Moira's Story of the Interior So Far

Colin and I drove to the beach at Williamstown, straining to see if the Royals race tender was visible anywhere on the horizon. Our excitement was reminiscent of times past, important events, impending birth. When we caught sight of the boat in the distance I think I squealed! There she was, gliding along behind, attached to a tow rope. A blue hull with no mast, Mystique had arrived.

The realization of what we had committed to didn’t dampen the enthusiasm, we had just been delivered the boat we had been searching for. Months of trawling the net, talking to experts, and gathering information was suddenly over. The fact that we had purchased her, sight unseen, was a departure from our usual careful purchase ethic.

We both love a bargain, and since the modifications we were planning included a new mast and rigging, and cutting out the deck to accommodate Colin’s wheelchair, this 27 year old Holland 25 was just perfect. The previous owners had lost her mast during a fishing trip, and had decided to cut their losses. Their loss was our gain.

THE INTERIOR

It took two days before Mystique was hoisted from the water onto a hardstand. I couldn’t wait to climb that ladder to see inside, the photos we had just didn’t give perspective. The first thing that struck me was the overwhelming smell of diesel, okay, all the cushions were tossed over the side, and mental note to get the engine looked at. The interior was impressive, but terribly neglected, the veneer had split over every surface (photos look much better than the reality). Some “half assed” attempts had been made to cover the neglect, but a complete strip back is what she deserves.

The next day, armed with my old heat gun and several different size scrapers I started to remove the veneer. I have renovated houses, and I was lucky to have a father who was a marine engineer who taught me how to use tools. However, nothing had prepared me for the VENEER.

VENEER - REMOVAL

The first few strips came off with relative ease, lulling me into a false sense of how easy this job might be. I was thrilled to see some lovely figure on the old marine ply underneath. Then I hit the first of many, many areas of different adhesives that must have been tried all those years ago. Some resembled chewing gum when heated, and others just wouldn’t give up, no matter how much heat and grunt I applied.

I became obsessed, spending hours on small areas that tried to beat me. I had now thrown out all my scrapers, and had found the only tool that came close to giving me the control I needed to beat this beast, the good old Aussie “Barbie Mate”. I can’t recommend this tool highly enough; it has a great handle, and a blade down one side that can slide inside the split in the veneer giving you a good run on large areas.

As the temperature rose in Melbourne, so too, did the temperature rise inside Mystique.
Between the sun, the heat gun, and my frustration it was almost unbearable. I was now splitting my day to only work when the sun was off the boat, I had no idea how hot it gets in a yacht, or how difficult it is to work in such confined spaces. After turning myself inside out, balancing on one foot with knee bent because of lack of headroom in the V berth, I needed no Pilates classes. I had lost 4 kilos in two weeks.

Along with wearing out my father's old heat gun, I also have what seem to be permanent lumps on my head from standing up under the same bolts in the ceiling, and my legs are a marvel of ever changing shades of purple through yellow and green bruises from bracing myself against hard surfaces while I attacked my Nemesis. Colin tells everyone I have “VENEERIAL DISEASE!” He’s not wrong. If I never see another piece of veneer, it will be too soon!

I just love the amount of woodwork in Mystique, none of the other Holland 25’s we had seen had anywhere near the amount of built in cupboards and shelves that ours has. The oval doors on the wardrobe, and through the bulkhead to the V berth had sent me to marine heaven.

SANDING

Now it was time to sand everything. The previous owner had painted every other surface in paving paint, it had to come off. So did the headliner in the main cabin which revealed something I had never seen before, “splatter paint” (aparently the trend for boat interiors 30 years ago). How ugly is that stuff! It took me ages to work out what it was. It looked like a serious explosion had occurred, or maybe an arterial spurt.

I decided that this was going to be too much for me after my battle with the VENEER, so Colin decided that paying someone else to do the heavy sanding was a good idea. I couldn’t agree more, so I took a week off while the boys from the dockyard boat builder contended with the fibreglass interior.

I spent my time at home sanding all the doors that could be removed from the interior. Sanding the timber on board after the boys had finished wasn’t too bad, except for the difficulty of the confined areas, and places my new little mouse sander couldn’t reach.

PAINT

I spent hours and hours trawling the net and contacting paint manufacturers trying to find products that were water based. I’m very chemically challenged, so I really couldn’t imagine being in that space, in the heat working with chemicals that were sure to make me horribly sick.

After much discussion, and lots of horrified reactions from “boaties” who just can’t be swayed from the old 2 pack, I found that for boat interiors it is quite acceptable to use, “shock, horror” house paint. Okay, okay, I hear you, but I am going to try it. If it fails, be it on my own head. Our house is at the beach, and we’ve had no problems with that after seven years. I just can’t see that the interior of a boat is all that different. I actually found one “yachtie” who painted his boom with house paint straight on the aluminium ten years ago, and it’s still hanging in there. He assured me that he will be painting his deck next with house paint. I’ll be very interested to see how that goes.

I have just finished the clear coat over four coats of Interior Varnish Stain, all low odour and water base. This job was not without its own problems. The product goes on like water, and you need to be on top of the “dribble factor” I had to check and recheck before it was too dry to repair. The doors that I was able to paint horizontally at home were easier to manage than the vertical surfaces, but being touch dry in 30 minutes, and recoat in 3 hours is my kind of product. I just sped through 5 coats and light sanding in 2 days.

I am really happy with the outcome. The timber had been covered for 27 years, and had taken some knocks, so perfection was never an option, but the deep mahogany colour really looks schmick!

Now I just need more weather that is not too hot (the yacht is too hot to work in, with hot sun on the hull) and the rain stops (too dangerous to climb up a tall ladder in the wet). We need the rain and I love the sun. I now understand why renovating yacht interiors is definitely a Winter "sport"!

About the Holland 25

The Holland 25 is the development of 'Eygthene' - 1973 1/4 ton World Champion, 1973 and 74 U.S. Mid-winter champion, and 1975 North American Champion. She was a thoroughbred racing yacht with spacious accommodation.

Hull: Hand laid fibreglass construction guided by Lloyds specifications using highest quality cloths and resins with colour-fast gelcoats. One piece moulding ensures homogenous construction with composite lay-up of 'chopped strand matt' strengthened with woven rovings, double overlapped along the keel. Scribed waterlines are moulded in and the internal reinforced gunwhale flange allows exceptional strength on the deck joint. Rebated skeg mounting for flush fitting. Keel area stiffening by specially laminated 3/4" plywood transfers keel loadings to the bilge areas. Main bulkhead of 1/2" Maple marine plywood is the main structural member bonded to the skin and integral to the keel reinforcement.

Deck: One piece moulding with adequate reinforcement and moulded non-skid areas. Large hatchway, big self-draining cockpit and wide 2'3" sidedecks prove most functional as does the high camber, giving safe flat decks when heeled.

Keel: The high-lift hydrodynamically designed lead keel weighs 1650lb (750kg) and has six keelbolts moulded in.

Rudder: Heavy GRP laminate specially shaped to the designer's specifications to aid lateral resistance and give maximum directional control without stalling. The 1 and 1/4" diametre stainless steel stock with welded lugs has rigid and reliable construction for complete safety.

Interior: Forward moulding of V-berths, toilet mounting, anchor stowage in the floor, and starboard hanging space adds appreciably to the hull stiffness in the bow sections. Starboard side moulding comprises galley unit with sink, insulated ice box, stove recess (with cupboard under) and provision for plate racks behind. Adjoining is a long settee quarter-berth. Port side moulding comprises a full length settee berth and quarter berth plus forward saloon seat. All berths have recessed hatches for access to large stowage areas.

MYSTIQUE Arrives

On 25 October our preloved yacht was towed up from Queenscliff to RYCV, Williamstown. "Mystique" is a Holland 25 with a broad beam to give it stability and interior room. Built by Doug Sharpin around 1980, its vital statistics are:
Length: 25' (7.62m)
LWL: 20'3" (6.17m)
Beam: 10' (3.04m)
Draft: 5' (1.52m)
Displacement: 3500lb (1590kg)
Ballast: 1650lb (750kg)

OK, so it is not the best hull to modify in theory, but in practice it is the best our budget would allow for and as we plan to quite savagely modify the deck it would be a pity to chop up a more expensive hull. If we need to drill holes to test an idea - holes will be drilled and filled as needed till we develop new modifications. When the jig-saw attacks the deck, we will not hesitate to be 'cruel to be kind' and achieve our aims of suiting a seated sailor. A lot of planning will go into changes but it is a development platform first and foremost.

It is missing its mast and has minor damage to the safety posts from when it was dismasted but apart from looking its age at 27 years old, it should be a good basis to test our design concepts of creatiing a yacht suitable for wheelchair users to sail.

On 26 October, after a pressure wash of the deck the hull was lifted from the water and also given a wash to show an attractive, beamy but "soup bowl" shape hull in quite reasonable condition with no major problems visible at this stage. With about a lot of grime removed from the deck and hull, it looked a lot more presentable and the list started, regarding what needs to be done functionally and aesthetically.

Inside is old but with "potential" as the timber work has had a bit too much sun and years without being looked after as well as itcould have been. However, of all the Hollands we have seen, including a lot on the web, the original timber work was very well done with well trimmed oval door through the bulkhead, and well built timber cupboards. Time and a fair bit of work by Moira, my wife and business partner, and tradespeople will change the interior and Moira's tallents as an interior designer will bring it up 'ship shape'.

We are very excited about our new project and plans for our yacht sailing on Port Phillip Bay. With a new mast, possibly more lead on the keel, we will develop plans for many further changes once we determine how she sails and motors.

Long term aims

After this initial project is developed and tested, funding may be sought in the future to develop a larger and more sophisticated vessel. However, without a pilot project, with a majority of funding coming from an interested individual, such a project would not be possible to contemplate.
There are great possibilities for publicity generation through the local and national media of a project with such a positive visual potential – such as taking disabled children who have been in the news out for a sail, or being involved with the “Make A Wish Foundation”. Such publicity of this pilot project could lead to greater funding generation oportunities to allow development of the next generation of yachts.

If this purely volunteer project is the success that overseas commercial operators have achieved, then some commercial operators may make similar accessible craft for sale, charter or rent, and hence make access to sailing in such expensive craft (a commercial craft would cost over $200,000 to build to a standard required for rental or charter due to strict regulations) possible.

How will this need be addressed?

We are looking at creating a rear roll-on wheelchair accessible yacht (after considerable modification to give wheelchair skipper position on starboard side with possibly hydraulic steering and an electric lift or lowering mechanism into the cabin and toilet). This will be suitable for Bay sailing and we are searching for a 25’ to 30’ yacht with plenty of beam (over 3m) with a decent amount of keel weight to give a very stable, moderate performance, safe yacht. This type of yacht is available in Italy and Greece, but not to our knowledge in Australia.

See optimal Italian solution at http://www.velaetica.it/caratteristiche.html . Note: These are commercial hire boats that are owned by a sailing school who, incidentally, ran the 2005 Liberty Single Person World Championships (where Colin came second).

The yacht would be stored at Royal Yacht Club of Victoria (RYCV) 120 Nelson Place, Williamstown. The club is fully wheelchair accessible, with adequate parking, two disabled toilets and wheelchair accessible pontoons already. Other uses would extend to other clubs by sailing or motoring to other clubs around the bay.

Price is an issue as modifications will be expensive and the budget is limited but the better quality boat that can be found to start off with, the less will need to spend in money and time to get to safe general sailing state. Budget is ~ $20,000 at most for the base yacht before modifications. Modifications of cutting and opening up the rear deck space to provide wheelchair access from the rear with space (including required tie down points for safety) for wheelchair seating, designing and building a tilting skipper’s chair, and then some sot of internal lift to provide access to the enclosed cabin and toilet. All these additions will cost al least another $15,000.

We (Colin and Moira) are willing to cover the initial purchase of the basic yacht, but assistance will be needed to carry out the extensive modifications to make the yacht an example of what could be achieved in other club or other private yachts to accommodate wheelchair users.

The aim is to create a yacht where not only can physically and other disabled people be taken sailing safely but, those capable, can actively participate in sailing the yacht from adjusting sail trim to navigating and steering the yacht. This could be a valuable experience in participation in an exciting activity that enables team participation in a sport that is currently unavailable at this level.

Project Overview

Currently there is not roll-on wheelchair accessible yacht for taking people in wheelchairs out sailing in Australia. This project is to develop a suitable moderate sized yacht (25’ to 30’ long) with excellent stability to enable:

• Taking people, who use wheelchairs, for a safe and comfortable sail on the bay (in mild weather), including those who require their own special support seating of their own chairs, who could not sit on a normal yacht deck without customised lateral and back supports.
• Providing a next level of yacht for existing disabled sailors, like myself, to progress from the current range of Sailability yacht dinghies (ranging from 2.3m to 3.6m long) extensively used for disabled sailing – see Sailability website http://www.sailability.org . By having a larger yacht, with onboard sleeping and toilet facilities, many of these sailors could experience overnight sails on Port Phillip Bay.
• With experience, disabled sailors should be able to participate, in such a yacht, in normal club racing in open waters, around the Bay. If this team can be assembled from Western suburb sailors (most likely) then a major landmark will be achieved.

As the Project Managers, I (Colin Johanson), and wife Moira would be a major providers of our own personal funds towards the project along with Moira's interior design skills and utilising Colin's technical skills as a qualified Ergonomist (Human Factors Engineer) as I have previously developed a range of disabled equipment including: wheelchairs for marathons (one of these was the first to beat the runners in the Melbourne Big M marathon in 1980), snow and water skis for snow and water (the snow ski design I negotiated a sale to an American manufacturer on behalf of the original designer and builder, at no profit to myself). I also have extensive design skills and utilises computer aided design software. I was also awarded “2006 Viewer’s Choice Winner” on the New Inventors TV program for my novel electric wheelchair design that we are currently trying to commecialise.

I am a wheelchair using sailor who has been Australian champion twice in the 3.6m Liberty (3.6m Access Dinghy single hander), 2nd (in Italy) and 4th (in Australia) in the Worlds, finalist for Victorian Disabled Sailor twice; and finalist for Australian Disabled Sailor of the Year once. Also “Chairman of the IFDS Technical Committee” (who along with the International Paralympic Committe, control World and Paralympic sailing competitions and rules), Vice President and Public Officer of the Access Class Association for Measurement and Racing and a member of the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria (in Williamstown, where we also live, and where the yacht would be based). I also had training by Yachting Victoria to teach the Disability Awareness program to yachting Coaches, Clubs, and Race Officers as part of their courses. I am also part way through a Coaching for Yachting qualification and was president and major contact for Dockland Sailability for over four years, along with a previous Committee member of Sailability Victoria. I am currently trying to establish a Sailability arm of RYCV. Note: All of these are volunteer roles with no payment of even expenses.

Yachting is an excellent sport for integration of people with a disability into mainstream sports – it only requires suitable equipment. This has been shown by Sailability programs where, as an example of both its success and integration, at State and National competitions over 100 -200 sailors participate and include about 70% disabled sailors, >40% female competitors, all sailing together in classes based purely on sailing disability. This is a major achievement of integration of disabled and female sailors into what was previously deemed a male dominated sport. Sailing in the Paralympics is a large event with now three classes (one of the few Paralympic sports to have increased classes for China, most have been decreased) and Australia is a powerful country in sailing with many medals in Paralympic and World Championships.

Sydney and Perth have a couple of 24’ Sonar yachts that are used for Paralympic sailing training, but Victoria has none and these are only day-sailing, sports yachts, with out on-board accommodation. We want to create another level of sailing in Victoria and show it is viable and possible to the rest of Australia.