Starting March 2015, Canadian Ocean Racing has been refitting O Canada, Canada’s IMOCA open 60, and getting her ready for a launch tour to the eastern coast of Canada.
O Canada has been on the hard since 2013, but was wrapped and properly stored — all in all she is in very good shape!
“O Canada was well taken care of but still needs some TLC to get her ready for the delivery and, ultimately, the IMOCA open 60 races. It’s great that she is stored in Vancouver where I can enjoy working and being home, while having a large network of support around me,” said Eric Holden, Principal and Skipper of Canadian Ocean Racing.
Aside from general maintenance, the team has a bit of carbon fiber work and other minor repairs. Hydraulics appear to look good with just a bit of corrosion in need of service. Holden reports that overall there are few structural repairs needed at this point.
Some electronics expect to be repaired or updated and the team is currently in search of a telecommunications support partner. The team expects the refit to last 4-6 weeks, leaving Vancouver by the end of April to begin the launch tour to eastern Canada.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for frequent updates on O Canada’s refit!
UPDATE 21 March 2015:
We are just steps away from stepping the mast! Currently on track for O Canada being put back in the water the last week of March, with a loaded schedule for her here in Vancouver. Lots has been done since the last update, here are a few highlights:
-Hydraulics: Our hydraulic system that operates our canting keel has been inspected and serviced. New gaiters have been specially commissioned to keep the system as water-tight as possible. One of our AOAs, Sandy, has been working with a hydraulics specialist to refit and test the system in preparation for water trials next week.
-Ballast: O Canada’s water ballast system has been cleaned and serviced. Our team has removed all of the hose that runs through the entire system and replaced them with brand new hoses. Lots of hose to be replaced for this system that runs water from collection at the bow to the ballast tanks situated more aft. A new pump system was also installed, allowing for the water being transferred between tanks to do so more efficiently.
-Sails: Our large wardrobe of 11 sails have all been laid out and inspected. Thanks to the local North Sails guys, we were able to get expert help in repairing some sails and refitting one of our spinnakers. All in all the sails are in pretty good condition, so very few repairs were required. Some cars need to be replaced on our main sail, a few patches were applied to head sails, and a complex matrix of batons was devised to know which batons go where!
-Mast: Our 86 ft mast has been the center of attention this past week. She was primed and painted, then moved to a larger area to be built. We needed to commission a crane and semi to get her to the new work area, wasn’t an easy move but we got her there safely. Currently all spreaders have been reinstalled and the shrouds have been added as well. Should be an even greater sight seeing her stepped next week!
UPDATE 5 March 2015:
The team has been hard at work for the past week, and there sure was a lot of cleaning to be done! First week was spent getting O Canada unwrapped — deck and hull cleaned and polished. Eric and some of our AOA team arrived on 1 March and got right to work.
With lots of hands available and some skilled workers (this certainly isn’t Tom’s first time using a sander!) a lot of progress has been made for just the first week working at Shelter Island Marina. O Canada’s hull has been scrubbed down and is now ready for her fluorescent paint job, as required by IMOCA Open 60 rules. The keel bulb has also been sanded, getting her smooth and good as new!
Mast got a nice clean and wax by Tom while Morgen tackled the daggerboard casings. Our former Clipper crew mate, James, stopped by on Monday to service our engine. Always nice to have a diesel mechanic as a friend!
