THE BOAT NEEDS MAINTENANCE OR YOU LOSE IT
These are the lapidary words of Fulvio Montaldo, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Shipyards of Sestri. It sounds obvious, but a boat can have almost infinite life – or, several lives – if it is subjected to a series of care and constant maintenance, meticulous and well executed
This is a widespread philosophy in the nautical environment, but a real dogma to Sestri Naval Shipyards, also because shipowners are not always sensitive to this, as a result of deceptive savings.
In fact, in recent years, the nautical culture is returning, with fewer “improvised” navigators and a more imperious return of old-fashioned yachtmen, are shipowners or commanders. This also means more attention not only to ordinary maintenance, but also to all those jobs that – in fact – can give life to a boat again.
Let’s go for order.
The most normal preventive maintenance, but often underestimated, concerns the antiosmos treatment. The hulls are composed of layers of glass wool covered with resin: long water immersion, penetrates small amounts of water inside the resin by wetting the glass fiber that forms the classic bubbles (osmosis), of which it is practically It is impossible to get rid of, except for antifouling treatment. And being a delicate and complex work, especially during the stage of stripping and preparation, it must be done by experienced professionals and with top quality products. And the thing most shipowners underestimate is that it should be done every 12 months!
There are more complex jobs, however, considered maintenance in order to have a safe boat, such as: upgrading on board systems, as well as renewing environments. The most common cases concern, modify or customize a boat just after buying, modifying the boat (even with elongation), the blanket or the interior.
Various cases where boats have suffered serious injury, accidents, fires or even surrenders. In these cases, the restoration operations are obviously more complex: but what matters is that, if entrusted to the right hands, any boat with any damage, can look or receive a second life again.
In Sestri Shipyards specialization remains on wood, steel and aluminum, but in recent years new trends have also led to specialization on carbon and kevlar.
Over the years, the Sestri Shipyards are also changing the trends of refitting types: up to a few years ago, most refitting operations involved hulls ranging from 15 to 30 meters; Today it rises from 30 to 45 meters, up to 60 meters. And this is another sign of great skill and advanced ability by Fulvio Montaldo’s Sestri team.
To learn more about antifouling:
Hydrotoxic voids work: (Photo)
