Vanguard II – has been a headache and quite a challenge, I prefer motor yachts – motorboats. I am not really at all into sailing, but we have a sailboat named FFANTASI and she’s for sale. The challenging tasks were 17 days ago, on 11/17/2025 myself and my mother took Vanguard II out for a Sea Trial, this was to configure the old autopilot system, however that needs to be recalibrated again. And further sea trials are upcoming for Vanguard II.
On the Nelson Weymouth 32 Aft Cabin, our Twin Perkins Engines are mounted upside down and are not exactly the port or starboard engines. A crack was discovered in Starboard engine where the raw water, exhaust fumes were coming inside the cabin from the engine room (under wheelhouse). She’s since been docked till further notice, because of that crack.
As you can see, this is where the raw water and exhaust fumes are emitted from the engine, and the raw water comes from the sea. There was simply a crack at the bottom of the exhaust, and the top side exhaust. As parts for the Twin Perkins engine’s that are on board our Vanguard II – a new piece had to be made by a welder In Rhyl, Clwyd.
A new flange piece was constructed by the welder In Rhyl, the second Captain In Charge Rob Lee, who’s also a commercial charter fishing company out of Rhyl, who’s also a family friend – has been working on Vanguard II to get her seaworthy state. So you can fully see what we we’re dealing with on this day, see photo’s below please.
Those pictures are dated as: 11/20/2025 – It was actually the night before, where Vanguard II was taking on excessive amounts of Sea Water from the Sea – and that it was discovered that the stern gland, on Starboard prop shaft the stern gland packing obviously expired, new packaging was purchased at the day light robbery Marina Chandlers.
That night when I had noticed Vanguard was taking on excessive amounts of Sea Water, I didn’t want to broadcast It on our VHF Radio, as I know so many people on the Marina helping hands, and some would have been asleep. I phoned the Marina Office Cell Phone to alert employees of the stressful developments. They’d came down with a sump pump for dirty water, for It to be flown back overside, as our bilge pumps couldn’t keep up.
On 11/20/2025 Vanguard II was scheduled for an emergency lift out, but without the morning shift or site manager, or maintenance coming to inspect the water levels inside the vessel, they deemed the vessel as status: “Safe.” So that annoyed me and told them straight. Any water that comes into a vessel at Sea or In a Marina is classed as an “Emergency” and “Dangerous.” This was since repaired as mentioned.
On 11/28/2025: Second In Command: Captain Robert Lee, Classed Vanguard II Sea Worthy:
Since Vanguard II is now Seaworthy again – we have an upcoming Sea Trial hopefully Sunday 12/7/2025 depending on the weather, and weather permitting. As both engines were running again after the repairs were completed.
On 12/16/2025 – Vanguard II is scheduled to come out of the water and will be put on the hard stand at Conwy Marina, to have all anodes replaced. Hull wash, wood trims to be sanded down, then painted with Danish oil, then epoxy water proofer applied. And to have her old name removed and replaced with her official name: Vanguard II.
There will be another blog regarding the Sea Trial, hopefully we’ll have the Sea Trial taken care of before liftout date. And further maintenance. Vanguard II hasn’t been lifted out of the water for about 2 years. So she needs to be lifted out of the water, to have maintenance achieved.
Captain – Christopher Abbott.
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