Hallberg-Rassy still has the deep bilge that is perfect for this and a position just in front of the water tank was picked as the ideal position. 1,000 liters of water is a good guarantee for a constant temperature.

 

The next request by Artur was a special challenge to Carl Adams: Artur needs the finest glasses to go with his beloved wine. Glass cabinets with transparent interiors holding the finest glasses, all illuminated from the inside should be fitted. It sure looked fancy!

A happy Artur having found the ideal place for his wine cellar

Refit Part II after a great Baltic summer

Despite the very late delivery in late December 2013 and the start of the refit project in early January 2014, Artur got his Blue Daisy readily refitted on 15 July 2014, exactly when promised. Part one consisted of all major issues of the refit project so that Artur could enjoy a wonderful summer in the Baltic.

Regina Laska and Blue Daisy met in the water on the east coast archipelago of Sweden after having stood side by side in the shed for so long. It was really fantastic sight: Two almost identical HR46’s with very similar equipment side by side both refitted by Adams Boat Care to the same outstanding standard.

After the first summer onboard the refitted Blue Daisy, it was time to for Refit Part II during the winter of 2014-15. During this second step in the refit process the engine room was redone, the engine has been taken out and refurbished with a new turbo charger. A 230V Echo-Tech Watermaker has been installed as well as two Marine Air Air/Conditioners for warmer climates.

Artur checking the rope cutter. It was decided to keep the Gori Propeller which is still in good condition

Artur inside the engine room

Carl Adams with the old and the new Aquadrive, which is significantly reducing the vibration caused by the propeller

Since Blue Daisy was hardly used in the Mediterranean by the previous owner, the upholstery is still original from 1998 and as stylish as ever!

The A/C Installation in the aft cabin. Very snug!

Carl Adams has produced new mahogany vents for Blue Daisy’s new A/C, but far outclassing the plastic vents that were delivered as standard together with the A/C. Carl doesn’t like second best when it comes to carpentry, for sure!

Hand made opening and closing vent in the mid cabin

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