Refit Diaries: 10/26/2025 – 11/2/2025

Holy smokes, it’s November already! Time is flying by, and we’ve got the pedal to the metal on our refit projects, trying to get as much done as possible before the holidays, when it’s notoriously hard to get on any trade’s schedule. Unfortunately, we couldn’t squeeze in enough editing time this week, so there’s no public YouTube video. Check back next week, or join our Crew or become a VIP to watch an exclusive, unfiltered update about our projects and an honest discussion about our experience in the yard.

Alright, on to this week’s projects:

Cockpit refrigerator

We took a closer look at our new cockpit fridge. Reminder: even though it is the exact same model number as our previous fridge, we noticed a few key differences when we unboxed it last week.

• The bottom frame has been removed. Without it, all the condensate would drain directly into the boat, so we ordered the bottom flange separately this week.
• There are no longer screw holes on the top and bottom. The manufacturer decided they were unnecessary and thought they “looked too industrial”. That is fine, as the screws on either side should be enough.
• The new fridge is slightly wider. To accommodate the increased width, we will need to trim the fiberglass opening and modify the existing metal bracket it sits in. This is the part we are most frustrated about, but it is doable. If we had known we would need to make modifications, we probably would have chosen a different fridge altogether. We tried to make the job easy, but it backfired!
• Ventilation has also been added along the sides (pictured below), which would lead to water ingress in our case. We plan to seal these vents since our installation provides plenty of airflow through the back.

Saloon forward hatches 

Over time, the frames on our forward saloon hatches have corroded due to the use of dissimilar metals. You can see bubbling along the frames, which has caused them to warp and no longer close properly. We ordered the “new and improved” replacements from the local Lagoon dealer and received them in the mail this week. When we unboxed them at the house, they looked surprisingly large, so we rushed down to the boat to check. Thankfully, they’re exactly the same size as the old ones. I guess we’ve just been off the boat for too long, or maybe we’re a little skeptical after the refrigerator debacle-  haha!

Unstepping the mast 

This was a big milestone in our refit! Our rigger, Charles (from NissNiss), and his colleague, Gara, spent several days preparing the boat by measuring, marking, placing straps, etc. Their attention to detail and precise prep work paid off when the crane arrived and removed the generator, boom, and mast in under an hour. It could not have gone smoother. We now have a long list of items to tackle while the rig is down, and have hired the NissNiss team to help see it through.

Port forward cabin demolition

Ray completed the port forward cabin demolition this week, removing all the furniture to make way for our future workshop. It was a loud and exhausting job, cutting and prying through layers of glue and hidden screws, but we are so relieved to have it done. Ray is thinking about trying his hand at making the floor supports. We are considering getting some stiff foam to cut templates first, since we are having trouble visualizing how to measure and level everything. We also spent some time thinking about the finish and design options. We decided not to try matching the factory finishes because nothing matches perfectly, and we know that would drive us crazy. Instead, we are leaning into the garage and workshop vibe, using durable and easy-to-clean/maintain materials. Does anyone know of a shop in the area that carries high-quality rubberized flooring, like the kind you would see in a garage? We would love to check some out in person.

Repurposing fabric for future sewing project 

We removed the two lounge cushions from our top deck. The sun had destroyed the mesh, and the foam had started disintegrating. Honestly, we didn’t use them enough to justify replacements, so I tossed the foam and brought the covers home. I removed the damaged mesh and plan to repurpose the Sunbrella panels for my first sewing project: reupholstering the cushion that tops our cockpit storage cooler/bench. I quickly realized I’ll need a pair of fabric shears, some chalk, and a zipper, so we plan to swing by Spotlight in Whangarei tomorrow. Is that the best sewing supply shop in the area? If you know more than I do, please share! A big thank-you to Kris and Lisa for the great advice on sewing machine accessories and where to order fabric locally.

Disconnect solar panels

We’ve requested a forklift from the yard to lower the dinghy, but haven’t seen one sent our way yet. So, I shimmied into the raised dinghy to cut the wires to our current solar panels, prepping them for removal. The yard’s fabrication team will remove them and modify the arch to accommodate our new panels. Unfortunately, we are still on the hunt for new panels. The company we had planned to order from would not accept our TIE (exempting us from paying GST), so we are searching for another source. We had originally spec’d 520-watt Jinko 54HL4M-BVD panels. If anyone has any leads, we are looking for the highest output with dimensions as close to 2400 x 1134mm as possible. 

Clean up day 

We drove to the boat yesterday morning to tidy up. After such a busy week, we had tools strewn about, sawdust everywhere, and a sizable pile of scrap wood at our stern. We rearranged, vacuumed, and lugged everything we could to the dumpster.

Now, we’re ready for another week of work! We hope you all had a great weekend. 🙂