The following email has been provided by the Alma Doepel Supporters Club with more exciting news –
![]() UPDATEAAL Shanghai has arrived in Melbourne and is now undertaking her commercial responsibilities ![]() We wait to learn the day the AAL Shanghai will be free to perform the long anticipated LIFT and Return to Water of the Alma Doepel hull. Today we learned this could be as early as Friday. We will know very soon so keep your eyes on the website and Facebook. Arrangements for the Live Stream of the event are well advanced and we will be streaming live from the Lady Cutler and other strategic locations.The Alma Doepel is ready and waiting for her Return to Water date with the AAL Shanghai. The crane ship is in Melbourne and unloading cargo.Due to Covid restrictions in force, there will be no access for the public or Alma Doepel supporters to the area in front of the Alma Doepel Restoration Shed and the adjacent vessel berthing area during key parts of the Return to Water activities. This restriction on access is required for safety reasons and as part of COVID control requirements. At all times during the Return to Water, access to the Alma Doepel Restoration Shed will be restricted to those who are authorised participants in the Return to Water activities. The best way to witness the event is via the LIVE STREAM broadcast. The event may take anything up to 4 hours to complete, so you may like to monitor the stream until the lift takes place and then you can be glued to your TV or smart device. STREAM DATE and TIME This is expected to be announced tomorrow (Thursday 14 Oct). We are ready to go! Monitor the Alma Doepel website and Facebook for latest updates. As soon as I know I will send out a final newsletter. LIVE STREAM What you need to do to watch the event LIVE. Check the website www.almadoepel.com.au or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AlmaDoepel There you will find the link to the LIVE STREAM and full details regarding date and time. ![]() The plan is to lift Alma with 2 of the 4 cranes on AAL Shanghai. Referring to the Yacht Lifting Proposal schematic below, you can see that four slings will be in use. Two at the bow and two at the stern. The Slings will be attached to the crane with 8 bow shackles The strength of the hull to endure the lift is provided by 7 bulk heads within Alma’s hull. ![]() Alma will be lifted off the barge, and will temporarily hang in the air while the barge is removed by Svitzer tugs back to Shed 2. Alma will then be lowered into the water gradually. Once safely in the water, the slings will be released. Alma will be afloat. The tugs will then attach lines to samson posts on board Alma and gently commence the tow back to Shed 2. It is important to know that these tugs are very powerful and capable of pulling the samson posts off Alma if too much power is applied, so slowly slowly nice and easy does it back to shed 2. Acknowledgments The RETURN TO WATER and LIVE STREAM has been made possible by the generous support of: AAL, Svitzer, City of Melbourne Lendlease Development Victoria Michael Smith – Sun Films Searoad Ferries Royal Yacht Club Victoria, (use of Thorsen (ex Pilot Service Boat), Cerberus Pinnace) Lady CutlerYour Donation is appreciated Help continue the work of the Restoration. Once Alma is floating again, the refit will commence and we need your help! Donations may be made byclicking this link Alternatively read about the Blocks or Pulleys and maybe Sponsor a Block. If wine is your thing, then have a look at our Buy some Wine section. We have partnered with Prospect Wines as a fundraiser. Become a member today – read the section on Membership. There are many ways you can help.Blocks or Pulleys for Alma ![]() These blocks have been hand crafted by volunteer Francis Crome using timber and steel. Some pulleys have been adorned with a bronze logo of the ship. We need your help to raise $20,000 towards the refit of Alma Doepel. All block donations will be recognised on a Block Honour Board similar to that of Plank donations. Click to Buy a Block ![]() ![]() ![]() Prospect Wines are helping the Restoration by donating part of the proceeds of wine sales. If you are ready to reorder your wine, please consider Prospect Wines offerings: You can complete a form by clicking here or email your order to: orders@almadoepel.com.au or you can fill in the Prospect Wine Online Order form. https://prospectwines.com.au/product/alma-doepel/ Thank you for your supportJoin or Renew Alma Doepel MembershipAn important word about membership Subscriptions are a major part of funding for the restoration. Covid-19 lockdowns meant our fundraising events could not take place in 2020 resulting in significant loss of revenue for the restoration. Now, more than ever, we need our financial members. You represent more than membership revenue, you represent a level of physical community support that potential sponsors look for, when considering applicants. So we ask you to please become a financial member today. If you can afford it, a 5 year membership represents excellent value. You get 1 year free and you do not have to worry about renewal for some time to come. So please download the Application for your 2021-22 subscription today. Click the link below to download your application Supporters Club Application Form ADSC Committee 2020-21President – Norm Boreham Vice President – Bill Reid Secretary – Karin Otto Treasurer – Tom Parks Membership – Rod Alsop Members – Tim Horton, Val Webb, Peter Harris, Daryl Brooks, Colin Lill, Andrew Cohen, Peter van Duyn (positions remain vacant) Warm regards, Bill Reid 0416 153 116 Website: www.almadoepel.com.au Facebook: www.facebook.com/AlmaDoepel Take a look at the Restoration Chronicles to see how far we have come…. Alma Doepel Restoration Chronicles |
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Further information as it becomes available.









A lift ship similar to this has been arranged for a day in September. Our barge where Alma has spent the last eight years will be towed downstream and Alma will be lifted by two cranes and returned to the water. A hugely exciting moment with lots of work going on in background at present to make it happen.


Where planks have been removed, the shipwrights will assess whether a deck beam needs replacement due to rot or iron degradation of the timber. The deck structure and slope will also be assessed and beams replaced as necessary to ensure drainage of the new deck. The replacement deck will consist of layers of plywood screwed and epoxied in place with an overlay of the refurbished Queensland beech planking. Not a traditional deck, some may say, but replacement beech timber is not available and this method will stop water coming through the deck and pooling in your bunk as happened in the past.

Boarding Alma from a dock or other boat will now be much easier as a section of the rail around the topsides has been cut and hinged. A door or other opening between the two stanchions will also be fitted into the bulwark planking. A successful grant application has provided funds to ensure a more accessible Alma. Later work will provide for deck level accessible accomodation and toilets.



Prime coating ( grey paint) of steelwork is being completed near the stern on the port side. Over coating with the red antifouling paint then proceeds over the steel components and hull timber.