VOILES D'IROISE

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The Minahouet Saga

 

HISTORY - SHIPYARD - INSPECTION/DISMANTLING- KEEL/BALLAST - FLOORS AND FRAMES - PARTS MANUFACTURE -STERN POST - BOW - PLANKING - DECK BEAMS - COUNTER -

DECKHOUSE - DECK AND CAULKING - CAULKING - INTERIOR FITTINGS - PAINTING - STEERING GEAR - SPARS, BOOMS AND MASTS -

RIGGING - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - OUTFITTING - SECURITY -

 

At the beginning of the last century, very few people could afford to buy a yacht.

Sailing for pleasure was only possible for the very rich who could pay the price of construction and sail in these beautiful boats.

Minahouet is one of these boats, combining comfort and security.

Her deck saw the passage of Ladies in crinoline dresses and Gentlemen in the latest fashion sailing clothes.

Nowadays the restoration and navigation in these fabulous yachts represent an exceptional challenge.

 

 

Minahouet under sail

 

 

 

HISTORY

 

Minahouet was built in 1912 at the Foncillon shipyard in Royan (Charente-Maritime) by M. A.Gauraud. She was launched on the 23rd of September of the same year. She was provisionaly registered on the first of September. She was definitively registered by the customs of St. Nazaire as a pleasure boat on the 1st of February 1913. During the 1914-18 war she became a pilot cutter in the Loire estuary and then returned to pleasure boating. From 1939 to 1945 she was requisitioned as a fishing boat out of La Rochelle and then, a very rare thing for a yacht, she was requisitioned by the French Navy and equipped as a minesweeper. From 1959 to 1965 she became a sailing school yacht based in Lorient. Once again returned to pleasure boating, in 1969 she was registered again, this time in Lorient with the number 5996. She had several owners and her career almost ended on a mud flat at La Tremblade in the 1980's. Following a legal seizure she was bought by M. Paris in 1986. Restoration work was started in 1986 but due to a lack of funds stopped a few months later. Once again Minahouet was abandonned, left high and dry near a shipyard. Bought by Voiles d'Iroise in 1992 , she is in the last stages of her restoration.

 

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These 4 photos show Minahouet as she was at sea.

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THE SHIPYARD 1992

A convoy is prepared in the early morning mist. Minahouet is placed on a trailer with infinite precaution and

is driven to Meslan near Le Faouet in the Morbihan.

The inland shipyard at Meslan
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INSPECTION/DISMANTLING

All the framework parts are inspected by experienced marine carpenters. Suspect parts are manufactured identically.

Inspection of the keel ballast

The stern post, frames and floors are dismantled

The skeleton of Minahouet

Dismantling a frame
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KEEL / BALLAST

With Minahouet set on keel blocks the ballast is consolidated and repaired.

Start of repairs

Drilling for the consolidation

Bolting the ballast

Positioning of the keelson
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FLOORS AND FRAMES

The floors and frames in a bad state are dismantled and new ones are manfactured according to precise templates

Choise of the wood for frames and floors

Cutting out a frame - frame 10 port

View interior

Frame dismantled
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NEW PARTS MANUFACTURE

New parts are manufactured using precisely measured templates.

Templates for floors and frames

Full size tracing of a template

Floors before adjustment and assembly

Adjusting a new part
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STERN POST

A major part of the stern, the sternpost is reinforced and precision drilled in order to receive the shaftline stuffing box

The sternpost is assembled and reinforced

A special drilling guide is designed and built

The sternpost is drilled to receive the shaftline tube

The wood of the hole is flame-sealed

Then it is cooled (a force 10 blow!)

The stuffing box is fitted
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BOW

When work on the bow is finished a traditional ceremony takes place that is known to all marine carpenters

The bow and first frames are assembled

A bouquet of flowers crowns the finished bow

Fitting of a finishing part on the lower bow

Preparation of the steel bow protector
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PLANKING / HULL WATERTIGHNESS

The hull planking is prepared traditionally : The parts are steammed and fixed using caravels. The hull is finished with sealing planks and then caulked.

Stringers are placed in order to smooth out the floors and frames

The hull planking is assembled

Tne steam cabinet

View of the port sealing plank locations

A hull plank passing through the planing machine

Port planking finished

3 stages in the assembly of a sealing plank.

1

2

3

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DECK BEAMS

Deck beams ensure the rigidity and width of the whole boat, it itherefore an essential stage in construction.

Planking cut out for the deck

Assembly of the first deck beams

View of deck beams

Assembly of the first deck plank
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COUNTER

With her extremely long counter (representing a third of her total length) Minahouet is very rapid and manouverable.

Assembly of the counter support timbers

Manufacture of a counter service tree

Sevice trees assembly and adjustment

The first counter floors

View of the counter

Structure of the counter
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DECKHOUSE / HATCHES

The deckhouse has been rebuilt according to old photos as no plan exists.

Beginning the construction

Forward hatch finished

Deckhoude viewed from foreward

Deckhouse and skylights with sliding entry hatch
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DECK AND CAULKING

The Iroko deck planks are assembled and the tiresome job of caulking takes place.

Assembly of the last deck plank

Adjustment of the deck stringer

General view of caulking

300 metres of resin caulking !
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CAULKING

The hull is caulked in order to ensure watertightness.

Caulking tools and products

Olivier caulks the hull planking

detailed view of caulking

The president helps to finish the job with mastic !
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INTERIOR FITTINGS

Of course the design of the interior must be thought out . With security the priority, comfort at sea and functionality come next.

The 80hp diesel engine is installed and covered

The head and galley bulkhead framework is fitted

Olivier works in the galley space

Precious woods are used in the upperworks

A 1900's flush toilet is placed but not yet fitted

as is the wash hand basin
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PAINTING

Four coats of red lead based paint protect Minahouet's hull, it will then receive four coats of laquer (2 undercoats and 2 final coats)

Actve association members sandpaper aft after the first coat

The counter with two coats of red lead based paint

Vue of the hull entirely painted

Several active association members finish the job

Marie paints the forecasle with white primer -

and then starts on the hull

The hull with 2 coats of white primer

The hull with 2 coats of laquer
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STEERING GEAR

The metal parts of the rudder were kept and renovated, the wooden parts renewed.

The rudder is lined up

and installed provisionally for adjustment.

The first planks are assembled

the rudder is almost finished.

The mechanical elements of the helm

The rudder is in place, caulked and painted with minium.
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SPARS, BOOMS AND MASTS

The spars booms and bowsprit have been rebuilt manually. Only the mainmast is original.

The planks are planed and assembled

and they are shaped by manual planing.

A spar, boom and mast.

Final planing.

Then comes several coats of varnish

The President varnishing the bowsprit.
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