• Beverly, MA

The Valiant 40

Valiant 40 Project

My interest in this industry has been life-long. I grew up boating with my folks on our wooden 36′ fly-bridge Novi. I started sailing in the 80’s and then raced my J24, Catch 22 (foreground blue boat) for 23+ years. She was a 1977 hull number 22 of the over 6,000 J24s built. Much work was done to keep her looking young and sailing fast.

I’ve been working the marine industry for over thirty years in the capacity of a yacht rigger, yard manager and service manager. My survey clients appreciate that I’m not only able to identify a potential issue with a vessel but also offer proven advice on methods and materials to repair or maintain it. It’s not uncommon for a boat owner to call me years after I saw their boat to run a repair scenario by me that we talked about when we did their survey. I welcome and enjoy those conversations and the opportunity to help.

Please visit the “Valiant Restoration” page to see some of the many project ongoing on my current boat. I think you’ll see how my experience can be of service to you. “I apologize in advance for the extent of detail that’s coming next.”

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About the Survey

The Valiant 40 Restoration Project

In 1984 I was doing some work on a boat that my wife and I ultimately chartered for our honeymoon. We left Beverly and sailed up the coast of Maine and enjoyed three weeks of blissful cruising. The vessel was a Robert Perry deigned Valiant Esprit 37. I had been interested in these successful Perry designs since the midseventies and in particular, the 40′ version. The Valiant 40 has a reputation for sea kindly swiftness and they have proven their merit by winning multiple ocean races and safely transporting cruising sailors throughout the world’s oceans. Suffice to say, by the end of the honeymoon, I was drinking the Valiant Kool Aid.

The Valiant 40 Restoration Project In 1984 I was doing some work on a boat that my wife and I ultimately chartered for our honeymoon. We left Beverly and sailed up the coast of Maine and enjoyed three weeks of blissful cruising. The vessel was a Robert Perry deigned Valiant Esprit 37. I had been interested in these successful Perry designs since the midseventies and in particular, the 40′ version. The Valiant 40 has a reputation for sea kindly swiftness and they have proven their merit by winning multiple ocean races and safely transporting cruising sailors throughout the world’s oceans. Suffice to say, by the end of the honeymoon, I was drinking the Valiant Kool Aid.
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Fast forward to 2008:

Good news: I finally found a 1977 Valiant 40 I could afford. 

Bad news: She was very needy. Amulet was built during the infamous “fire retardant resin era” of the Valiant history (blue water boat.org). In addition to having the unsightly but non structure blistering, resulting from the fire-retardant resin; she had been badly let go. Water had intruded the Balsa deck core in so many places that the entire top layer of the deck had to be completely removed and all the Balsa core beneath it. Nothing was spared including, the side and fore deck, cabin top, cockpit sole and cockpit seating areas.

All these areas were re-cored with Core Cell set in thickened epoxy and covered by 2 layers of 1708 biaxial fiberglass cloth. A final layer of 18oz boat cloth was laid on top and then vacuum bagged down to facilitate bonding. In the process, the head sail tracks were recessed into the core of the side decks; along with the middeck drains. The cockpit had a large raised propane locker behind helms seat, limiting where one could sit. This has been removed and a plug was taken from another locker top. Now a new locker was created and making a flush seat for the helmsman that, when opened, offers clear access to the new steering radial and wire below. The large propane locker was then cut in two and reused. Each part became the new propane boxes that contained drains in the “corners” of the canoe stern with custom locker lids made for them.

Spraying down Awl Grip was considered for the bright sections of the deck but frankly, I’m not a great painter and didn’t feel I would be satisfied with the outcome. I ended up back to the tried-and-true use of gel coat. It can be tricky spraying gel coat too but using a 50/50 mix of DuraTec high gloss additive, the gel coat finish comes out surprisingly smooth. The best part is that any mistakes can be sanded out as the area all gets sanded to 6000 grit to make it shine and then polished. All non-skid sections were sprayed down with a colored gel coat with micro-ballons added for traction.
The water seepage from the deck had ruined the headliner below and damaged two structural bulkheads connected to the chain plates. The horizontal fur strips of the interior (ceilings) were also badly stained, about 100 sq ft of replacement ash strips were cut, sanded and polyurethane is before reinstallation and new Formica on plywood was made for the headliner. The interior was so spartan at one point that the teak of the interior was cleaned with that nasty two-part teak cleaning acid, a scrub brush, and hosed down.
As with most major projects, once the rework begins it is very hard to stop. The vessel originally had 9 plastic ports on the house sides and 4 wooden deck hatches. The 9 cabin ports were replaced with 14 stainless New Found Metals ports. Adding more ports meant re-configuring their spacing in the cabin sides. The wooden hatches were replaced with stainless Mann Ship hatches.
The DC electrical systems as well as electronics were also aged so while the boat was pulled apart, every inch of plain copper wire has been removed and replaced with new tinned wire, installed to ABYC standards with a new electrical panel. The batteries were located in the wonderful engine room of the Valiant 40 but that location is way too hot for them over time. Now there are now 8 group 31 AGM batteries aboard. 4 are in hanging locker and 4 are under the aft cabin berth with a start battery under the companionway step. To charge these banks, besides a new 110-amp new Balmar alternator, there are 5 Flexible 100-watt solar panels are on the bimini top of the new stern stainless-steel arch a 175-watt panel is on top of the ridged dodger I built. The ridged dodger is supported by another hefty custom stainless-steel arch that is sized to accommodate the main sheet and traveler.
All of the plumbing was removed and replaced as well as every thru-hull, pump, faucet, propane hose, holding tank, deck fill and deck drain. The two original aluminum, 75-gallon water tanks leaked and would not fit out the companionway so were cut up for removal. Consequently, the new tanks were fabricated in place using Cusa board and FDA approved epoxy from MAX BOND. The bladder waste holding tank was tossed and a custom stainless-steel tank was installed. The aged refrigeration system was replaced with two Sea Frost units; 1 fridge and 1 freezer. The 9-gallon fuel tank was suspect and the tank was cut out to remove. Two new aluminum fuel tanks were fabricated from my templates and the cockpit side was cut to install them.

The mast system was upgraded with new rod rigging and the mast was rewired and painted. New chain plates we waterjet cut to reduce stress on the metal and polished to resist pitting over time. The sails are mixed but the main is new.

Her bottom was sand blasted and re-faired with thicken epoxy. Her rudder had some voids so it was removed, pealed, re-glassed with epoxy and is good as new.

She had a 1999 Beta Marine 43 diesel engine that was started once a year over the ten-year refit. But once launched the transmission and gear needed rebuilding and a new shaft, cutlass bearing, and stuffing box was installed.

She now has a full suite of B&G electronic including Zues 3 plotter, HALO 20 Radar, Auto Pilot, Triton depth, wind and boat speed, AIS, boat base computer, VHF, and Starlink

😊 She is Not for Sale 😊

If you think I’m qualified to look at your boat, please call for an appointment
Many Thanks,
Joe Grenier
978-317-5670