Blog 2 - Diomedeas History

The history of Diomedea

I am not 100% clear on her history, but here is the story I have been telling others until I am told otherwise.

I was given badges from her interior that state she was launched in 2000. She sailed in the Bankwest “Splash” regatta from Geraldton to Darwin in 2002. The original owners sold her following a fire while on the hardstand (on land) in Geraldton Western Australia.

Being a steel yacht she is subject to corrosion, there is a visible welded patch on the starboard mid ship, below the water line. The story goes, while she was on the hardstand to be repaired, the persons employed to do the work did not have keys to access her interior. While cutting or welding the replacement patch, part of the wood interior next to the engine room caught fire. The yacht club refused to open the yacht up as this would have most definatly fed the fire. The fire went out quickly, damage was done through heat and smoke to the interior linings and plastics.

I don’t know, but I will find out how the last owner came to purchased her. The last owner transported her to his private property and commenced a refit. The interior work completed included; striping out all the damaged linings, refinishing the forward birth and starting the stern cabin work. Exterior work completed was of the highest standard including replating a couple sections of the hull and a new step down transom was added (very back part). The exterior hull and transom work was completed by Jack Hoffman the best in the business when it comes to steel yachts in WA.  Jack Hoffman as well, drew up plans for a much nicer coach house (canopy on deck). Thanks to the previous owner for giving me these plans, I will scan them and add them to the site.

I was lucky to receive nearly all the electronics instruments and most work. All the other fittings from the yacht were included in the sale, minus most of the sail wardrobe and safety gear, which the original owners most probably kept. The last owner purchased brand new hatches and port holes to replace the originals, including a custom made hatch for the new transom.

I have photos of the interior after the fire and will add them here soon.