Fix-and-Fit Articles
There is a charm in the uncommon, and Paul Fareham found it in a 34-foot Sunseeker sportscruiser which cost him less than a standard car. While many dreamed of such venture, Fareham did it, and faced more than just a raised eyebrow or two. Doubters called him out, while others labelled his purchase as a floating disaster.
Truth be told, he had purchased a liability hiding in the guise of a genuine bargain. A once magnificent Sunseeker, its glory tarnished by years of disregard, dubious repairs, and mechanical secrets waiting to spill out. Despite this, Fareham saw an opportunity where most saw problems.
Chronicling a day that almost ended in disaster, this is the tale of a crew member working on a superyacht refit. Responsibilities included cleaning and painting the engine room bilges, a task that brought him face to face with a potentially life-threatening situation. Deep inside the six-foot-deep main bilge sump, oblivious to the surrounding crew, he used acetone to degrease the surfaces. Unaware that acetone expands to over 300% its initial volume and is denser than air, the man unwittingly jeopardized his survival as the oxygen around him got rapidly displaced.