Sailing Yacht Rival 32

DEATH OF A STAR… RIVAL32 MAJOR PROJECTPrice negotiable depending on discussion I have no doubt that one or two people reading this will be aware of the star in question. Our star is a Rival 32 named Polydeuces and was the subject of the longest running boatshare syndicate in the Ionian, Tobworth Ltd. So, many individuals have come and gone since she was launched in 1975 and made her way to the Ionian Sea to provide a safe, secure and exhilarating sailing experience for the lucky ones to be able to spend time aboard. This disposal is to try and find her a new home and owner who is able to devote the time and work to continue her story. Her current situation is not what you would wish on any boat, especially one which sails so well and is a genuine blue-water capable design.
A true classic. She is currently ashore propped in the Steno Boatyard near Nidri on the island of Levkas. 3.5 years ago over winter 2018, while ashore, an internal drain detached from its outlet. It was a particularly wet winter in 2018-9 and instead of conducting rainwater off the deck and out of the hull, rain seeped into the saloon reaching a depth of about 1 metre before it was discovered. All the internal woodwork from stem to stern was ruined along with the electrics.
The engine and gearbox were submerged ant the cooker was also drowned. Just prior to the discovery we had become the only shareholders in the syndicate as older members had retired and further shareholders weren’t forthcoming. Most recreational sailors in the Ionian these days are looking for a thoroughly modern boat with space and that is easy to handle (particularly going backwards!), not a long keeled, blue-water classic! However, that didn’t bother us, our family of six had grown up with her, we had effectively learned to sail on her and she was part of the family. Our immediate thought was could she be saved?
We felt that if the mechanicals were in an equivalent condition to the interior we would have to throw in the towel. However, the engine, a 3 cylinder Yanmar diesel was not old and with some encouragement and TLC from our retiring guardianage agent it ran again. First hurdle achieved. However, the internal structure was a different story. Several months of 1m deep water on the wrong side of the hull did not go well and the, frankly, already tired internal structure was now completely ruined.
Sadly, she was not insured for rainwater damage so any repairs would be down to ourselves. She needed a complete refit and we saw it as an opportunity to breathe new life into Poly and give her a well earned makeover. After discussions with a few locals and ex-pats we commissioned both a talented carpenter to quote and begin the process of restoring Polydeuces to her former glory. It was from this point things didn’t go as we had planned. The initial quote was to be around €15-20k which, although not cheap, would represent a reasonable investment considering that we had owned our share for 15 years, we wouldn’t be sailing in Greece without Poly and a refit, to some extent, was on the horizon anyway.
Unfortunately, work was slow to begin due to the contractors initially having other commitments and ground to a complete halt as the Covid lockdown hit. We had also failed to get replies from our emails to the yard and consequently a further two years passed with very little being done and yard fees spiralling. Our initial deposit had been pretty well used up on just the fo’csle and two new hatches and we were unable to visit for domestic reasons until May 2022. Our expectations for any progress were low and we were not overly surprised at Poly’s state when we visited the yard. Despite a lovely finish in a light ash veneer in the fo’csle (replacing the original very dark mahogany) and new hatches above the saloon and fo’csle adding much needed light, the remainder of the interior was still unchanged with part rotten, part dismantled saloon furniture.
What was so much more disappointing was our discussion with the contractors regarding further work. Firstly, there was still some water ingress from the deck. This had caused some minor staining on the new wood which would need resolving . The ingress was most likely due to the deteriorating toe rail capping and/or the stanchions. This would be best dealt with before any further interior work and would require respraying the gelcoat deck.
Secondly, as elsewhere, materials had rocketed in price over the last two years and the quote, including the respray, rewiring, plumbing and engine refurbishment, would now be closer to €50k Euros! A prohibitive sum. We are crestfallen. A restoration of this magnitude is well beyond our budget. Thoughts of doing the work ourselves quickly evaporated with the logistical issues of location and simply lack of time to commit to such a project.
We even considered transport back to the UK to carry on the work at home… simply a non-starter. And, thus, we are where we are. The owners of a dying star. Polydeuces is languishing in a Greek boatyard, accumulating storage fees with little prospect of re-birth unless there is someone who wants, and is able, to undertake the challenge. Be under no illusion, this is not a few weekends of cut, shut and sail off into the sunset.
However, neither is it beyond the capability of competent DIY with a marine bias. If you are looking for a project and have time and funds to dedicate to bringing this star back to life, we want to talk to you. We can discuss a variety of options to reach a satisfactory conclusion. We want more than anything to see Polydeuces sailing again, benefitting a new owner with a proper sailing experience. If you have got this far and are seriously interested please get in touch to discuss further and I will supply details and more photos.
Many thanks, Will