For information and encouragement of all recent new old boat owners, I sea trialled my 1973 vintage September Girl this p.m. in a lively force 4 with Frank Baldry (happy birthday today!). The epoxy repairs were watertight and the lady, like all thoroughbreds, went like a dream (at least to this old man) when properly handled, but was very sensitive to weight in the wrong place(the pics in the mags are real!) and totally unforgiving of rough handling. Lessons learned: if it's more than force 3 take a bucket, a bailer is useless; make sure you can adjust the kicker before setting out; and more than 45 degrees heel equals swamping, unless you're very lucky!

I hadn’t fancied buoyancy testing in cold blood after taking so much time and effort over the makeover so can I assume that survival of an involuntary capsize and recovery with no more than a dribble of water ingested by the repaired forrard buoyancy tank over 15 minutes permits buoyancy endorsement? We only did half of the beam ends test but were surprised how well we floated half full of water! 

After a thrilling afternoon of speedy ignorance we're looking forward to learning how to sail Hyperion properly and meeting some more vintage owners during the summer. Regrettably I can't make Rutland this year but we are still hoping to go to Brightlingsea.

Could be fun!

Peter

Congratulations Peter, well and truely christend at last !!
Isn't sailing cruel? I am off to Upper Thames today and we could be lucky to get a sail !
If you take a bucket don't forget to tie it on or else it wont be there when you need it!!

You'll probably find that the leak is a hatch cover or ill fitting bung rather than anything strutural if it's only a dribble.

You're right Chris, it's the rubber bung at the bottom of the tank. I've been out since and discovered also that the rubber washer on a transom drains has perished. Talk about water water everywhere, it's very persistent stuff!