Annual refit and maintenance
Volunteers needed
The current refit will run from 3 November 2008 to 19 March 2009.
Could you donate small items like binbags, gloves and cable ties? See here for a list of equipment needed for the refit.
Most volunteers come to refit for the occasional few days or a weekend. The following sections tell you more about how our annual refit works and how volunteers can help.
Refit volunteers
Why do such an extensive refit?
What do volunteers do?
Who can help?
What does the refit cost?
2008-9 refit plan (pdf)
Priority sea staff bookings
Refit location
2008-9 refit timetable
John Laing undergoes a major refit every year from November to March. The refit and maintenance is carried out almost entirely by volunteers.
In 2007-8, seventy eight people contributed a total of 458 days of volunteer labour (skilled and unskilled). Even at the low end of unskilled boatyard rates of pay in the area, this would have cost us up to £30,000 if we had had to pay for it, instead of using volunteers.
Most people come to the refit for a weekend or a few days, but some come for longer - and a few core-team volunteers get involved full-time.
Refit details will be advertised in the weekly newsletter each week, including locations and contact details. But we shall be looking for help on most weekdays plus the following special volunteer weekends:
22-23 November
13-14 December
17-18 January
14-15 February
We hope to see all sea staff over the winter, plus anyone new who would like to join our volunteer sea staff next year (it’s the best way to meet us, and new volunteers who come to refit get priority when we allocate scarce training berths), as well as any others who want to support the charity. Skilled or unskilled - we have a huge variety of jobs. If you are aged 16 or 17, especially if you have been recommended for bosun training next year, you need the skipper’s permission to come to refit on a date when we have someone available to supervise you - please ask! I’m afraid that for safety and insurance reasons, we can’t have under-16s working at the refit.
If you are available to help on weekdays, we have spaces available in the refit house; and we also welcome anyone who doesn’t need accommodation.
On the four big volunteer weekends, the core team will be away from the refit house: there will be lots of accommodation available: we really want to encourage people to come on these dates:
Please ring Liz on 07990 518915 to book yourself in or discuss dates.
We look forward to seeing you!
Why do such an extensive refit?
As a steel boat, John Laing needs to be lifted out of the water each year and stored in a covered environment so that she can be completely painted, inside and out. Without this work, she would rust. In addition, there is a rolling programme of replacements of major and minor items. A great deal of machinery and equipment needs annual testing and servicing. More details here.
If this level of work is not undertaken every year without fail, John Laing will rapidly deteriorate - she needs to pass rigorous inspections every year under the MCA Small Commercial Vessels Code to be allowed to carry out sail training for young people.
A replacement vessel would cost around £2 million, and would have its own refit costs. Therefore, although the Trustees of OYT South are making long-term plans for an eventual replacement vessel, they believe it makes sound financial sense to keep John Laing in good condition for several more years. Failure to maintain John Laing in condition to keep her delivering adventure under sail to young people would be an appalling waste of a valuable resource which has the potential to give hundreds more young people the experience of adventure under sail.
What do volunteers do?
We need both skilled and unskilled volunteers. Jobs on board range from those which require an experienced marine engineer through to those which can be tackled by anyone prepared to wield a sheet of sandpaper. There is really no need to worry if you have never worked on a refit before, or have limited practical experience - there will nearly always be something you can do. Even simple things like helping with shopping and cooking for the refit team frees up others to work on board. There are also items which can be taken off the boat and worked on at home, in your own time. Oilskins need to be washed and any tears stitched up; someone has to sort through the medical kit and list anything which needs replacing; charts have to be corrected and kept up-to-date.
If you can come for more than just a day or two, it will be greatly appreciated. People who do a lot at the refit will get priority when sea staff bookings are taken for popular voyages in the following season.
We provide food for everyone who turns up, and sometimes we are able to provide accommodation too. You have to book dates with Liz, the bosun, on 07990 518915, so that she knows how many people to expect and with what particular skills, on any given day.
Who can help?
Provided there is room, we welcome offers of help from anyone: sea staff, crew members, parents, group leaders, employee volunteering programmes, shorebased volunteers, longstanding OYT supporters and people who are new to the charity - including both skilled and unskilled refit workers. Just call Liz, the bosun, on 07990 518915 and discuss what you can do and when you could come along.
The only significant restriction to this invitation to volunteers is based on age. Generally, to come to a refit, you should be aged 18+. Volunteers aged 16 and 17 may be allowed to the refit at certain times, at the skipper's discretion - this is because someone needs to be available to supervise you, for safety reasons; but 16 and 17 year olds who have previously sailed in John Laing and are hoping to be relief bosuns next season should certainly make an enquiry about coming along. Sadly health and safety rules mean we are unable to accept refit volunteers under the age of 16.
What does the refit cost?
The 2008-9 refit will cost up to £53,000 - see here for making a donation.
Priority sea staff bookings
Volunteer sea staff are all expected to come to the refit for at least one weekend over the winter. Those who help will get priority in the following year's sea staff bookings over anyone who doesn't turn up; and those who give the most help will get the first chance of booking on the most popular voyages, such as Tall Ships races.
Unlike some other sail training organisations, OYT South does not charge sea staff for each voyage – mates pay a flat rate sailing fee of £100 (£70 concessions) plus annual membership of £36, and can then sail as often as they like. A weekend or two at refit is the price you pay for such cheap sailing opportunities! We cannot keep John Laing in good working condition unless people come and help.
Refit location
In 2008-9, for the main part of the refit, the boat will be at Hamble Yacht Services, and we have a rented house within walking distance of the boatyard to provide accommodation for staff and volunteers.
2008-9 refit timetable
John Laing will be moved from Ocean Village to Hamble Yacht Services, on November 10th. The masts will be lifted out on November 11th and John Laing will be lifted out of the water on November 12th.
At some point after that she will be scaffolded and tented, to provide safe working platforms and to give us a covered environment which can be heated. This is vital as it can be really demoralising if you cannot tell whether the patch of filler you put on has gone off or just frozen.
Details of some of the work to be completed during the refit are given here.
Volunteers are welcome on weekdays and the following special volunteer weekends:
22-23 November
13-14 December
17-18 January
14-15 February
The refit will be closed around Christmas and New Year. Last working day 23 December; first day back 5 January.
The scaffolding and tent must come down in mid-March, when John Laing will be relaunched, the masts go back in and we move back to Ocean Village. All the gear then goes back on board, the compass is professionally swung, and we have the coding inspection which allows us to operate as a sail training vessel.
Around this time we also have to move out of the refit house and ensure that it is properly cleaned and in good condition so that we get our deposit back.
The weekend of 20-22 March will be shakedown voyage, where a team of key refit volunteers go out on the boat to make sure everything is in proper working order and all last-minute jobs are completed.
On Monday 23 March the first proper voyage of the season starts. It has already been fully-booked by Dumpton School.
