Tag Archives: Beaucette Marina Guernsey

Servicing / Technical / Nav

The finishing touches

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Martin at Beaucette Marina
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Despite the extensive research Lin and I did when specifying the electrics and electronics refit for Play d’eau, operational niggles came to light as soon as we started cruising and living on board.

Apart from one major problem involving the compatibility of the Simrad AP70 autopilot and the Furuno electronics (which will be the subject of a separate posting once it’s been resolved), most niggles were small and trivial in comparison. For example, the default settings for which video camera should be displayed on which screen when cruising; a link from the TV to the saloon’s main sound system; the installation of a Wi-Fi unit to connect to our shore telephone line which carried ADSL as well; establishing why the Navtex had stopped receiving messages, and so on.

So, last Friday, Martin, Play d’eau’s ‘resident’ electronics installer, arrived on one of Guernsey’s Blue Island ‘planes. ‘It was a tiny aircraft and there were only six passengers,’ said Martin. ‘It took 25 minutes, and I loved every one of them!’

Driving straight to Play d’eau Martin began attacking the list. Good progress was made until we needed some RG59U video cable. The only hope was the Guernsey marine electronics company RES but it had closed for the day. However, we sent an email from their website and within moments we had a telephone call. ‘Yes, we have some in stock,’ said Robin. ‘Come by the shop in the morning – we open at 0830.’

By the time Martin had to catch his return flight the next day, all niggles had been resolved apart from the Navtex which needed a new aerial.

Did Martin like his time in Guernsey? ‘It’s an awesome and beautiful place,’ was Martin’s comment. Says it all, doesn’t it?

Piers
from the Nav Table of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

Servicing / Technical / Nav

A new helm seat

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The new STIDD helm seat
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The original helm seat was fine but had two drawbacks which, over time, had really begun to irritate. First, it creaked at every slight movement of the boat whilst cruising, and second, its ‘real estate’ footprint meant squeezing between it and the table to reach the port side of the Pilot House.

After chatting on the Fleming Owners forum, the answer had to be an Admiral Luxury Low Back Slimline helm seat from STIDD.

Fitting was really easy. The original seat was unscrewed from its stainless steel base plate which was itself bolted through the floor to a large aluminium plate. Since the STIDD had a larger diameter base, a new plate was fabricated to fit the same bolt holes.

Once the new base was installed, the STIDD instructions were easy to follow and in just 30 minutes the new seat ‘was born’. Its engineering is superb. The movement fore/aft, swivel, height and backrest angle, is so smooth. Beautiful.

The result – perfection! What a great seat. Bonus – no creaking and a smaller foot print.

Piers
from the Pilot House of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

Living aboard Play d'eau

Don’t do as I did

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Well, despite all the warnings of having someone to hold a ladder, I, of course, dismissed them as waffle from the kill joys at Health & Safety.

So, when standing on the ladder to clean the pony mast, the ladder slipped away from me leaving me pivoting on the radar arch.

The somewhat uncomfy part was that my whole weight was actually pinned on the vertical point of the courtesy flag cleat.

The result is as you see….plus two notes to self to re-mount the cleat horizontally and to have someone holding the ladder for me next time. DOH!

By the way, the pic of the bruise is a week after the event. I must also add how thankful I am that the cleat didn’t pierce my stomach.

Piers
from the Sick Bay of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

A somewhat sore bruise
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The cleat on which I was pivoting….
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Living aboard Play d'eau

Beaucette Marina – our new home

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Beaucette Marina
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Having arrived to live onboard Play d’eau in Beaucette Marina, Guernsey was bathed in sunshine. That’s until the gales started two days later.

Beaucette Marina used to be a granite quarry. After World War II, the owner called the Royal Engineers and asked if they’d like something to blow up. ‘Of course,’ was the reply. ‘We are always looking for things to practice on.’

Arriving in Guernsey, the Royal Engineers began, and over a period of some six months the wall between the quarry and the sea was breached creating an entrance with a natural sill for the new 115 berth marina.

A detailed history of Beaucette is on a separate page of this website.

The Marina Manager, Ricky, has measured the entrance when there’s 3m of tide over the sill, and it’s 50′ wide. Boats up to 70′ regularly use the marina.

There’s an excellent restaurant at the marina. The Restaurant at Beaucette Marina has been under new management by James and Valerie since June 1012 and is well worth a visit. Booking is advisable since it’s becoming very popular.

Piers
from the saloon of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

Living aboard Play d'eau

We have arrived!

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Arriving in Guernsey’s St Peter Port harbour on the Commodore Clipper ferry from Portsmouth
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We’ve arrived! We’re in Guernsey, on Play d’eau, beginning to live the dream we’ve held for so many years – we’ve come ‘home’.

Having boarded the 9am slow ferry from Portsmouth on 22 March 2013, we docked in the beautiful harbour of St Peter Port, Guernsey, at 4pm to start our new life as liveaboards on Play d’eau in Beaucette Marina..

The ferry crossing was in an Easterly F7 with wind over tide for much of the way creating an emotional spume strewn sea state, but as soon as we’d cleared the Alderney Race and entered ‘Channel Island territory’ the wind died down, the sea settled and the last two hours were lovely with the sun trying to peek through the cloud.

We drove off the ferry, handed in our landing cards, cleared customs, ready to begin the next chapter of our lives.

Piers and Lin
from the Saloon of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

Living aboard Play d'eau

All aboard

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Play d’eau at dawn off the Belgian coast
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It’s the start of a new adventure for Piers and Lin aboard Play d’eau – we’re moving aboard our recently refitted Fleming 55 as full time liveaboards based in Beaucette Marina, Guernsey in the Channel Islands.

Please keep a eye on this site for messages about our experiences and adventures in the months and years to come.

Piers and Lin
from the Saloon of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55