About this site

Piers and Lin du Pré bought their new Fleming 55 / 129, Play d'eau, in 2003.

She was berthed in Beaucette Marina, Guernsey in the Channel Islands at N49° 30’.197 W002° 30’.350 until she was sold in October 2021.

This site charts the thrilling adventures they had in her.

You can contact us here.

Where’s Play d’eau?

If the new owners have the AIS on, you can find where Play d'eau is right now.

Click here.

Zoom in and our position will be shown on a map.

Recent Posts

Upgrades for 2019

Play d'eau's new carpet

Play d’eau’s new (almost white!) carpet
click to enlarge

We started planning this year’s upgrades by having new carpets in December 2018, ready for Christmas.

New carpets

After 16 years of sterling service the backing of our brown saloon and companionway carpets was sad and disintegrating.

Due to a broken arm, the original carpet supplier was out of action (how thoughtless was that?) and we couldn’t find anyone in Guernsey with the equipment to whip carpet edges.

But all was not lost. Turning to trusty Google, we found Marine Boat Carpets and entered into long and encouraging discussions with boat carpet maker Toby Butlin. On the appointed date, I was at the airport to meet him and after a fortifying coffee and Jammy Dodger, the choice of an almost white, 80% woollen carpet was made, and Toby painstakingly began creating templates.

The plan was for Toby to make the carpet and send it to us. ‘What about fitting?’ I asked. ‘Just unroll it. It’ll fit, but if it’s not as you want, I’ll come straight back.’

Play d'eau's old carpet

Play d’eau’s old (brown) carpet
click to enlarge

In time for Christmas, we carried our material prize to Play d’eau, and as Toby had instructed, we rolled it out. Perfection! A bonus? With the off-cut, Toby had made a fitted carpet for the engine room…

By the way, we really aren’t paranoid about marking the new carpet. Really. No. Not in the least…

Electrics

The electrics upgrades to happen from March onwards, include,

  • Wiring the ability to parallel both alternators whilst underway to charge both 24v battery banks, using an automatic charging relay
  • Adding 2 voltmeters to monitor both 24v battery banks above the existing 12v battery panel
  • Potentially, replacing the existing transducer with an Airmar UDST800 Doppler speed and depth transducer

The existing 12v battery panel
click to enlarge

The ‘usual’ Marine and General annual hoist

And then in April, Play d’eau will be lifted at Marine and General for her annual spa and flattery treatments. The works list includes:

  • Power wash and clean below the waterline
  • Clean and polish the running gear, trim tabs and props
  • Anti-foul with Teamac
  • Instal a replacement sea-cock for the port engine
  • Refurbish all sea-strainers

Plus, completing the works to remove the last traces of the second time she was covered in iron filings.

Whilst chocked ashore, Lin and I will replace all 26 anodes and work on the engines and generators to ensure all is ready for the new season.

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

6 comments to Upgrades for 2019

  • Brian

    A busy start to your season, Piers! I leave tomorrow morning for South Carolina to get “Dress Gray” ready for her return journey to the Chesapeake Bay for the season ahead. Enroute, we will stop at Deltaville Marina in Deltaville, Virginia (lower end of the Chesapeake Bay) for a 24 hour short haul to clean her bottom side, replace zinc anodes, inspect the running gear, etc. Hopefully we find nothing else that requires this 24 hour stay to be extended.

    That FLIR M400 is a sweet unit. What an awesome gift from a wonderful son!

  • Glyn

    White for a carpet on board ship? Of course you’re not paranoid about marking the new carpet! Hope it’s got some sort of stain surface spray!

    However, it looks great

    Glyn xxx

  • Hmmm. Sadly no protection. We were advised against it by Toby Butlin, but told instead to have a bottle of Dr Beckmann’s carpet Stain remover to hand.

    But thanks for the ‘looks great’ comment. It does, and it makes the saloon look so much larger.

    Virtual hugs – Piers and Lin

  • May Heath

    It looks absolutely stunning!

  • Dear Piers and Lin

    I wanted to get in touch to pick your brains about marine services in Guernsey but the contact form on the website doesn’t seem to be working. We live on a Nordhavn 72 and are thinking of bringing her over Guernsey for a while.

    I’d be very grateful if you would get in touch via email if you’d be willing to offer a bit of insight into Guernsey as a potential maintenance location.

    Many thanks,

    Tom Reed
    M/V Alchemy

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