We have a very beautiful story to tell you... but we have to start from the beginning.
Most sailing boats today are made from fibreglass and factory produced. Some are made from steel or aluminium. However, as you know, Ambrym is different and she is made from Ferro-Cement. This technique has been around for over 100years!
In the 60’s-70’s in particular a lot of people started building their own boats at home, many from wood. But also many from Ferroconcrete. Plans were bought from Naval Architects, however, there were a few issues: Many people started building a boat way too big for their skills, abilities and finances.
Then there were the people who decided they knew how to make the design “better”- this rarely worked out well…
Then when launched it was quite common to find the build quality was not as it should have been…
As a result a high percentage of ferrocement boats were not fit for purpose and quite a few were scuttled (sunk) for the insurance money! (Which also means difficult to get insurance now).
That's why "ferro" boats got a very bad reputation a while ago. It's also why is so important to know if a ferrocement boat was well constructed from the beginning.
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When we first saw Ambrym a year ago she was in the water. That means that we couldn't make a proper inspection of the hull. But we saw so many details that were showing that she was a very good and solid boat, that after a closer look swimming and diving, Lloyd decided to follow his heart and good intuition and get her.
When we took Ambrym out of the water for the first time last winter, we were really impressed. The hull is so well built, so smooth and regular. Many people have said that she's one of the best built ferrocement boats they have seen.
We couldn't follow her history back to the builder. The only information we had was from a contract from 1985 showing a common enough surname and an address that now had an apartment block on it... everything pointed to her being professionally built, but we couldn't trace it.
During this last year, we have been trying to get more information, asking, researching... with no result.
Until only a couple of weeks ago...
...without losing the hope of finding more info about Ambrym's history, Lloyd kept asking and talking about it with everyone.
And one of the many sailor friends that he has made this last month in Kalamata came one morning with amazing news: "I think I've found your boat!"
She found an ad on a French forum. Cédric was looking for the boat his father built between 1971 and 1979 and had to sell not long after. Wondering if she was still sailing, where and how... Her name was originally Ambrym.
So that was it! We found Ambrym's builder and first owner!! We have been in touch with them since. Alain (Cédric's father) was a concrete structure engineer that built his own boat, making some improvements to the famous Endurance 40ft model, applying his knowledge and skills both about ferrocement and sailing, building the fantastic Schooner that is Ambrym.
We can't express how happy we are about this. Getting to know them, to share so many emails, pictures and stories with them. Seeing how excited they are to have contacted us. Learning so much from every single email we receive from Alain full of information, tricks, pictures from the first sails, data and even cooking recipes!
We are looking forward to having them onboard. Reuniting Ambrym with her builder and his family. Sharing some sailing with them and keeping learning from Alain.
It's so special seeing these old pictures. Comparing and finding the modifications made over the years, but so surprised to find many things original, still beatiful and working after more than 40 years...
We are so excited and emotional about this. Another proof of how amazing the sailing community is. Showing that sailing is not a sport, or a trip, even an adventure. It's so much more than all this, it's difficult to express.
Thank you Claudia! (the sailor who found the link)