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QUEST LOG

From Lancastrian to PRANIS — The Beginning

QUEST LOG · 16 JUNE 2026 · LAGOS, PORTUGAL

A short original view of Lancastrian ashore before the refit.

On 16 June, I stood in a boatyard in Lagos with the former owner of Lancastrian and signed the Bill of Sale. In that moment, a yacht with more than two decades of history became the beginning of our own long-distance journey.

At 23 years old, Lancastrian is in remarkably good technical and cosmetic condition. She has clearly been cared for, and that can be felt throughout the boat. But she has also spent the last four years ashore, and even a sound yacht needs careful work before returning to sea.

The standing rigging must be replaced. The underwater hull needs new antifouling. The complete onboard electrical system has to be reviewed and rebuilt where necessary. The boat must be emptied, cleaned and reorganised. The watermaker and many other systems need to be recommissioned, serviced or repaired after the long period out of use.

The first objective is simple: to get her safely back into the water as soon as possible.

Lancastrian seen from across the Lagos boatyard before the refit
Lancastrian ashore from the stern with the arch and rudder visible

The larger objective is far more ambitious. I am planning roughly 500 to 600 hours of work and investments of several tens of thousands of euros to prepare her for several years of cruising.

This is not about replacing everything. Good equipment will remain. What can be restored will be serviced. What is unsafe, unreliable or no longer suitable for long-distance sailing will be replaced.

Standing beneath her hull in Lagos, I could already see beyond the work ahead: a strong yacht becoming our home, carrying a new name and beginning a new chapter as PRANIS.

There is a great deal to do, and I am genuinely looking forward to every part of this project — understanding each system, bringing the yacht back to life and preparing her for the journey ahead.