Logbook · Spring 2026
Back in service.
Spring recommissioning became both a return to sailing condition and the beginning of a more systematic record of how Zut Alors is actually configured and operated.
Seasonal work is part of getting back on the water.
Returning the boat to service meant working through the major systems one by one rather than treating launch as the end of commissioning. Shore power, batteries, AC and DC distribution, cabin lighting, navigation electronics, freshwater plumbing, through-hulls, the engine, and safety equipment all received explicit checks.
The air-conditioning system produced several useful lessons. The selector handle in the aft electrical area needs to remain installed and in its ON position for the cabin controllers to receive power. Automatic blower operation also turned out to have a specific indication on the controller: the single fan symbol appears without the word MANUAL.
Freshwater and seacock checks reinforced a broader lesson. A system can be mechanically sound yet still be unavailable because a valve was left in the wrong operating position. That made identifying, exercising, and documenting the through-hulls part of the recommissioning procedure rather than an occasional maintenance task.
Just as important, the work produced a documentation discipline for the boat. Facts observed or tested aboard are recorded as verified. Manufacturer information remains reference material. Details that appear reasonable but have not been confirmed stay marked for verification. That distinction is now part of the ongoing engineering record for Zut Alors.
The detailed procedures and equipment notes belong in the private operations and engineering manuals. This Logbook entry records the milestone and the lessons that shaped how the boat is documented.