Mast Stepped, Boom Installed | We're So Close to Launch
The turnbuckles arrived. They fit. The crane lifted. The mast went up. After two years and a two-month delay, the rig is back together.
Latest
Installing New LED Lights on Our Sailboat | Wiring & Hole Cutting
New LED lights required enlarged holes, custom wire harnesses, and a lot of fishing wires through tight spaces. Then the real test: polarity.
We Replumbed Our Entire Boat… And It Leaked Everywhere
We rebuilt the entire fresh water system with PEX. Then we pressure tested it. Seven days and ten hardware store trips later, here's what we learned.
Sub-Freezing Refit Life | Boat Work When Winter Hits Hard Ep. 65 #refit
Sub-zero temperatures hit the refit. Shawn heated small spaces to keep working. Geri stayed warm and recharged. Different strategies, same goal.
EP64: Anchor Chain Prep Turns Into a Full Windlass Refit
A simple plan to prep the anchor chain uncovers corrosion, rot, and a windlass that needs replacing. Real refit work aboard Roam.
EP63: Ready to Re-Step Our Mast… Then It All Fell Apart
After over a year of mast work, we’re finally ready to re-step — only to have it all derail at the last moment when the wrong turnbuckles arrive.
EP62: Rebuilding the Electrical System on Roam Begins
After months of planning, we begin building the core of Roam’s electrical system—relocating equipment, building a power wall, and mounting major Victron components.
EP61: The In-Between Projects That Keep Refit Life Moving
While waiting on weather and parts, we tackle the in-between projects that quietly move our refit forward — restoring systems and livability one job at a time.
EP60 – Racing the Clock to Restepping Our Mast | Winter Refit Setbacks
Racing winter weather and refit deadlines, we push to prepare our mast for re-stepping — only to be slowed by cold, snow, and parts delays.
EP59 – DIY Bridge Crane Success! Lifting Engines, Installing Sail Drives
Engines go back in, sail drives are installed, and a DIY bridge crane helps us hit one of the biggest refit milestones yet.
EP58 - Refit Reality Check | Cold Weather Ends Our Deck Painting Progress
Episode Overview This week, we made real progress on the deck refit — and then hit a hard stop thanks to winter weather. The plan was straightforward: prep and paint the aft deck, including the sugar scoops, helm stations, and transom alley. We put in the work up front, spending days
Ep57 - Boat Projects Galore! | Rigging, Fiberglass & Plumbing Refit Progress
A week of real refit progress: rigging prep, fiberglass repairs, plumbing work, and the small projects that keep a big rebuild moving forward.
Refit
EP56 – Restoring Our Sailboat’s Aluminum | Nyalic Finish & a Scary Boatyard Accident
Restoring every aluminum spar aboard Roam takes an unexpected turn when a boatyard accident sends us to the hospital — and the job still has to get finished.
Engines
EP55 – Sailors Maintaining Our Own Yanmar 4JH4-TE Diesel | Step-by-Step Reassembly
Step-by-step reassembly of our Yanmar 4JH4-TE diesel: cleaning, valve adjustment, seal replacement, cooling service, and the details that make an engine reliable offshore.
Galley
Ep54 - Epoxy Resin Countertops | Stunning White Counter Transformation
Turning a plain white galley counter into a custom epoxy resin surface—plus the prep, planning, and teamwork that make a clean pour possible.
Galley
Ep53 - We built a new lightweight countertop (From Scratch)
We remove a heavy Corian galley counter and build a lightweight replacement from Coosa board and fiberglass—learning carpentry lessons along the way.
Projects
EP52 – What If Your Teak Is Failing?
A closer look at our teak deck reveals it’s beyond saving—forcing us to strip it out and prepare for the deck work that follows in EP58.
Refit
EP51 - Installing our new DIY bowsprit
After losing our bowsprit offshore in EP14, we install a custom-designed replacement—closing the loop on a hard-earned lesson.
Refit
EP50 - Making Roam water-tight again.
We permanently patch unused thru-hulls and seal the hull—one of the most critical steps toward safely floating again.
Projects
Ep49 - Destructive testing our new epoxy countertop
We tested whether our custom epoxy composite countertop could safely support under-counter induction cooking — using thermal imaging and destructive heat testing to find out.
Refit
Ep48 - We created a new bowsprit. What could go wrong?
After losing our bowsprit on our first offshore passage, we designed and fabricated a stronger replacement. In this episode, we prep and refine the new aluminum bowsprit before installation aboard Roam.
Maintenance
EP47 - Trying to save the heat exchangers from our aging Yanmar engines | Part 1
Can we save the aging heat exchangers on our Yanmar engines — or are we risking catastrophic failure? In Part 1, we fight corrosion and weigh repair vs replacement.
EP46 - Installation of new Jabsco Quiet Flush e2 toilets & waste water system
We replace both marine toilets and rebuild our entire waste water system aboard Roam — new hoses, new routing, and stainless wire clamps throughout. A less glamorous but critical refit milestone.
Maintenance
EP45 - Replacing Our Thru-Hulls and Seacocks Using Custom 3D-Printed Tools
Replacing every thru-hull and seacock on Roam — and designing custom 3D-printed tools to do it right. Water-tight starts below the waterline.