Fountaine pajot athena

[SV Bacchus]

Usually an engine, not sure it is always the same one on different multi's, does need to be running due to the high current draw.

I can't tell you which one on my Leopard as I always have both running since the anchor is coming up. When I signal my wife I have the anchor in sight she begins motoring.

[Dulcesuenos]

Our engines do not need to be on. Windlass works fine. I do believe that I had heard some did have it setup this way

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Dulcesuenos

Our engines do not need to be on. Windlass works fine. I do believe that I had heard some did have it setup this way

Some charter companies Ive known to wire a relay into the ingition to force charters to start engine(s) first...to offset load on batteries and of course the hook is presumably about to come up.

[Rapanui]

Yes, port engine has to be running. That combines the house and engine start battery via a Voltage Sensing Relay. It would be a worthwhile mod to allow the windlass operation with starboard engine running, but have never got round to it.
The circuit relay and switch logic is quite complicated to control the windlass and the emergency engine start. The only problem I have had with this area is the voltage sensitive relay contacts going high resistance with consequent voltage drop on house bank when charging with port engine. Otherwise quite neat and typically French idiosyncratic.

[FSmith]

Ok thanks Rapanui. That may explain the windlass not working since the boat in on the hard.

The Yanmar sd20 stb drive is frozen in nuetral. The output shaft will not turn. The oil did not look foamy but the boat has been sitting for quite awhile. Is it possible there is water in the drive cause it to freeze up?

Also the stb aluminum water tank may be leaking. The only place that I could see there being a deck leak around this tank would be the water deck fill. It looked ok so maybe the tank has a leak from chafe. No sure.

[Dulcesuenos]

I've had one sd 20 lock in neutral after 30 days on the hard. A good bump freed it up. Not sure what caused it, we had zero water in the drive. We Also have had a leak around the water deck on one side, needed better sealant and no more leak. The tanks are very well attatched and protected so chafe is unlikely. Ours leaked when it rained ormwashing the deck. If they ever truly go a new tank from triple m is about 350 made out of polyethylene.

[Rapanui]

I have never tried it but you maybe able to try the windlass on the hard by turning on the 'ignition' of the port engine' without starting it.
If you have a water tank leak or a leak into the water tank compartment, it will collect as a puddle at the aft end of the fwd berth shelf. A deck leak into that compartment could be:

• leak around deck filler
• deck filler to tank connection
• leak from anchor locker to tank compt, especially if the anchor locker drains are blocked. There is a transverse partial bullkhead just forward of the main fwd bulkhead so water can easily collect in the space between without being obvious.

If either the first or last then sea water can obviously penetrate and because of slope in bridgedeck collect at aft end of tank. The tank sits on strips of foam rubber about 1cm thick, so you do not need much of a pool for salt water to sit in contact with tank and cause corrosion. If there really is a leak from any cause, the veneer on the ply cover to the tank space will be water damaged its lowest point. Condensation, on the other hand would collect at the dip in the shelf inboard of tank cover panel.

Never had a problem with the SD20 locking up, its difficult to see how it could do that. Maybe the cable has seized up. They are often difficult to select fwd or reverse without the engine running which I put down to the dog clutch. Maybe the dog clutch has not released so you are trying to turn the engine as well.

You could check if the saildrive has water in it but it has separated out so not emulsified, by just undoing the drain plug if its on the hard. The water should run out first as the oil sits on top of the water. you only need a few cc for that.

[FSmith]

I thought the anchor locker was sealed off from the rest of the boat?

[ErikFinn]

Originally Posted by FSmith

I'm having a FP Athena surveyed. Other than the usual issues to look for, is there anything peculiar to an Athena to check. Thanks in advance.

You don't mention what year Athena you are considering but there has been issues with osmosis on some of them. Perhaps some current owners are not too keen to talk about this, maybe concerned about the effect on the value of their asset?

Few links:

Fountaine-Pajot Lavezzi court case - osmosis

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...sis-23809.html

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ppy-49695.html

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...e-84026-3.html

If I was buying a boat I would appreciate any information regarding potential issues with the make and model, including anything that might affect the future resale value. Thus my post. I don't say all FPs have an osmosis problem but I definitely urge you to do your own research in due diligence.

Best regards,

Erik

[Rapanui]

The anchor locker should be watertight and I have not heard of problems but there is always the possibility of:

• a manufacturing error
• leak developing through rot occuring in the ply bulkheads core
• non factory modifications that penetrate the bulkheads.

Regarding osmosis and blisters, all the examples ErikFinn quoted are for the Lavezzi which marked a departure by Fountaine Pajot in the manufacturing process. The Athena and all models before the Lavezzi were hand layup like nearly every boat built in that era and I have not heard of or experienced any osmosis/blisters problems. My check of the foum could not find anything. I feel confident that the Athena does not have a significant osmosis/blister problem.



The Lavezzi, Orana, Lipari are a different case, using vacuum resin injection/transfer. This is a process developed for high value and criticality composite structures, producing a high fibre to resin ratio product with a higher strength to weight ratio. It is very difficult to get this right for such a large and complex structure for catamaran mouldings so you can end up with areas resin starved etc. A lot of the boats mentioned have had blisters and other problems, and it seems that FP have gradually made improvements so that the incidence of problems has reduced in later years and models. FP did however stand by and repair affected boats and from all accounts these have held up well. Yeloya could probably comment more authoritively from his extensive first hand knowledge.

[Dulcesuenos]

Our Athena was in charter for 7 years, then our friend owned her for 10 plus and only us after that so we have an idea on what's been done or not done. As for Osmosis,we just stripped our Athena down to gelcoat, she had the original barrier coat on and after 22 years we found a total of 4 small dime sized blisters. Easily fixed, and then 4 coats of Interprotect 2000e. On a side note, we've removed all the monkey fur in the saloon, hallways and forward cabins and pleased with all the of the hidden glasswork.

[FSmith]

The boat is a 2004 Athena. I noted no blisters and only a small amount of gelcoat spider cracks on the transom steps.

[FSmith]

Thanks guys for all the input, much appreciated!

[rabbi]

Originally Posted by ErikFinn

You don't mention what year Athena you are considering but there has been issues with osmosis on some of them. Perhaps some current owners are not too keen to talk about this, maybe concerned about the effect on the value of their asset?

Few links:

Fountaine-Pajot Lavezzi court case - osmosis

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...sis-23809.html

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ppy-49695.html

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...e-84026-3.html

If I was buying a boat I would appreciate any information regarding potential issues with the make and model, including anything that might affect the future resale value. Thus my post. I don't say all FPs have an osmosis problem but I definitely urge you to do your own research in due diligence.

Best regards,

Erik

I thought that the FP Osmosis problems are not affecting the older models built with a hand but only the newer infusion moulded boats?

[Thumbs Up]

One problem that I could pretty much guarantee that you will find is that the foam filled flotation chambers inside the stern steps will be completely waterlogged.