Spirit History

In 1971 a French yachting enthusiast commissioned naval architect Frederick Parker to design a large ocean going going yacht to meet the exacting Lloyds 100A1 classification.

The hull was bult in the Hamble by Joyce Brothers, a small shipyard specialising in 60 -70 foot yachts and motor cruisers. Once completed she was shipped to St Malo in France for the interior to be fitted out in Burma teak pannelling, walnut doors and teak and holly sole boards.

Commissioned in 1972 and named Senouire she was sailed to the Mediterranean where she was used for private cruising and charter,  before changing hands and under the pretext of searching for “archeological salvage” was involved in a dubious business between the Bahamas and Miami resulting in her being impounded by the US Coastguard and sold under tender in Fort Lauderdale. 

I came across her in 1997 while looking for a suitable vessel on which to provide mileage experience for prospective yachtmaster candidates.

Following her purchase Senouire underwent a complete refit in Cork Dockyard under the scrutiny of the Department of Transport’s surveyor and in the spring of 1998 she was launched bearing her new name of Spirit of Oysterhaven and carrying the full Passenger Licence.

During that summer Spirit of Oysterhaven featured in Derek Davis’ TV series “Out of the Blue” and the following year sailed to the Tall Ships event in Dublin. In 2002 she sailed across the Atlantic, returning from Antigua to Kinsale and inspiring Theo Dorgan’s lyrical account of the voyage in his book “Sailing Home”.

After a facelift and refit in Spain Spirit set off once more across the Atlantic, this time via the Cape Verde islands, landing in Tobago, and sailing up along the island chain as far as Antigua, where she once again sailed in Antigua Classic Regatta.

Following a more extensive refit in Trinidad Spirit sailed back to Ireland via the Azores in the spring of 2010 and began the process of upgrading her systems to meet the new Passenger Boat Comsail regulations.

In 2012, with her new licence, she set off for the Tall Ships in Dublin with a crew young people, some able bodied and some with disabilities, as part of a Club initiative.

In 2013 she sailed to Barcelona, Toulon and La Spezia participating in the Mediterranean Tall Ships Regatta.

Between 2013 and 2017 Spirit has been in active service working closely with Sail Training Ireland, attending Maritime Festivals and developing sail training programmes around the island of Ireland.

In recognition of that work Spirit of Oysterhaven was awarded Best Vessel Operator in the small vessel category by Sail Training International. An award we shared with our partner Safehaven Voyages.

In 2017 we undertook a final 'lap of honour' around the Atlantic and participated in Antigua Classic Regatta for our third time. Overwintering in Lanzarate Spirit sailed to the Azotres in March before hauling out for a final refit and respray in Xufre, Ria Do Arousa, Galicia.

She now lies on the hard in Varadeiro Do Xufre and we invite inspection from prospective buyers.

 

Oliver Hart 02.10.18

 

 

Voyage History

1997     Purchase. Repair and rebuild Cork Dockyard

1998    Launch. Tall Ships Dublin. Yachtmaster Training PWI.

1999    West Cork charter - Oysterhaven to Dingle.

2000     Kinsale to Nazare, return. Out of the Blue with Derek Davis RTE filming from Kilmore Quay to Bantry Bay. 

2001     West Cork charter, Learning the Ropes. Kinsale to Muros, Baiona, Nazare, Madeira

2002     Madeira, Gran Canaria, St Martin. Caribbean cruising. Antigua Classic Regatta, Azores, Kinsale. Atlantic Spain and Portugal, Gibraltar, Ceuta, Almerimar

2003     Almerimar to St Carles de la Rapita - Refit, recaulk deck

2004     St Carles de la Rapita, Balearics, Madeira, Tenerife,

2005     Cape Verde. Trans Atlantic to Tobago,Caribbean Cruising, Antigua Classic Regatta, Trinidad

2006    Feb Trinidad to Martinique Trinidad. Charlie etc

2007    Jan/Feb Trinidad to Bequia Wallilabou Trinidad

2008     Refit Chaguaramas

2009     Sandblast Respray Chaguaramas

2010     Trinidad St Martin Azores Portugal Nazare

2011     Return Al Thomas Eamon Owen. Oldcourt for refit

2012    Refit. Deck Tall Ships Dublin

2013    Sail Training season, Spirit of Asgard Award,  Tall Ships Mediterranean Regatta - Barcelona, Toulon, La Spezia. Overwinter St Carles de la Rapita.

2014     Gibraltar, Cascais, Oysterhaven. Sail Training season Ireland. Filmed for Port of Cork Mega Port ICC cruise. Overwinter Portimao

2015     Seville, Faro, Cascais, Biscay Owen, Sail Training season Circumnavigation of Ireland. Belfast Tall Ships, Overwinter Kinsale

2016     Refit Oldcourt, Dept Survey, Ultrasonics survey. Sail training season, Sail to Baiona, Cascais, Portimao, Madeira, Islas Selvegas,  Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Cape Verdes.

2017     Atlantic crossing to Barbados, Grenada islands north, Antigua Classic Regatta, St Martin, Bemuda Azores Oysterhaven. Sail Training Season, Vigo, Porto, Vilamoura, Porto Santo, Lanzarote. Islas Selvegas Lanzarote.

2018     La Palma, Ponta Delgada, Ria Do Arousa Galicia.

 

 

Refit History

 

2018

Reconditioned Hydraulic anchor winch

Resprayed Hull

Fitted new cutless bearing to propshaft

Refurbished interior

Cleaned, primed and painted bilges, lazarette and forepeak.

Sand & varnish exterior woodwork

Refitted Sampson Post

 

2017

New Anchor Pool Type N HHP Anchor weighing 79 kgs

Fitted new Engine Start batteries 2 x 12 volt

Fitted new engine alternator

Replaced forward WC

Replaced manual toilet pump aft

New cordage Blue polyester 100m x 20mm

        Blue braid on braid 100m x14mm

        Gold braid on braid 100m x 12mm

New Tellarini bilge pump

Replacement light fittings saloon

New hydrostatic release for Epirb

New 220 fridge

New Victron 24/12 Converter 

New U/v strip on Genoa

New U/v strip on yankee

New gooseneck fitting for foreboom

 

2016

New Force 10 4 burner cooker with oven

New forward sea valve

Fitted new house batteries 6 x 12 volt

Reconditioned Volvo  engine - replaced injectors

Fitted DuoGen 

Replaced forestay

Fitted new Profurl to Yankee furling

Refitted forepeak firepump

New Tellerini bilge pump fitted

Mast and rigging inspected

Steel work on hull

New teak steering wheel

Installed YB Tracking

Insulation fitted to engine room

New cheek block

Replacement winch for sampson post

Ultrasonics survey

Marman Survey

Dept of Transport survey

Ultrasonic survey

New Navionics Charts for Western Europe

 

2015

Engine room rewired, new fuse boards installed

Hydraulic windlass serviced

 

 

2014

New Haztec gas alarm sensors

 

New Spinnaker

 

 

2013

Refitted fwd and aft heads, fibreglass lining. Fitted out lockers, galley, cabins.

New sails: Main, Foremain, Genoa, Yankee

New Fisherman

New Brass Rim lamps for cabins

Stability Survey/Construction survey/ Scantlings Survey?Inclining test

Ultrasonics survey (KP O’mahoney)

New winches

 

2012

New morse cables

Installed silverflex fuel lines and hydraulic hoses

New Perkins fuel lift pump

Raymarine AIS650

Raymarine 18” 4KW Digital Radome 

Navionics Gold 28XG

Raymarine Multifunction C90

3 x new Houdini hatches

Installation of cockpit operated 32.14kg Engine Room CO2 Fire Suppression System

2 x Harken Winches new

New 32mm Track

New Tri Roller Cars for Genoa and Yankee

3 x Pad eyes

Aqua signal Deck lights x 5

Steaming light

V Tronix 1.5 m VHF aerial and cable

New mast cable for lights

Masts lifted, inspected and cables refitted.

Repairs to steel on foredeck.

Grit blast and prime steel deck.

Entire deck epoxied

Stazo Marine Cork Deck

4 New ss cowl vents and dorado boxes

New plates fitted where corroded.        §

 

2011

New Licence  P6

Installed new water tight bulkhead forward.

 

2010

New Profurl C480 18m

 

2009

New Mast head LED Tricolour

New Shrouds and stays:

Inner Forestay

Mizzen upper part cap shroud

Intermediate shroud

Lower Shroud

Forestay

Backstay, Insulators

Turnbuckles, swages, pelican eyes etc (See invoice list)

Installled collision bulkhead

 

2008

Sandblasted water tanks.

Replated Hull at stern

 

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