A little bit of re-modelling

We organised a carpenter last August to do some work on Serafina over the English winter, that plan didn't work so well. When we got back in May this year nothing had been done despite the many promises.

It's much easier to get things done when you're on the spot and I must admit the carpenter did have a lot of questions that weren't covered in my comprehensive email complete with diagrams and photos. The work was finally finished before our planned date to set off cruising after the carpenter shuffled a few jobs around. After all, eight months was a fair time to stand in the queue!

Here are a few before and after shots.

This is the before shot of the well deck. The boxes on each side weren't fixed to the floor and quite dangerous to step on in the wet.

The new versions are built in, much larger and add significant storage space.

and with the cushion and lid removed...

This isn't the best shot of the port side of the engine room but it gives you an idea. The main reasons to upgrade were to take the base of the control box through the floor to cut down the engine noise apart from the obvious drop of varnish the old pedestal needed.

The new version gives us a better view of the instruments, the Morse control is slightly higher and closer and lots more storage to clean up the engine room.

The starboard box was a tacked on set of pigeon holes with cane drawers.

The new version looks built-in and once again add lots of storage.

We also added a step to help Rachael see the bow of the boat a little easier and have much better access to the Morse control. Once again, the step helps to cut down engine noise, replacing a makeshift set-up that channeled engine noise straight up at the helmsman.

We didn't get all the work done that was originally planned but we had to make compromises otherwise we would have ended up in the marina for another week. The most obvious omission was the engine room bulkhead shown in the photo, that will have to wait for another cruising season.