M&G | Play d'eau

Play d'eau on holiday at M&G — **Play d’eau**
on holiday at M&G Engineers, Guernsey
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Play d’eau is back in the water today (hurrah!) after being on hols for almost four weeks at M&G Engineers at St Sampsons.

The full works

So whilst we’ve been on our hols in Norway visiting the Arctic Circle on Hurtigruten’s MS Midnatsol, Play d’eau’s been pampered with a full spa treatment below her waterline.

She’s been pressure washed and antifouled, her shafts have been pulled, four new cutless bearings installed, stuffing boxes removed and cleaned, shaft seals replaced, and some GRP blemishes repaired.

With new external anodes all round and a full polish from the waterline up to her caprails, she’s been spoiled.

Internally

We head out of St Sampsons harbour
into fifty shades of bright orange over Herm
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Internally, we were able to do some small jobs such as dismantling and cleaning four engine sea-water strainers, changing the anodes on the two generators (the stbd is a real pain to do), and giving the engine room a good clean up.

She was ready. Ready for launch. Ready to go home to Beaucette.

Today’s the day

The alarm was set for 0420. After a quick cup of coffee (tea for Lin) we jumped in the car and headed to St Sampsons.

It was cold. The sky was clear but it was still dark; the sun hadn’t woken. The good news was that the wind had calmed right down to almost nothing from the ferocious winds of the last few days.

Opening M&G’s gate we climbed onto Play d’eau. ‘Good morning,’ we said. Was it me or did we hear her say, ‘Come on, let’s get going!’

Lin manoeuvres Play d'eau to leave St Sampsons — Lin manoeuvres **Play d’eau** to leave St Sampsons
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The plan was to be lowered into the water at 0630. Then, once the new fittings had been checked, we’d be released from the hoist’s strops to head for the open sea through St Sampsons harbour.

Provided the remnant of yesterday’s swell wasn’t too uncomfortable we’d turn NNE for Beaucette. If it was still lumpy we’d simply turn around and berth in St Sampsons harbour until the evening’s high tide.

Launch time

Checking all was ready, the hoist picked us up, Steve antifouled where the support legs had been, Kerin donned the remote control, manoeuvred the 75 tonne hoist and began to lower Play d’eau into the water.

We could almost feel Play d’eau shudder as her hull touched the cold water but we knew she was happy to be floating again. Steve became Captain Steve of ‘HMS M&G Dinghy’, commanding the fine vessel on its 10 metre sea voyage to Play d’eau's transom. Ship’s Engineer Shane joined us for the journey to Beaucette to check everything was working properly.

I wonder if Play d'eau shudders as she feels the temperature of the water — I wonder if **Play d'eau** shudders as she feels
the temperature of the water
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With the seals, strainers and logs checked for integrity, we started the engines. After a thumbs-up from Shane we launched just as the sun rose over Herm in a bright shower of fifty shades of bright orange.

Beaucette Ho!

Exiting St Sampsons, we turned to port and headed for Beaucette.

Although the swell had quietened it was still evident. Taking the inside passage there was only one patch of rough sea between Platte and Corbette D’Amont before it straightened itself out as we entered Beaucette’s approach channel.

Point of No Return

I had a Point of No Return (PNR) which was just before the last port hand marker where I must decide whether to continue into Beaucette or turn around and return to St Sampsons. Beyond this, I have to commit and continue.

Captain Steve commands the M&G Dingy — Captain Steve commands HMS M&G Dingy
with Ship's Engineer Shane
for the 10 metre voyage to
**Play d’eau**
*click to enlarge*

Although the swell was creating large surges and spray against the rocks to port and starboard of the approach channel, the channel itself looked good.

Decision made. I continued past the PNR and entered the channel. Play d’eau took it in her stride, no problem. I’m so proud of her.

We moored temporarily on the Fuelling Pontoon before taking her to her berth.

Welcome home

It's great being home again. We have many warm welcomes. ‘We’ve missed you.’ ‘It's been wrong seeing your berth empty.’

Sadness

One sadness. John, from the small white yacht behind us, has died whilst we’ve been away.

Kerin, Officer in Charge of the hoist, manoeuvres Play d'eau to the launch site — Kerin, Officer in Charge of the hoist, manoeuvres **Play d'eau** to the launch site
*click to enlarge*

Sometimes fondly known as ‘the old man of Beaucette’, John hadn’t been well for some time, and in a way his death was expected. But it's still a shock and a sadness.

For me, he’d occasionally given me fresh lobsters from his pots.

We had one thing in common. We both had really bushy eyebrows.

His funeral’s next Tuesday. We’ll be there.

Piers and Lin
from the saloon of
Play d’eau

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With the hoist in place, Steve removes the support legs — With the hoist ready to lift
Steve removes the support legs
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Twin shaft anodes are secured in place with jubilee clips — Twin shaft anodes
are secured in place with jubilee clips
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Shane adds the split pin to lock the prop nuts
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Shafts and props are installed
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Shane encourages the shaft to a snug fit — Shane ‘encourages’ the shaft to a snug fit
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The shaft fits through both bearings
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Through the first cutless bearing en route to the second — Through the first, en route to the second
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The shaft is guided through the first cutless bearing
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Shane greases the inner cutless bearing
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Two new cutless bearings are installed
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Dual controls for bow and stern thrusters
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We always thought that having a bow thruster was an admission of inability to drive a boat properly. I mean, you should be able to use a combination of props and rudder, and/or a combination of this with your warps, shouldn’t you?

But it didn’t take too long before we realised the bow thruster was a total boon when there’s little room to manoeuvre in a marina, especially if the wind is really strong.

As time passed, we began to wonder about a stern thruster as well. Would it really be useful?

When we anti-fouled Play d’eau in March 2010, we bit the bullet and decided to have a stern thruster fitted. We chose the same make (American Bow Thruster, Side Power) but because it was for the stern it could be slightly less powerful (less windage).

Seeing it came with the upgraded propeller design we upgraded the bow thruster’s propeller at the same time given it would increase power by 15%.

Before the hole could be cut in the transom, the main anodes had to be re-sited.

Watching the hole being cut was unnerving to say the least! Once cut, the thruster was mounted, secured, and the tunnel added. Overhead flaps were added to the tunnel to help prevent cavitation, and dual controls were installed. With the tunnel epoxied and anti-fouled, Play d’eau was ready to be launched.

Were there any water leaks? No. Was it really a good idea to have a stern thruster? Yes, Was it really necessary to have a stern thruster fitted? No. Are we glad we have it? Yes – just in case. Have we used it? Yes….

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