Couple went to remove all the paint from the bottom of their second-hand yacht and discovered the worst possible thing
- A Canadian bought a second-hand yacht
- The 78-foot aluminum yacht is called Tangaroa
- They were in for a shock when they stripped the paint
Published on Feb 06, 2025 at 7:04 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Feb 07, 2025 at 4:01 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
A Canadian couple had big plans to see the world aboard their second-hand yacht – but were in for a shock when they stripped the paint from the bottom.
The 78-foot aluminum yacht is called Tangaroa.
The classic 1969 Stephens Bros aluminum trawler is getting a modern makeover.
However, what they thought was a step on the way to setting sail proved to throw up even more problems than it solved.
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The second-hand yacht
Husband and wife team, Blaine and Janis, labeled themself a ‘couple of old yachties’ and share their adventures on Onboard Tangaroa – The Never-Ending Sea Trial.
Tangaroa is the 1969 aluminum trawler the pair are refitting.
The plan is to depart the home of Victoria, British Columbia, to take her to Siberia and Japan via Alaska on ‘the Great Siberian Sushi Run’.
The classic Stephens Bros yacht is the perfect project for the ‘DIY enthusiast, ‘passionate adventurers, DIY enthusiasts, and boating fanatics’.
Their tasks involved swapping out the Detroit Diesel engines for new Cummins, installing a custom fuel system, setting up lithium batteries and solar panels, to creating a wet exhaust system.
However, it was when it came to removing the paint from the aluminum hull that things appeared to go wrong.
What happened when the bottom was stripped?
As part of its restoration and refit, the pair planned to strip the second-hand boat’s 78′ aluminum yacht down to bare metal to check for hidden corrosion.
The process was grueling and the couple needed grinders and sandblasters to make it work with the hard work resulting in a nasty rash for one crew member.
Sadly a skin complaint wasn’t the end of their troubles.
As it was stripped, a significant hole was discovered in the hull, meaning the pair were forced to resort to welding repairs that led to a small fire due to residual oils and contaminants in the bilge.
Thankfully, they were able to extinguish the flames quickly.
In the process, they removed several unnecessary bronze through-hulls that had led to the galvanic corrosion. and sealed them to prevent corrosion issues from happening again in the future.
These were replaced with fiberglass-reinforced plastic fittings to prevent any further damage.
In addition, the team removed welded-on strainers which were corroding and trapping debris as well as a large, corroded exhaust system.
This work uncovered yet hidden hole with trapped saltwater inside, which was a sign that they needed complete replacements rather than patches.
After all those essential repairs were completed, the hull was coated with an epoxy barrier and multiple layers of bottom paint.
It included a bright blue layer added as a wear indicator to keep an eye on during their travels before a final red coat was applied.
All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”
