What Needs Doing on Champagne A Thames A-Rater? Turning a Boat Into a Project Plan

 

What Needs Doing on Champagne? Turning a Boat Into a Project Plan

There is a slightly dangerous moment in any restoration project when enthusiasm arrives before the clipboard.

You stand in the boat park, looking at the boat, full of ideas. You imagine the first proper sail, the polished varnish, the restored fittings, the new cover, the smart photographs, the videos, the social media posts, and perhaps — with dangerous optimism — even racing.

Then reality taps you on the shoulder.

There are holes in the cover.
The rudder cassette has a wobble.
The varnish has seen better days.
The sails are old.
There are small GRP gouges in the hull.
The rigging needs understanding, checking and adjusting.
And before anything else, the key question is not, “How beautiful can we make her?”

The key question is:

What must be fixed before Champagne sails safely, and what can wait?

That is where a boat stops being just a boat and becomes a project plan.

The Temptation to Start Everywhere at Once

Champagne is not just any old boat. She is a Thames A-Rater, full of character, history, oddities, elegance and, if I am honest, a certain amount of intimidation.

A-Raters are not subtle boats. They do not sit quietly in the boat park pretending to be practical. They have tall rigs, long hulls, beautiful lines and the sort of presence that makes people stop and look.

That is wonderful.

It is also slightly alarming when you have just bought one.

The temptation is to start everywhere at once. Polish this. Sand that. Replace this. Photograph that. Order new sails. Re-varnish everything. Make a logo. Film a video. Design a T-shirt. Start a YouTube series. Buy more sandpaper. Wonder why the bank account is making a faint whimpering noise.

But restoration does not work well as panic with tools.

It needs triage.

Step One: Separate Safety From Vanity

The first job is to divide the work into sensible categories.

Not everything that looks bad is urgent.
Not everything that looks small is harmless.
Not everything expensive is immediately necessary.
And not everything beautiful makes the boat safer.

For Champagne, I would divide the jobs into four broad groups:

1. Must fix before sailing
2. Should fix soon
3. Performance improvements
4. Cosmetic and presentation work

That does not mean the cosmetic work is unimportant. The appearance of a boat matters, especially when we are building a public story around Champagne. Photographs, videos, social media and presentation all help people care about the project.

But a shiny boat with a doubtful rudder is not a success.

It is a very polished accident waiting for a date in the diary.

Must Fix Before Sailing

The first category is the serious one.

These are the jobs that affect whether the boat can be sailed safely and sensibly.

The Rudder Cassette

The rudder cassette is high on the list because steering is not optional.

A small amount of movement may seem harmless when the boat is sitting still in the boat park, but on the water every loose fitting becomes more important. A wobbling cassette can affect control, confidence and possibly safety.

Before Champagne does any serious sailing, the rudder system needs to be checked carefully.

Questions to ask:

• Is the cassette secure?
• Is there play in the fittings?
• Are the bolts, pins and fixings sound?
• Is the rudder blade sitting correctly?
• Is the movement acceptable, or is it getting worse?
• Could anything fail under load?

This is not a job to guess at. Steering is one of those systems where “probably fine” is not really a maintenance strategy.

Rigging Checks

Champagne’s rig is one of the most important areas to understand properly.

The mast, shrouds, forestay, jib attachment, halyards, sheets and control lines all need checking. An A-Rater carries a serious rig, and there is no point pretending that a quick glance and a hopeful tug on a rope is enough.

The rigging needs to be treated as a system.

What is holding the mast up?
What is adjusting the sail shape?
What is under load?
What could chafe, snap, slip or jam?
Which lines are old?
Which fittings are improvised?
Which parts do we understand, and which parts are still a mystery?

The jib attachment is a good example. If a previous rope lashing has failed, replacing it with something more secure, such as an appropriate shackle, becomes a priority. It may be a small fitting, but small fittings can have large consequences.

Rigging also has a learning curve. It is not just a case of replacing things. We need to understand how Champagne is meant to be set up, how much tension is appropriate, and how other A-Rater sailors manage similar boats.

This is where asking experienced club members is not a sign of weakness. It is basic survival.

GRP Gouges in the Hull

Champagne has a couple of small gouges in her GRP hull. They do not make the boat look dreadful, but they need proper attention before too much sailing.

The important thing is to decide whether they are cosmetic surface marks or actual damage that could allow water into the laminate.

A sensible repair process would be:

• Clean the damaged area thoroughly
• Remove loose material
• Bevel the edges so the repair has a proper key
• Fill with suitable marine epoxy filler
• Sand the repair flush
• Finish with gelcoat or suitable protection

This is a classic example of a job that can look minor but still deserves doing properly. A boat lives in water. Water is persistent. It has all day. It also has evenings, weekends and bank holidays.

If there is a way into the laminate, water will eventually find it.

Basic Buoyancy, Control and Fittings

Before sailing, the whole boat needs a simple but ruthless check.

Can everything needed for control be operated quickly and reliably?
Are blocks running freely?
Are sheets in good condition?
Are cleats secure?
Are fittings cracked or loose?
Are there sharp edges that will damage ropes or fingers?
Is anything likely to jam during a tack or gybe?

The best time to discover a problem is in the boat park with a notebook.

The worst time is halfway through a manoeuvre with the wind up, the riverbank getting closer, and someone shouting advice from a safety boat.

Should Fix Soon

The second category contains jobs that may not stop Champagne sailing immediately, but should not be ignored.

The Cover

Champagne’s current cover is not really a cover. It is more of a historical document with holes.

A good cover is not glamorous, but it is one of the most important restoration tools you can buy or make. It keeps rain out, protects varnish, slows deterioration, keeps the cockpit cleaner and helps prevent small problems becoming big ones.

The temporary tarpaulin is useful, but it is not the long-term answer.

Champagne needs a proper cover that fits. Ideally, she needs a tent-style cover that allows air movement as well as protection. Boats do not like being sealed up damp. A cover that traps moisture can create almost as many problems as no cover at all.

The cover is not just a convenience. It is part of the restoration strategy.

Varnish and Woodwork

The varnish is one of the most visible jobs, and therefore one of the most tempting.

There is something deeply satisfying about good varnish. It transforms a boat. It makes people stop and admire her. It also looks wonderful in photographs and video.

But varnish is not just decoration. It protects the wood.

If water has got underneath the varnish, the priority is not simply to make it shiny again. The priority is to stop further damage. That means sanding back failing areas, letting the wood dry properly if needed, and rebuilding the protective coating carefully.

This is not a job to rush between rain showers.

The weather window matters. Surface preparation matters. Dust matters. Drying time matters. Patience matters.

Unfortunately, patience is not sold in tins next to the Epifanes varnish.

Photographic Condition Record

One of the most useful jobs is also one of the easiest to overlook: take photographs before doing too much work.

Photograph everything.

The hull.
The fittings.
The rudder cassette.
The rigging.
The sails.
The varnish.
The damaged areas.
The cover.
The blocks, cleats, ropes and attachments.

This creates a record of the starting point. It helps track progress. It helps when asking for advice. It also becomes valuable content for blogs, videos and social media.

Before-and-after photographs are powerful because they show that restoration is not magic. It is a sequence of decisions, mistakes, fixes, improvements and small victories.

They also remind you how far you have come when the project feels endless.

Performance Improvements

This category includes things that could make Champagne sail better, but do not necessarily need doing before the next cautious outing.

Sails: New, Old or Good Enough for Now?

The sails are a major decision.

New sails would be wonderful. They would also be expensive. A new main and jib for an A-Rater are not impulse purchases unless your impulse control is very poor and your wallet has given up resisting.

Champagne’s current sails are old. There are also older donated sails from Straight Dealer. The question is not simply, “Are new sails better?”

Of course they are.

The better question is:

Do we need new sails now, or do we first need to learn the boat?

There is a strong argument for sailing with the existing sails while we learn how Champagne behaves. We need to understand the rig, the controls, the handling, the weaknesses and the priorities. Only then can we make an informed decision about new sails.

Otherwise, we risk buying performance before we have earned the ability to use it.

That is not restoration. That is retail therapy with battens.

Rig Tuning

Rig tuning will eventually become a major area of learning.

How much tension?
What mast position?
How should the jib be set?
What affects pointing ability?
How does the boat behave in light winds?
What changes when the wind increases?
How do other A-Raters at the club set up their rigs?

This is where Champagne becomes not just a restoration project, but a learning project.

The boat has to teach us what she needs. The experienced sailors around us will also be essential. There is no shame in standing beside the boat with a notebook and asking basic questions. In fact, that may be the most intelligent thing we can do.

Cosmetic and Presentation Work

Cosmetic work can wait, but it still matters.

Champagne is not just being repaired privately in a corner. She is becoming part of a story: a blog, a YouTube series, a Facebook page, photographs, restoration updates and eventually, we hope, racing.

Presentation helps people connect with the project.

Making Champagne Look Like Champagne

There is a difference between a boat that has a name and a boat that has an identity.

Champagne already has a wonderful name. It suggests celebration, sparkle, elegance and possibly financial irresponsibility. That gives us something to build on.

Logos, name graphics, video titles, photographs, posters and merchandise can all help create a recognisable public identity. But those things need to support the real project, not distract from it.

The story only works if the boat is genuinely being cared for.

A good logo cannot fix a loose rudder.

The Boat Park Image

The suggested image for this blog is perfect:

A clipboard or checklist beside Champagne in the boat park.

That image says everything.

It shows that this is not just a romantic restoration dream. It is practical. It is organised. It is methodical. It turns a slightly overwhelming boat into a series of jobs that can be understood, prioritised and completed.

A good image might include:

• Champagne in the background
• A printed checklist on a clipboard
• A pencil or marker pen
• Close-up photographs of fittings or damage
• A roll of tape, sandpaper or a small tool
• The temporary cover visible in the shot

It should feel like the start of a proper project.

Not chaos.
Not panic.
A plan.

The Champagne Restoration Triage List

A useful first version of the checklist might look like this:

Before Sailing

• Check rudder cassette and steering security
• Inspect rigging, shrouds, forestay and mast fittings
• Replace unsafe or temporary lashings
• Check jib attachment
• Inspect sheets, halyards, blocks and cleats
• Repair or protect GRP gouges
• Check buoyancy and essential safety items
• Confirm the boat can be controlled reliably

Soon

• Design or order a proper fitted cover
• Improve temporary weather protection
• Photograph and document all areas
• Begin varnish assessment
• Identify areas where water may be getting under varnish
• Make a written condition report
• Ask experienced A-Rater sailors to inspect key systems

Later

• Decide on sail replacement
• Learn rig tuning
• Improve cosmetics
• Refinish woodwork properly
• Create name graphics and branding
• Develop video and social media updates
• Produce before-and-after restoration content

This list will change. All good project plans do.

The purpose is not to predict everything perfectly. The purpose is to stop the project becoming a cloud of worry.

Why a Checklist Changes Everything

A checklist does something powerful.

It turns “There is so much to do” into “Here is the next thing.”

That matters because restoration can easily become overwhelming. Every job reveals three more jobs. Every fitting leads to a question. Every question leads to a discussion. Every discussion leads to someone saying, “While you’re doing that, you may as well…”

Those are dangerous words.

“While you’re doing that” is how a small repair becomes a full rebuild, a full rebuild becomes a new trailer, and a new trailer becomes a conversation about whether a larger workshop would be useful.

The checklist keeps us honest.

It helps separate:

• What is urgent from what is merely annoying
• What is safety-critical from what is cosmetic
• What is affordable now from what needs planning
• What we know from what we still need to learn

That is how Champagne becomes manageable.

A Personal Reflection: Boats Teach Project Management Very Quickly

One of the things I enjoy about this project is that it brings together so many parts of what Philip M Russell Ltd does.

There is practical problem-solving.
There is photography.
There is video production.
There is social media storytelling.
There is research and development.
There is teaching, because every stage can become an explanation.
There is even a bit of psychology, because staying calm in the face of a long job list is not automatic.

In many ways, Champagne is a floating classroom.

She teaches planning, materials, forces, weather, communication, budgeting, patience and humility. Mostly humility.

You may think you are restoring a boat, but very quickly the boat starts restoring your sense of priorities.

Conclusion: First Make Her Safe, Then Make Her Beautiful

The dream is to see Champagne sailing properly, looking elegant, and eventually joining the other A-Raters on the river.

But the route to that dream is not one dramatic leap. It is a checklist.

First, make her safe.
Then make her reliable.
Then make her better.
Then make her beautiful.

The varnish can wait if the steering needs attention.
The logo can wait if the rigging needs checking.
The new sails can wait if we still need to understand the boat.

That does not make the project less exciting. It makes it more real.

Champagne is no longer just a boat we bought.

She is a plan, a story, a restoration, a learning project and, hopefully, one day soon, a racing A-Rater again.

But before that happens, I need a clipboard, a camera, a checklist and possibly another cup of tea.

Because every great restoration begins with one honest question:

What needs doing first?