Refit Diaries: 2/03/2026 – 3/01/2026

February was a blur! Looking back over the past few weeks, we’ve made tremendous progress and hit several major milestones in this refit:

Rig Progress

The Niss Niss team has successfully removed all the stripped bolts that were holding the tangs in place on our mast. With those out, they can now install the conduit that will house the wires running from our spreader down. These wires were left loose from the factory, causing a persistent clanking noise whenever the boat moved. We are looking forward to finally having a quiet rig! They have also assembled our forestay with a new telescopic section and furler, as we were advised that the old one was in poor condition. Things are progressing, and we are looking forward to getting Sabado’s rig back on soon! 

Sewing Projects

Now that the salon upholstery, line bags, and helm instrument cover are finished, I’ve moved on to replacing our curtains. The factory curtains are pleated, which makes them difficult to machine wash, and over time, the blackout coating has flaked off, leaving patches of sunlight beaming through in certain places. At this point, they have become too worn and grimy to justify keeping.

I am reusing the existing tracks and hooks, but sewing S-fold tape onto the new curtains lined with a triple-weave, machine-washable blackout fabric. As with all of my sewing projects, the goal is to make everything durable and easier to clean. I am halfway done! After this, I will move on to replacing three of our fender covers that have holes too big to ignore. How many more sewing projects do you think I can fit into this refit? I’m definitely giving my machine a workout!

Workshop Construction COMPLETE! 

The construction of our workshop is complete. Circa did an incredible job, and we are absolutely thrilled with the result! It looks nearly identical to the AI rendering we created. We were especially impressed by how seamlessly they color-matched the countertop and trim to the rest of the boat, creating a cohesive look. This week, we added the finishing touches by installing the flooring, mounting a pegboard, and hanging a whiteboard. We are still organizing everything inside, but we will be filming an in-depth video tour of the space soon.

Having a workshop has already made the handful of projects we currently have underway infinitely easier. Being able to clearly see what we have versus what we need, and having a dedicated place for everything without climbing over furniture or digging through massive, cluttered bins, has been an absolute game-changer! I cannot believe we put this project off for so many years!

New Systems Update

Ray has made significant progress, completing his electrical projects and moving into the wire management stage. The 12, 24, and 120 volt systems are installed and energized. The solar charging system is installed and operating. The shore power and isolation transformer installation is complete. The new generator wiring is complete. The air conditioning units are currently being installed. We will be sharing a full walkthrough of the upgrades he has made to our system in a future YouTube video. 

We have hired Circa to build the lid for our new under-the-bed electrical compartment to take one project off our plate. Once that is finished, we will move our new mattress into place. It is such a luxury to be able to fit a standard-sized mattress aboard, and I can’t wait to have sheets that fit properly!

Time feels like it is flying by. We’ve reached the point in this refit where we’ve revisited our project list to prioritize projects we absolutely cannot do in the water and are at the yard 6-7 days a week. We’re looking forward to taking a day off this week to go to the Auckland Boat Show, though! Let us know if you’ll be there. 🙂 Thanks for following along, we hope you had a great week!