I am the fourth owner. Owner number 1 seemed to have made good use of the boat in the Mediterranean and kept the interior fairly pristine. I heard that the boat sat essentially derelict at the Friday Harbor marina for many years before being purchased for renovation by Owner number 2.
I'm going to start with projects I've done on the boat and leave owner #2's long essay for you to review at the end of this page.
What I've done:
Owner number 2 did a lot of work on the boat. I'd wager this is the most heavily modified Pretorien IN THE WORLD thanks to his efforts, which include the following.
The list of equipment and modifications is extensive for example: This Vessel was decomissioned and kept in a heated building while the total refit project was completed. The gelcoat was peeled and all the through hulls removed, while the bottom was pressure washed every other week, including periodic checks with a moisture meter for the 6 months drying period before the bottom was laid up with Dura-tech vinyl ester resin and hand laid 1.5oz mat with 4 epoxy finish coats for additional protection against blisters in the tropics. The original thru-hulls were replaced with new bronze through hulls and valves. The water line was raised to displace cruising loads. A Complete Awlgrip paint job (2 coats) on the deck and the hull (stripes changed to flag blue). All the deck hardware was replaced or reanodized and rebedded (deck hardware was stripped to the toe rail). New tinted Lexan windows and reanodized window frames were installed with stainless oversize barrel bolts instead of the original aluminum type. All the exterior teak was removed and replaced with light grey Starboard trim (Starboard guaranteed 10 yrs against UV degradation). The original Teak hand rails were replaced with solid anodized aluminum hand rails. A hard windscreen was mounted on dodger combing with an anodized aluminum frame and safety plate tinted glass for better visibility in rough weather. The dodger was extended aft for more protection from the elements with a custom fixed rigid stainless steel frame that has handrails aft and on the sides. The dodger is covered with Stamoid vinyl canvas for strength and durability. Stamoid will not wick moisture through like canvas and it will outlast canvas 2/1 because it’s UV protected). All the winches were moved aft for accessibility to facilitate easy single handing and to accommodate the extended dodger. The original primaries have been replaced with new Lewmar 42 chrome self tailing winches. Wheel steering was removed and replaced with an elongated custom teak and ash tiller to open up the cockpit and eliminate climbing over the seats to get behind the pedestal. Steering is now accomplished from under and behind the comfort of the improved dodger.
The The Mainsheet traveler was moved from the cockpit to mid boom sheeting (Harken 4-1 ball bearing traveler system). Traveler and mainsheet are controlled from behind the dodger on the cabin top. The old Genoa tracks were removed and replaced with Harken I beam tracks fitted with ball-bearing cars and rigged so that the sheating is adjusted from the safety of the cockpit. Lewmar self tailing winches were added and moved aft on cabin top behind the dodger to allow for sheet stoppers (6). S/V Aeolus is also equipped with a new Gaerhauer SS boom vang(6-1). All the lines lead aft through Harken deck organizers, except for reefing, spinnaker and a spare jib halyard. All of the running rigging has been replaced with new Stay-set X lines. New Harken Furler with furling line leading to the cockpit to a Lewwmar ST designated winch for reefing.
Starboard Push pit seats were added for comfort and additional seating in the cockpit. Additional improvements include a custom Starboard boarding/swim step mounted on SS brackets and fitted with a folding telescoping swim ladder for ease in boarding from a dingy or from the water. A SS fixed boarding ladder on the transom was also added.
A custom gimbaled radar arch was designed, built and installed with nesting folding dinghy davits. The davits fold up into the back of the arch when not deployed and can be fixed in place with removable gusset supports. The entire arch and davit frame is made of tig welded schedule 40 aluminum with a powder coated white finish. The aluminum arch is lighter, stronger and more rigid than a comparable bulkier stainless tubing structure and it is also much more aesthetically pleasing. The Radar arch is equipped with a SS pivoting outboard davit, 2-S.S. GPS mounts, 2-SS antennae mounts and 2-50 watt deck lights.The radar arch can also accommodate solar panels and or a wind generator.
There is a new custom S.S. oversize, extended anchor chalk/stem fitting that is large enough to accommodate two anchors with chain stopper and a new Maxwell vertical electric windlass with a capstan. The windlass is supported by a custom fabricated fiberglass deck beam for additional strength underneath (all fiberglass modifications done with Nitex unidirectional high strength fiberglass cloth). Chain locker hatch modified to seal water tight with 2 SS screw dogs.
Interior cushions and foam were replaced with new. Teak and holly interior floors removed and refinished. New Corian counter tops, double deep polished SS sinks and all new chrome fixtures.
All new halogen lighting fixtures (all overhead fixtures have red and white halogen bulbs with 2 position switches). Complete lightning and bonding system per ABYC standards. All new water and bilge electrical pumps. (END)
Owner number 3 purchased Aeolus in March 2004 and owned her for four years. During their tenure as owners, the following has been done to the boat:
1) 2006 New Volvo D1-30 engine & transmission by Sea Power in Victoria, BC (this was not great workmanship and required several corrections after I bought the boat)
2) Added Strong mainsail slide/car system and full battens in the mainsail (I don't know what happened to this full battened mainsail but I never got it and have since bought a new one)