This week aboard our sailboat was all about progress — tackling a mix of big and small refit projects to keep our boat seaworthy and ready for adventure! 🔧 Project 1: We measured for new sheaves in the boom and mast, and for new turnbuckles and jaws for our standing rigging — important
Join us as we finish one of the biggest jobs aboard — refinishing all the aluminum on our sailboat, including the mast, boom, crossbeam, spreaders, and davits. We’re using a professional metal conditioning power tool and a unique product called Nyalic — a clear coating not often seen in the yachting
There is no AAA in the middle of the ocean, so ensuring that our engines are in the best shape possible is a priority. This extended video is a step-by-step reassembly of one of our Yanmar 4JH4-TE marine diesel engines. In this video we clean and service critical components like
In this video we take you step by step through setting up our new climate-controlled storage workshop to prepare for the big project. We carefully move in the counter and all the supplies, making sure everything is perfectly organized. The counter get leveled with precision so it’s ready for
We are replacing all of our appliances, and that requires a new counter! While removing the old one, we discovered just how heavy Corian is. It's are to believe anyone puts it in a catamaran. In this episode we are building a new counter from Coosa Board laminated
We've known from the start that the teak on ROAM was is bad condition. What we didn't know, was just how bad it really was. We were hoping to give it a light facelift until we had more time and more budget to deal with it
In this episode we’re recruiting a very talented friend to help us install our new bowsprit on the crossbeam. The process included welding strips to secure the trampolines in place and welding the holding rings in place. It was a brutally hot day, but in the end, worth every
Is a boat really a boat if it can't float? Months ago we removed every thru-hull in order to replace them with new seacocks and skin fittings, but we didn't reuse every one. We have decided to relocate things like the water maker, and we'
We are ready to consider our galley appliances. We want to use electricity for cooking for multiple reasons including reducing the types of fuel we have to source and carry, and heat in the tropics. Additionally, we’re exploring how we can reclaim some of the countertop space for food
Our very first multi-day passage had a very unfortunate outcome...we lost out bowsprit. The genneker halyard ruptured and dropped the sail into the water while we were moving ~12 knots. While we were trying to get the sail back on deck, the forces were just too great and the
The heat exchangers on our Yanmar engines are a problem. Replacing them is an expensive proposition, but we're not sure if they can be salvaged. In this episode you'll see how challenging it is simply to take them apart, and then we have to consider if
There's nothing quite as nice as all new plumbing. In this episode, we replace our toilets as well as the entire waste water system. The only thing remaining is the black water tank, and only because we can't get it out of the boat without cutting
Maintenance
Engines
We hauled out of the water in June 2024 and it’s now April 2025. So how’s it going? In this episode, we provide a real-time update. We’ll detail some of the steps we’ve finished, explain the projects that are mid-flight, and give you a peak into
Engines
The entire purpose behind doing our own major engine maintenance is to save money, and give old parts new life where possible. We hate the idea of throwing away things that can be saved with a bit of know-how and elbow grease. In this episode we attempt to clean up
Lithium Batteries
Before we can install our new 55 watt hour LiFePo battery bank, the space needs some serious work. From ensuring a dry space, to sanding, fiberglass, and paint, this space has been transformed into a perfect home for our LiFePo batteries.
Refit
Welcome to part two of our Major Engine Maintenance Series. It’s time to tear apart our engines! In this episode Shawn removes every hose, hose clamp, and every component. In the process, he discovers completely clogged hoses, significant corrosion, and rusted parts that must be replaced.
Projects
We have two Yanmar 4JH4-TE 75hp engines. With regular maintenance, these engines should comfortably last 10,000hrs and ours have 5,000. Engine maintenance is difficult on a boat. Space is tight, temperatures are often unbearable, and unless you have confidence and experience working on engines, it’s not uncommon
Refit
We weren't planning to be here this long. The seasons are changing quickly and with it comes cold temperatures and short days. Everything we own is in two storage containers that are little more than metal boxes. These will certainly have plenty of condensation during the cold months
Projects
Since day one back in July of 2022, we have had several hatches that leaked. While in Guatemala, we re-bedded two of the three hatches in the salon and galley, but that's as far as we got. We mitigated the problem by keeping a bucket or bowl under
Refit
One of the biggest and costliest project in many yacht refits is new batteries. These days, most battery changes are by people moving from standard AGMs to Lithium, or making the change to a higher native voltage from 12v to 24v or 48v. We are making the change to a
Refit
We removed every piece of hardware from the mast and boom and discovered a lot of peeled and bubbling paint. That can only mean one thing...corrosion. We wanted a better look at the aluminum, so we decided to completely strip and repaint both mast and boom. Weeks of sanding
Projects
Months after hauling our 54' catamaran out of the water to begin the refit, we finally did something that will stay on the boat. Many projects are in process, but that's been the name of the game for a long time. We were both itching to move
The mast, boom, and davits we removed shortly after we hauled ROAM out of the water. They have been sitting on foam blocks since then waiting to reach the top of the priority list. Our rigging makeover is a multi step process that starts now. The first step is to