Slightly later than anticipated, Banjaard was relaunched on Friday morning after her refit at Marine and General Engineers in St Sampson’s. A big thank you to John Webster and his team for all of their work. Banjaard spent the last night in the slings in the 75 ton travel hoist so I could do all of the patches that are impossible to do when she sits in her purpose-built cradle.
The number “19” has now been put on the hull on both sides, and the Institute of Cancer Research ICR 2009 Centenary logo has also been attached as you can see in the picture.
I always like refitting close to my home in the smaller harbour, St Sampson’s, in the northern end of Guernsey. My father grew up here, overlooking the harbour until his childhood was changed forever when, like most of the other children of Guernsey, he was evacuated in the early part of the Second World War. He left as a child and returned to a very different place as a man. It is strange, but St Sampson’s Harbour is the place where I always feel closest to him. I could see his old bedroom window from where I was putting on the last coat of antifoul.
My father lost his fight against cancer back in 1982. As someone who had always loved the sea himself, but never had the opportunity to do something like the OSTAR, I hope he would be proud of me taking advanage of this opportunity to set off across the Atlantic, whilst at the same time trying to help those who are, or who might have to, fight the same fight.
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