We’ve spent last few days trying to further improve our living quarters on Janna. Even though frequent rain showers or outright downpours were against us, we’ve managed to move ahead a bit.
Gutted galley
Our original plan was to completely rebuild our galley. This has not happened, mainly because we couldn’t find any suitable timber to use. Either too soft or we would have to buy in bulk. Neither was an option. Thus we followed Fatty Goodlander’s prime example of yacht refitting from old garbage. He calls it recycling. So do we. There is a great benefit hidden in this approach: you save money.
So we disassembled the whole galley and found out that most of the wood is still quite usable. Well, we knew that part. We’ve plugged old screw cavities with some epoxy putty and drilled new holes. After a short wrestling match, we’ve managed to set the boards in angles quite resembling the right angle and fasten it all together. Our companion way stairs are attached to the galley and suddenly they stopped squeak. Praise the Darwin! Alas, that was just a beginning.
So far, our galley was basically just a worktop, no doors, no nothing, just a big gaping hole under a sink. And that gutted piece of seagoing furniture started to dispirit us. When we have hauled out for the first time in Singapore, we threw out the dysfunctional and grossly under-insulated fridge. It was followed by the rest of crap that was stashed under the sink by the previous owner. Then there was not time to play carpenters. We had to learn how to manage the whole boat and get her out of Singapore before we go broke on marina charges. So, we thought that we could cover the mess behind the galley door, which, however, could not be used due to the (only) slightly oversized four burner stove with oven that we demanded and installed. Thus the door remained stashed out of sight in our starboard storage area, more conventionally referred to as quarter berth, until four years later our galley-rebuilding project finally began and to fit in, the door had to be shifted few inches to the side, for the sake of which, we butchered nice piece of mahogany. But it was worth it.
Like-new fully functional galley
Since our engine installation extends slightly under the galley, we have also built a small encapsulation so as to stop the hot stinky air from the engine room to flow directly into the main cabin. We’ve rebuilt the stairs at the same time and removed the old filthy foam that was glued at the back side and replaced it with nice new and flashy soundproofing. Nothing fancy, just a generic car stuff. Let’s see how it fairs.
Janička is removing old filthy foam
Then we’ve switched hand pump for a foot pump so now we have the fresh water foot operated, which frees both our hands. The foot pump can be quite nicely controlled so you get just the amount of water that you need. Why didn’t we switch it earlier? Just why?
And we also sealed the galley sink so that water can’t run under it. Under the sink we’ve installed two partitions, which created two huge storage areas. All this took about three days, mostly due to the rain. To celebrate our new galley, we went shopping to Costco and filled our new pantry with some lovely stores. The best thing about all this is that we must have about two months worth of food in there and it is still half empty!
New pantry, still only half full, or half empty?
Next project was a folding table. It turned out to be a little challenge. Again mostly because we could not find any suitable wood. Up with the recyclin’! We had this sliding door, that was jammed all the time anyway, laying around. It was just the right width. So we trimmed the old table a bit, dug in two double acting hinges, installed two support timbers and now we have nice large 100x100cm folding table. Let guests come! And may them be plentiful! It’s not a work of beauty, more of a woodbutchery, but if works just fine.
Hinges must be counter sunk first
Table unfolded
In the meantime, Jana managed to create a paper towel holder from an old coat hanger and changed our companionway pad lock, since the old one was furiously rusting away.
And since it was raining cats and dogs, some of the water got inside. Not dripping, mind you, it was pouring in along a VHF cable. Once the rain stopped we ran out and caulked the hell of out the through-deck wire seal. There’s never enough caulk if you ask me.
The day before yesterday we’ve also received our brand new propeller, but the water is too muddy and just plain dirty due the rains, so we have to wait with the installation until the harbour cleans up. Let’s hope the typhoons will take a break for a while and the monsoon will also ease up, so that we can go out and do some of that sailing we hear so much about…
Janička fits everywhere
Česky
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