NEWS

Updates 25/02/2025 

As many know, the motor yacht S/Y Astrid was bought in Kristiansand (Norway) in the spring of 2024, and was taken to sail to Oslo. Problems arose already on the first trip with diesel. And more to come, this will be both expensive and time-consuming problems. 

 After arriving in Oslo, I had an engine man at Perkins on board to check the problem with the engine, the filter was changed and new fan belts were fitted. 

 All ok after the boat was filled with 350L of diesel I thought and the crew. 

 We start the voyage south towards Strømstad (Sweden), but do not get further than Drøbak and the filter was changed again. This lasted until we got to Strømstad, now we didn't have enough power on board so chargers were connected so that this was fine. But you don't know how long, as there is something stealing electricity on board. 

 The journey now continues towards Læsø (Denmark), again we have problems with the charging on board. But we landstrøm help us with more electricity. Checks with an ammeter and it shows that the batteries charge too much with shore power but not enough with charge from the boat. But we continue on towards Odense in Denmark.

The mood on board is top both with the skipper and the crew and now there will be night sailing for the first time on the trip. 

 But there will now be bigger problems during the night, as we still have too little electricity and diesel problems even though the diesel filter is changed again at night to no help. 

As we begin to approach Grenå (Denmark) some of the crew are tired and the skipper (me) decides to contact the rescue company in Denmark to get their help for both the crew and the sailboat. After a while, the coastal rescue SAR from Grenå arrives with a vessel and I get the crew ashore and I myself am back on board the boat awaiting tow. 

Now I am being towed to the fishing harbor in Grenå with BIG HELP from SAR, and we get a good place with power options and SAR contacts service people from Grenå. When service people arrive at the port, the diesel tank is checked (diesel is expensive), but a bit sad as there is over 200L of diesel on board. We get it cleaned and the filter changed, but we also have other problems such as the steering, electrics and cables in the mast. I feel like this is going to be expensive. 

 What do I do next now? 

Is there no way out and arrange this so that the voyage will continue, So we start with the diesel problem first and it soon turns out that all filters (in the tank) and replacement of the diesel pump will be arranged. Then all cables, pulleys and bolts had to be changed for the external steering and the beam for the hydraulic steering was cracked and a new and larger beam had to be fitted. Then I see from the inside cabin/galley that large rust attacks on the bolts for the cables in the mast are causing major problems, I try to tighten a nut and the bolts come off and the cables are a fact that have to be replaced. Again large costs that should have been spent on the voyage etc. 

 Then there is the charge again, changing two dynamos, fan belts and new batteries will be the solution. After I have now spent so much money, the idea was to install Lithium batteries, but it was too expensive. It may be by installing a solar panel,

I continue checking the boat, I discover that there is a mixture of oil/water in the keel that comes from oil containers, the oven and the toilet in the bathroom. So here it needs to be fitted with a bilge pump for the keel and better securing of the oil furnace. In addition, the old water heater is removed so that a new one can be installed with a shower in the captain's cabin/toilet, but this must be installed at a later date. 

 If the boat is to become a sailing boat for all types of water, it must be landed and all hull fittings replaced, bottom oiled, all instruments and GPSMAP (Raymarine), EPIRB emergency bearing transmitter, Sailor VHF (AIS), 2 x 160W solar panel, AIS receiver/transmitter, deck lighting, windshield and anchor lighting replaced. This is being done these days. 

 So far I have spent in excess of NOK 150,000. If I had known that there would be such large costs, I would probably have bought a bigger and newer boat, but this is too late and everything that has been done is something you will never get back in a sale. 

 The mood is probably a bit up and down, but eventually it will get better :-)

07.03.2025

So now I have sold the fishing vessel (Novos) to Tromsø in Northern Norway. 

So then there will be a renovation of S/Y Astrid, so that she gets the equipment she needs, and that she will be seaworthy again. 

 So today we will be packing up everything that is going down to Denmark, such as a fixed satellite phone (Irdium), EPIRB emergency locator transmitter and portable VHF for a brand life raft (Jotrun). Drinking water/food/rescue rockets will also be packed down. 

Plus many other necessary equipment.