Sans Voile came into our stewardship just as Covid was taking hold of the world. In 2020 we took ownership and began the process of rebuilding and restoring the ark. We began with the exterior then moved inside to address the floors, plumbing, electrical and heating systems. This years-long project kept us focused and busy for the duration of the Covid pandemic.
In 2021 the boat was towed to a boat yard and hauled out for cleaning, painting and repairs. A more recent haul out in May of 2024 is featured in some of these photos.
During and right after the haul out the inside of the bilge was cleaned and new plumbing systems were installed including waste water holding tanks and marine-grade gray and black water hoses. The previous installation did not allow for easy maintenance access and was an inefficient use of space.
In the spring and summer of 2021 the exterior siding and windows were removed in preparation for an upgrade. New Tyvek weatherproof underlayment was installed along with new anodized dual-paned windows and copper flashing. The exterior siding was pre-primed and painted on all sides then installed with stainless steel fasteners. Once the siding was replaced a top coat of Benjamin Moore's 'Sailcloth' was applied to the body with 'Ivory White' on the trim.
While doing the exterior work the roofs were stripped of paint, repaired as needed then repainted with Benjamin Moore's Seattle Grey floor and porch enamel. The two front roof skylights were replaced one which opens and the other was made to look like a butterfly hatch. Both skylights were made out of Mahogany, sealed with varnish. The butterfly hatch has traditional wired glass skylight lens. All of the hardware is marine grade bronze . Each skylight has a marine-grade canvas cover. The four grab rails are Teak and have been varnished. All of the bright work is revarnished once a year.
The fore deck cover has a new laminated Oak beam and the port Oak fascia was replaced in 2023. The front fore deck light is vintage wall-mounted marine grade light fixture and the same is for the back upper aft deck light.
Part of redoing the exterior was the work on the aft upper deck. The old painted door was replaced with a new custom clear finished fir door with two panes of safety glass. the exterior siding was replaced on the back upper right. a new marine grade wall mounted light fixture was installed along with new copper railing. the floor was sanded and the repainted with the same floor and porch color paint used on the roof.
Once the exterior was finished we started in on the interior which needed a great deal of work. Our intent was to make the interior look like a classic Ark and have the details one would find on a vintage wooden sailboat. Once we disassembled the interior including taking apart the cabinets, removing the upper handrails and the old wood flooring and stripping then refinishing interior wood. Once the component parts were removed the interior received an industrial cleaning before we were able to move ahead with the restoration. All plumbing, electrical, lighting systems were upgraded and every surface from the ceiling to the cabinets were refinished.
The galley kitchen is extremely efficient but needed refreshing. All cabinet doors were removed, some areas were repaired then all surfaces were refinished. Updated hinges and knobs in oiled bronze fit well with the new stainless steel sink and faucet. The upper right cabinet was rebuilt, a new propane three-burner range with oven was installed and built-in cutting boards were restored.
The main living salon includes a built-in oak table which was removed, stripped and refinished with a satin sealer. The same treatment was done on the two forward bookshelves and the built-in stereo cabinet. At the bottom of each shelf and underneath the stairs are storage nooks with door faces. The light fixtures have all been replaced. On the walls new cherry backing plates were installed and a custom picture light illuminates a watercolor of Terry, the previous owner. The overhead ceiling throughout the boat is painted wood wainscotting with varnished cherry battens secured in place with brass screws and finish washers. What keeps the interior cozy is the new radiant heating baseboard system which is warmed by the isolated system built into the marine-grade 20 gallon hot water heater. All new canvas curtains on bronze rods keep the main living area private and with the door open one has a view of San Francisco.
It was necessary to remove all of the bathroom fixtures, refloor and refinish all surfaces. The dark nautical blue flooring is a low-VOC Marmoleum, the new toilet is a vacu-flush system which is easy to use and the shower has a new brass showerhead. With the 20-gallon hot water heater unit one can take a comfortable shower. The shower curtain track is made of vintage sail track from an old wooden sail boat. With plenty of storage, a nickel finished sink, faucet and light along with a mahogany framed mirror. The sink wood cabinet and top are finished in a high-gloss marine varnish.
When we took over ownership of Sans Voile the floors had significant damage from wear and tear. All of the flooring throughout the boat was removed and the exposed plywood subfloor was treated with enzyme and was sealed. A floor underlayment was then installed before the engineered English oak planking was installed. Careful measurements and exact cuts were required for the hatches and areas around the stairs.
The loft space accessed from the built-in Cherry steps had moisture damage to the flooring by the back upper deck door and the Cherry wood hand railing was faded from sunlight. The original Oak flooring was removed and the sub wood was sealed. The forward handrail was replaced with Oak to match the new wood flooring. The light fixtures and new wood backing plates were replaced then the electrical outlets were replaced with dark brown type. We used a vintage light switch to operate the back deck light and added a safety tie to secure the back upper door from the inside for storm safety.
From the main salon you walk down three steps into the bedroom. The woodwork needed to be stripped of the old clear finish on the lower walls, baseboard and the doors. The closet was unfinished wood which was sealed, primed and painted along with the bi-folding closet doors. The louvered door to the head and the pocket door between the main salon and the bedroom were refinished with a stain clear oil-based product. The insides of the bunk cabinets were all painted along with the deep storage areas under the back section of the main bunk. Custom curtains replaced the wood shutters to soften the room.
