Maintenance

With even boats over 30 years old often still very competitive, it is unsurprising that the revival of the Europe class in the UK has seen plenty of maintenance and refurbishment, often carried out by sailors themselves. The majority of repairs to a Europe are fairly simple (unlike the full rebuild seen in the photo above!) and several sailors have documented and shared their methods for many common fixes!

Soft Side Deck Repair 

By Malcolm Morley
Soft side decks are common issue in many slightly older fibreglass Europes, with the fibreglass cracking at the point where you sit.  With some fibreglass and resin accompanied with some knowledge of boat repairs, this is a fairly simple fix.
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  • Make a fibreglass patch on the outside of the damaged area but use something like clingfilm to stop it sticking to the boat.
  • Cut the patch down to fit so you can pass it through the hatch in the side tank.
  • Drill two small holes through the damaged area with matching holes in the patch.
  • Make “peanut butter” consistency filler with epoxy and microfibres.
  • Butter filler onto patch and pull the strings into place.
  • It’s now rock solid and just needs a gelcoat repair.

Watch out, some boats have ribs under the tanks and this technique may not be suitable. A long stick is good for feeling for ribs and fetching the strings through. 

Main Halyard Dyneema Locking Line 

By Ben Harris
  • Purchase a length of 4mm D12 Dyneema rope from any chandlery
  • Splice a loop around the shackle (see photo), ensuring the loop is as tight against the shackle as possible
  • Tie a knot in the rope to lock in the halyard lock. Ensure this locks when the shackle is at the top of the mast to hold the sail as high as possible
  • Splice a fairly long loop in the other end of the rope to ensure it fits through the mast head when hoisting the sail (see photo)
  • Tie the end of the halyard rope to the long spliced loop, allowing you to pull the mainsail up

If you need any help with this, or are looking to get a new main halyard system for your boat, get in touch with me at ​benharrisboatworks@gmail.com!

Slot Gasket Replacement

By Jon Tweedle
Slot Gasket Video 1
File Size: 6042 kb
File Type: mp4
Download File
Slot Gasket Video 2
File Size: 3099 kb
File Type: mp4
Download File

Foil Repairs

By Jon Tweedle
Foil Repairs Video 1
File Size: 5128 kb
File Type: mp4
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Foil Repairs Video 1
File Size: 3238 kb
File Type: mp4
Download File


​International Europe Class Association (UK) 2020