Hello hello! We’re nearing the end of this refit, and it’s taking everything we’ve got: time, money, brainpower… We’ve been keeping our heads down and pushing through, and now we are finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Construction is complete, and without sawdust and contractors constantly coming and going, we’ve begun bringing our belongings back aboard. Man, does that feel good! Each passing week has been a whirlwind, so let me get you up to speed.

The bad news: At the beginning of this refit, we decided to replace our rusted-out cockpit refrigerator. Knowing we had an ambitious project list ahead of us, we opted for a like-for-like replacement and ordered the exact same model we were removing. Unfortunately, the manufacturer changed the design without changing the model number, so we were caught off guard when the unit finally arrived and it was completely different: no bottom flange, additional vents along the perimeter, and several millimeters wider.

We were frustrated because if we had known we would need to cut fiberglass, we would have chosen a completely different fridge, maybe even one with a built-in ice maker. Instead, we paid extra for the bottom flange, which is now sold separately, and waited for the yard to send someone to trim the opening. It was not something we trusted ourselves to do given how precise the cut needed to be on such thin fiberglass. They finally got to us this week, and we promptly installed the new fridge. Yesterday it rained, and water started pouring into the boat from around the new unit, even though we had plugged the new vent holes as best we could. To our surprise, water was also seeping in through the black interior frame.

So, we’re taking a two-pronged approach. First, we have practically cemented the frame in place with sealant and are letting that cure. I’m not going to post a photo of it because it looks pretty rough, haha. Hopefully one day, when this fridge is full of cold beer, we won’t care how it looks.

Next, we’re working on reducing the amount of water that reaches the fridge in the first place. Most of the runoff comes over the ledge from the helm, so adding a lip there is an obvious solution. We also noticed a steady stream coming from the line bag that completely bypasses the ledge (pictured below with a blue arrow). Our current plan is to move the track for a section of the helm enclosure that we never use (pictured with the red circle) and reposition it along the ledge (red line). Then we’ll make a new piece of canvas that slides into the rail and sew it onto the existing panel that supports the line bag (drawn in yellow). This way, the rail will act as a lip, and any water coming from the bag won’t be able to bypass it.

After that, we’ll add some kind of secondary lip above the fridge as an extra layer of protection. We only came up with this yesterday though, so let us know your thoughts/other low-budget ideas!

The good news: Our new escape hatch brackets are installed, and they’re not going anywhere. We’ve screwed them to the hull and sealed them to both the aluminum frame and the glass itself. This has been a long time safety concern for us, so it feels great to finally have it sorted.

Our rig is nearly ready to be craned back on top of Sabado. Our rigger has sourced, cut, and installed new conduit for the wires that run from the spreaders down. We’ve also replaced the noisy gooseneck, VHF antenna cable, tri-color light, and the new standing rigging is ready to go. The generator wiring is complete, so we’ll be able to crane the new generator into place when we step the mast. Our new mainsail is ready as well, and we’re hoping to coordinate its delivery with the mast stepping.

The interior is ready to go. Ray has completed all of the electrical upgrades, including a 24V lithium battery bank, new solar wiring, upgraded air conditioners, and a new generator. Along the way, he also reworked several factory-installed components that weren’t up to standard. After that came days of careful inspection, checking, and rechecking every detail, followed by extensive testing. We even ran a hose from the yard to properly test the new air conditioners. We have been powered up, and all has been running smoothly for the last few weeks while we keep a close eye on performance. Spoiler alert: even on cloudy days, it has been AWESOME!

We hired Circa Marine to build the lid for our new electrical compartment, which also serves as the base of our bed. They matched the trim to the rest of the boat and designed it to be removable, so we can still lift the panels from the edge for access when needed. We had considered painting or staining the front panel we built out of marine plywood, but with the shadow from the overhang of the lid, it doesn’t really bother us. We’ll live with it for a while and see how we feel. We might change our minds down the line, but for now, we’re calling this one done! 

We have encountered an issue with our water-heating element. We ordered a 500W unit and had it shipped to New Zealand. The receipt and part number both indicate 500W, the packaging label says 600W, but the element itself is marked 800W. Because there are limited suppliers of this 110V part in New Zealand, we ordered another unit from a US-based company and had it sent to my parents’ home in Texas. The idea was, we’d use the 800W one we have and replace it when my parents come to visit us next. It arrived yesterday, and shockingly, it shows the same discrepancy. The receipt and part number state 500W, the packaging says 600W, and the element itself is labeled 800W. We have since placed a third order with another supplier that ships to New Zealand, but it has not arrived yet. At this point, I’m convinced there was a mislabeled batch from the manufacturer. Getting the wrong part once is annoying, twice is weird… Hopefully this third time is a charm. 

I’ve finished the bulk of my sewing projects, most recently the interior curtains and a helm seat cover. Now I’m working on three new cockpit shade panels, with a few design improvements over the old ones, like adding a batten along the top to prevent sagging and an extra buckle so we can quickly fold up a corner to clear the cockpit walkway and improve visibility when needed.

As we move back aboard, we’re getting more and more excited to show you the result of all our hard work. We’re planning to splash this month, then focus on putting all our new gear and systems through their paces. If any issues come up, we want to deal with them here before our visa expires. After that, we’ll get back out there and go cruising!