DuFour Arpege 30'

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SteveKon

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I just took ownership of a 1969 Dufour Arpege 30' She needs a bit of work. All rigging seams to be in place. No sails, one cylinder Volvo diesel engine that started right up. Never owned a sail boat before. Looking to fix her up. Kids are gone. Time for me.. I will be placing video on Facebook from start to finish. Any info I can get about this boat would be GREAT Thanks Steve
 
Although I've not owned one, two of my friends each have done so.

One problem to which the Arpege seems to be prone is water ingress into the balsa core sandwich from which the hull and deck are constructed. Eventually the water turns the balsa to mush which greatly reduces the strength of the construction. It can be fixed.

It seems to confined to the foredeck, so check it for any 'bounciness' or flexibility.
 
Good boats .My father owned one from new for 15 years.All,and I mean all, of them suffered from delaminated decks.It wasn't necessarily due to water ingression but due to improper bonding.The whole deck is susceptible I'm afraid.It's very fixable.These boats are good sailors but with their pinched sterns they suffer on a run.They were built with a structural liner and curiously the hulls were moulded in two halves and then laminated together.The original engines used to be Volvos MDIIs.The rigs were quite strong and well supported but the original rigging screws were cr ap.The wire loom was sited between the inner liner and the coachroof and in time could chafe and fail.The remedy is a new rewire.
The deep draft version was rather fast for the time but he more common shoal draft ones still sail well.
 
Thats not Strangeley Warmed that you have bought is it? She was last seen on the upper reaches of Portsmouth harbour, possibly on a Wicor mooring. I looked at her to buy 3 years ago when she was based in Southampton and owned by the "Manic Preacher"!! (who was actually a really nice guy BTW in case he's on the forum!!)
 
PabloPicasso said:
how easy is it to repair decks that have 'gone soft' ?
Click to expand...

It is not complicated just a lot of work.The best most, surefire way of getting a sound deck involves cutting the outer skin,redoing the core and refitting the skin(or relaminating a new one) .
End grain balsa can be used as can plywood or a rigid foam like Airex.
Once the old core is out the fiberglass is abraded and the new core is glued in place.It can be laid in epoxy filler or epoxy resin thickened with microfibers.Then the exposed core is smoothed level with the same mix and the old skin ,suitably abraded and cleaned,can be laid on top with weights(sandbags will do) until the resin goes off.Alternatively a new outer skin is laminated on and faired.I prefer this method.The edges of the cut on the outer skin must be abraded to a shallow taper .This will take the laminate that will unite old with new.
If the core is dry,and to find out holes can be drilled at regular spaces and checked for moisture,you can get away with injecting epoxy resin into the core.The holes should be drilled more or less 10cm apart.
This will not give the same result but it's a lot less work.
 
I have had one since 2003. Went thro a major re-fit and upgrade in 2006. Happy to answer specific questions you may have. suggest you send me a PM.
Michael Minnitt
 
30boat said:
It is not complicated just a lot of work.The best most, surefire way of getting a sound deck involves cutting the outer skin,redoing the core and refitting the skin(or relaminating a new one) .
End grain balsa can be used as can plywood or a rigid foam like Airex.
Once the old core is out the fiberglass is abraded and the new core is glued in place.It can be laid in epoxy filler or epoxy resin thickened with microfibers.Then the exposed core is smoothed level with the same mix and the old skin ,suitably abraded and cleaned,can be laid on top with weights(sandbags will do) until the resin goes off.Alternatively a new outer skin is laminated on and faired.I prefer this method.The edges of the cut on the outer skin must be abraded to a shallow taper .This will take the laminate that will unite old with new.
If the core is dry,and to find out holes can be drilled at regular spaces and checked for moisture,you can get away with injecting epoxy resin into the core.The holes should be drilled more or less 10cm apart.
This will not give the same result but it's a lot less work.
Click to expand...

It is not always necessary to go this far. Depends on extent of softness. Usually injection of resin is sufficient.
Michael Minnitt
 
I have been trying to figure out a way of injecting resin using a syringe from the underside of the deck so the repair is invisible. Its a small area of course and I might need to do it one hole at a time, has anyone tried this before?
 
red beard said:
I have been trying to figure out a way of injecting resin using a syringe from the underside of the deck so the repair is invisible. Its a small area of course and I might need to do it one hole at a time, has anyone tried this before?
Click to expand...

I have.Just have a small plug ready and insert it on the hole as you withdraw the siringe.The pressure is not high.A self tapper works well.
 
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