Starting the Restoration: Making a 1979 Achilles 24 Seaworthy Again

This past weekend was meant to be the first big push into restoring the Achilles 24. I had a packed to-do list, tools loaded, and sunscreen ready. But late Friday night, a huge fire broke out at an industrial estate just down the road from Erith Yacht Club. It took 150 firefighters and 25 engines to bring it under control, and the surrounding area was closed off on Saturday while crews dealt with lingering hotspots and smoke. The fire service laid 2 kilometers of hose and pumped water from the Thames

One of the key things I’d planned for Saturday was tractor training at the club. It might not sound glamorous, but it’s a big deal. Members who are trained to operate the club’s tractors can move boats around the yard and down the slipway, including getting my own yacht from storage to the work sheds where I can hook up to power and water. It’s also a way to give back, since I’ll be able to help other members launch and recover their boats during the season. Unfortunately, the closure meant that training had to be postponed. Huge thanks to Alan Thompson, who had offered to show me the ropes. I’m looking forward to rescheduling that as soon as possible.

First up was the interior. I hauled everything out of the cabin and went to war with the hoover. It’s amazing how many cobwebs and mysterious fuzzballs can accumulate in a space that small. I gave the inside a proper clean and started sorting through what was worth keeping. Most of it wasn’t. Several bags of junk went straight to the bin, and I offered a few spare fuel cans to other club members.

Speaking of fuel cans, the boat came with enough to store 90 litres of petrol, all crammed into the aft locker. That seems wildly excessive for a boat running a 5hp outboard. Unless the previous owner was planning to cross the Channel without refuelling, I’m guessing it just… added up over time. Either way, they’re gone now, and I’ve reclaimed some much-needed space. I decided to keep a 20L outboard tank and a 20L jerry can - That should give me 40L maximum, but I doubt I'll keep that much onboard at any given time unless I'm on a longer voyage.

While cleaning, I also discovered something slightly more alarming: one of the seacocks had been left open. When I reached down to close it, the valve disintegrated in my hand. Not ideal. I’ll be inspecting the associated skin fitting before replacing the valve. I’m leaning toward using a composite replacement rather than metal to avoid corrosion issues like this in the future.

After that bit of excitement, I got back to the antifouling. The hull had only been partially done when I bought her, so I lightly sanded the unfinished section and got a proper coat on. Not exactly glamorous work, especially in the heat, but a satisfying box to tick. She's now fully coated and looking sharper already.

The highlight of the weekend, aside from finally getting some progress made, was striking a deal for the perfect outboard engine. The boat didn’t come with one, but I found a Mercury SailPower 5hp for sale on the Achilles owners forum. It's a long-shaft outboard with alternator and it's in great condition. The seller even had the original fibreglass cockpit well moulding, which is included in the sale. It’s a rare bonus that’ll make fitting it a whole lot neater and easier. I need to make a trip down to Hamble to collect it, but it's certainly worth the journey.

All in all, not the weekend I had planned, but still a productive one. The restoration is officially underway, and it feels really good to say that.