Living aboard a catamaran is a very different prospect from just sailing away for a few days.  It’s a bit like a long camping trip but with more preparation and a need to stow all our waste.  The preparation always involves weather and tides, wherever we are.  Food and drinks come next.  Storage involves thinking about ease of access and weight distribution and whether things need to be kept dry.  We have heaps of storage – it’s just remembering where we put things, that’s the challenge!

Like any house or home, what you see is what you get.  Until you look deeper... there is always stuff to fix.  Keeping busy aboard is most of the fun!  Then there’s the cleaning......zzzzzzz

Our initial boat preparation has included new batteries, 10 in all, additional solar panels, redesigning the fridge and freezer systems, adding external window shades, new hatches and hatch covers, updating the electronic navigation systems, adding aerials (you can’t have too many aerials, of course), rebuilding the dinghy lift, changing the old pump-out to a composting toilet, working out all the other plumbing and drainage (very important!!), servicing the water-maker, making space for sewing paraphernalia and fitting in our new folding bikes – our essential transport to shops.  

Sewing projects include curtains for the guests’ cabin and bow storage (aka cellar), repairs to dinghy cover, bags for bikes and other gadgets.  Big project will be to make new shades to go on the sail tracks.