{"id":50024,"date":"2023-04-18T12:54:42","date_gmt":"2023-04-18T16:54:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/?p=50024"},"modified":"2023-07-19T12:06:07","modified_gmt":"2023-07-19T16:06:07","slug":"total-refit-40-year-old-stevens-47-totem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/how-to\/total-refit-40-year-old-stevens-47-totem\/","title":{"rendered":"Total Refit of Our 40-Year-Old Stevens 47 Totem"},"content":{"rendered":"\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC8657_edit-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image disable-lazyload\" alt=\"Sea of Cortez\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC8657_edit-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC8657_edit-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC8657_edit-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC8657_edit-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC8657_edit.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\"><i>Totem<\/i> ghosts north in the Sea of Cortez toward Puerto Pe\u00f1asco, Mexico, where we planned to safely wait out hurricane season and install a new engine. We didn\u2019t realize at the time we\u2019d be there for two hurricane seasons and a total refit.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Behan Gifford<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n\n<p>As a fellow cruiser gazed around the torn-up main cabin of our 1982 Stevens 47, <em>Totem<\/em>, his eyes grew wide. He asked a head-scratcher: \u201cWhy?\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why not buy a newer sailboat? Why take on so much work? Why not be anchored at a remote Pacific Island right now instead of dry-docked in a dusty shipyard?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because this boat\u2014our home of 15 years through dozens of countries along a path around Earth, classroom for our three children, magic carpet to unimaginable experiences\u2014is our <em>Totem<\/em>. Named as an homage to our home waters in the <a href=\"\/tag\/pacific-northwest\/\">Pacific Northwest<\/a>, the tribute became our truth. <em>Totem<\/em> is as much a symbol as a safe conveyance for our family. This boat has cared for us, and we now care for it, with a <a href=\"\/people\/sailing-totem-the-40-year-refit\/\">refit centered on its&nbsp;40th year<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Stevens 47 is a storied Sparkman &amp; Stephens \u00addesign, praised by experienced sailors for seaworthiness, \u00adsturdiness and performance. We dispute none of this, but even well-proven boats will age into meaningful needs. All materials degrade sooner or later, especially when they\u2019re subjected to extended use in the harsh marine environment. Some boatbuilding practices become dated. Plywood-cored decks become spongy. Fiberglassed-in chainplates become a rusty, unsafe mess. <em>Totem<\/em> wasn\u2019t built with either, but she has original flaws. Below the lovely teak and juniper cabin sole is a plywood subfloor that is delaminated and rotten in some areas. My husband, Jamie, has been known to quip that \u201ceverything on a boat is consumable.\u201d And ultimately, it\u2019s true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220116_120023_edit-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Construction in Totem&#039;s main cabin\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220116_120023_edit-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220116_120023_edit-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220116_120023_edit-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220116_120023_edit-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220116_120023_edit.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Jamie works at the nav station amid construction in <i>Totem<\/i>\u2019s main cabin. <\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Behan Gifford<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>This isn\u2019t <em>Totem<\/em>\u2019s first refit; others took place under the care of prior owners, a history we\u2019ve never fully unraveled. We\u2019ve done several refits too. Back in 2007, the listing claimed the sailboat was \u201cturnkey.\u201d We found it necessary to add new standing rigging, sailhandling improvements and a working watermaker. Seven years in, another round was due in Thailand: replacing through-hulls, a failed stainless-steel water tank, and a fridge box with water-saturated foam insulation. Rerigging (again), a new watermaker (again) and new hatches were a big part of a 2019 refit in preparation for sailing across the Pacific. The pandemic scratched that plan, but it was nice to have the upgrades, regardless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes, routine updates speak to good stewardship. When bronze fittings get a pink tone, it\u2019s a red flag for deteriorating metal and time to replace the part\u2014even if it looks fine. There can be spaghetti wiring with ghost wires that prior owners ignored rather than removed. Sometimes, we\u2019ve had to make do with less-than-ideal materials or supplies; when a hidden flaw under the C-clip end of our steering chain failed off the coast of Colombia, spliced Dyneema was a quick and reliable solution that served for 5,000 nautical miles. We now have a new steering chain, a new 7-by-19 stainless-steel wire cables and an entirely new binnacle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 40-year refit is the biggest we\u2019ve taken on, and was entirely unplanned. We sailed down the Sea of Cortez in Mexico in early 2021, with permits in hand to explore remote islands several hundred miles offshore. Just a few hundred miles in, our always reliable Yanmar 4JH3-TE with 8,300 hours on the clock \u00admanifested an unrepairable problem. Repowering is a big financial drain on the cruising kitty and, as it turned out, a big cost in time as well. Waiting for the new engine, we stumbled into additional, discretionary projects. Here\u2019s a look at some of what we\u2019ve been doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&nbsp;Repowering&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC00949_rt_edit-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Refitting a boat engine\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC00949_rt_edit-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC00949_rt_edit-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC00949_rt_edit-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC00949_rt_edit-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC00949_rt_edit.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Orienting the engine through the hatch was tricky. Jamie guides <i>Totem<\/i>\u2019s new Beta 70T toward the companionway while the shipyard crew manages the crane below.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Behan Gifford<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>The engine problem that started this refit came to our attention when we \u00addiscovered oil in the engine\u2019s cooling system. Troubleshooting showed that the issue wasn\u2019t the head \u00adgasket; instead, pinholes in the oil gallery leaked oil across to the cooling system. Five to eight hours of motoring was enough to make a gloppy mess of the coolant.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Totem<\/em> had been repowered once before, around 2002\u2014a major tick in her favor when we were boat shopping. But 20 years of active cruising later, the bill came due. A shiny new Beta 70 turbo is now aligned and mounted in <em>Totem<\/em>\u2019s engine room, chosen for reliability and simpler routine maintenance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20221111_161903_rt_edit-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Engine room\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20221111_161903_rt_edit-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20221111_161903_rt_edit-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20221111_161903_rt_edit-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20221111_161903_rt_edit-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20221111_161903_rt_edit.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">The new engine is finally aboard! Repowering Totem was the task that spawned an entire refit. An extended wait for the engine to arrive gave us time to undertake much-needed projects, including replacing the engine-room insulation and engine-exhaust hose.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Behan Gifford<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>We also updated the engine-room insulation and engine-exhaust hose. The challenge of replacing 24 feet of 3-inch-diameter exhaust hose snaked through tight, hidden spaces brings to mind wrestling an alligator at night. We also replaced and sealed delaminated plywood, and the entire engine room is now painted glossy gray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&nbsp;Hull Paint&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Totem<\/em>\u2019s hull was a cosmetic disaster for years, and we\u2019ve worn that scruffiness like a badge. Each scratch is the reminder of a dugout canoe that came to visit, or an enthusiastic fisherman who arrived to trade. But the paint wore through in places, exposing the original dark blue gelcoat. Even that was thin in places. It was becoming more than a cosmetic problem.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We hired crew at the Cabrales Boatyard in Puerto Penasco, Mexico, to prep (so much sanding and fairing), prime, and spray two-part topcoat. The hardest part was choosing which white to use. I wish that were a joke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&nbsp;Cabin Rehabilitation&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Global supply-chain issues caused refit delays that led to more refit projects. Every cabin is now included on the list. In the heads, the shower pans let water find a way to the adjacent bulkheads. (Shower pans, you had one job!) Over time, hidden sections of the bulkhead rotted. Even though we converted the forward wet head to be dry in 2007, the problem percolated out of sight. Removing the shower pans revealed rotten plywood subfloor. As with many projects, you start one and find four more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Repairing the \u00adbulkheads was relatively easy. We removed the roughly \u00ad12-by-18-inch section in each, created a tapered edge, and then layered fiberglass down to the hull. In the \u00adforward head, the new plywood floor is sealed, fiberglassed with epoxy, and capped with tiles.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220311_112805_edit-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"cabin space\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220311_112805_edit-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220311_112805_edit-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220311_112805_edit-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220311_112805_edit-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220311_112805_edit.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">The refit gave us the opportunity to reimagine our cabin spaces and customize them for precise use. In this case, we redesigned a locker in the starboard cabin specifically for our new ACR RapidDitch kit. It\u2019s within easy reach of the cockpit and companionway.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Behan Gifford<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>The aft head, which still has a shower, needed the pan improved. The original was board-flat, so water collected when <em>Totem<\/em> sat at a slight angle. The new pan has a distinct angle that actually drains. And the plywood subfloor was replaced.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We also fixed the original, cracked laminate surfaces that lined both heads. That job required a heat gun, metal scraper, and no small measure of blood, sweat and tears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Surprisingly Consumable&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Abovedecks, it\u2019s easy to assume that a binnacle will last as long as a boat. <em>Totem<\/em>\u2019s is original, and while it has served well, the chain cog and axle show notable wear, and the brake mechanism is so worn that it no longer secures the wheel. Plus, Jamie has never liked the design because of poor access to inspecting the inner mechanics.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, in its place, we have an Edson Vision II \u00adpedestal that opens easily for inspection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Safety Issues&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Fiberglass is flexible\u2014to a point. Over 40 years, smooth water and big seas alike pressed or smashed into <em>Totem<\/em>\u2019s bow. We now have slight oil canning, or waviness and distortion near the bow. The Stevens 47 hull is thick, but it still gets only so many million flexes before the resin degrades. And we have plans to carve through many more sea miles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reinforcing inside <em>Totem<\/em>\u2019s hull at the bow to address the distortion opened up another opportunity: to install a crash box. Our friends recently suffered some scary damage to their 2008 Seawind 1160 when they hit an unidentified floating object north of Hawaii. That&nbsp;object ripped a hole in the starboard bow while they were 1,500 nautical miles from land. An effective crash bulkhead saved the vessel\u2014and the crew\u2014from needing rescue. We want that level of security too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Safety updates are a theme we carried throughout this refit. Our old stainless-steel cockpit scuppers <em>looked<\/em> fine, but after removing them, we found them to be brittle and replaced them. Chainplate inspection is vital to a vessel\u2019s safety, and we removed and inspected each one. Using a 10x magnifying loupe to examine them thoroughly, Jamie noted a few small areas (about \u00bc-inch in diameter) where shallow pitting started through the otherwise mirror finish. These minor areas of rust occurred where water must have leaked through. We used muriatic acid to eliminate the rust, and polished the chainplates with a progression of sandpaper, starting at 260 grit and going up to 3,000 grit, before reinstalling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220311_112707_edit-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"new rudder-shaft gland\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220311_112707_edit-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220311_112707_edit-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220311_112707_edit-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220311_112707_edit-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220311_112707_edit.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">The new headliner is taking shape above Jamie\u2019s head as he considers the new rudder-shaft gland.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Behan Gifford<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>We switched out <em>Totem<\/em>\u2019s rudder-shaft gland assembly, which required a complete redesign using off-the-shelf parts because a standard replacement was not available. We replaced the boot with a 4-inch-diameter exhaust hose and fabricated a new upper gland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We upgraded our old ditch kit with ACR\u2019s RapidDitch kit, and customized locker space near the companionway to accommodate it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&nbsp;Headliner&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I remember, when we purchased <em>Totem<\/em>, stepping belowdecks at a marina up the estuary in Alameda, California. The basket-weave-\u00adembossed vinyl headliner was permanently grubby. I thought, <em>That will be the first to go<\/em>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It wasn\u2019t essential, so it continued to irritate me for another seven years. We put in a Formica headliner in Thailand, which bought us time, but it wasn\u2019t done right. We lived with it and thought about how we\u2019d do it better someday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;Our extended stay at the yard has allowed us to tackle a lot of \u201csomeday\u201d projects like this one. Jamie worked up a solution for the headliner by using \u00bc-inch plywood panels, cut to fit, and faired with West System epoxy and 407 filler. They create a super-smooth and tough finish. And the panels can be fabricated outside the boat, sparing grueling overhead sanding. The trick was securing the panels in place. They were too thin for screws. The solution Jamie landed on was wetting out fiberglass tape with epoxy, and forming ridged strips that bonded to the panels and ceiling. The only remaining work was to apply thickened epoxy on the&nbsp;seams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&nbsp;Cabinets&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220215_120041_edit-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"removing cabinets\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220215_120041_edit-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220215_120041_edit-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220215_120041_edit-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220215_120041_edit-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220215_120041_edit.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">We ditched our old galley cabinets. The old design left a frustrating amount of unusable space.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Behan Gifford<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p><em>Totem<\/em>\u2019s main cabin has been through several iterations, each one tuned to the stage we found ourselves in life. In 2007, Jamie did a significant rebuild that took an 18-inch section of stowage out of the port side; moving the settee and table outboard allowed us to create midline seating for the family. It was a fantastic upgrade, and the shelves on the port hull were perfect for our children\u2019s collections of books.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fast-forward a few years: We opened up the space, giving our dwarf hamster a place to run as our need for printed books reduced. That change was effective, if a bit crude.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, with help from a skilled carpenter, that space is reconfigured again to retain stowage and bookshelves, with a finer finish.Similarly, in the aft cabin, we did a makeover of the cabinets and a desk space for our current needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&nbsp;Cockpit Comfort&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Abovedecks, our dodger and Bimini top have been through several rounds of progressive improvement. The hard dodger crafted in 2007 now has fairing to clean up the rough underside, as well as improved stainless mounts. There are new snaps for the soft-sided dodger. A car-painting shop sprayed it with epoxy topcoat to gleaming perfection: It will now look like the dodger we always wanted, with molded-in grips that channel rain to the sides instead of sheeting it into the cockpit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&nbsp;Swim Steps&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC8936_edit-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"swim-step addition\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC8936_edit-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC8936_edit-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC8936_edit-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC8936_edit-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC8936_edit.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Measure twice? No, measure 10 times! We held our breath as Jamie made the first cut into <i>Totem<\/i>\u2019s reverse transom for the new swim-step addition.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Behan Gifford<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>The most dramatic change was among the first that we tackled. We had been hauled out for only a few weeks when Jamie pressed an angle-grinder cutting disc into <em>Totem<\/em>\u2019s transom. Years of pondering how to make it a better platform for entering and exiting finally landed on&nbsp;a clever approach.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He perched on a ladder against our reverse transom, a legacy of 1970s design, and created steps that would appear as if they are carved into the back. Partway through, I described my vision for sitting back there, feet in the water, enjoying morning coffee and a view. The bottom step then became a swim platform.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/PXL_20210625_003843094_edit-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"adding new swim steps\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/PXL_20210625_003843094_edit-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/PXL_20210625_003843094_edit-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/PXL_20210625_003843094_edit-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/PXL_20210625_003843094_edit-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/PXL_20210625_003843094_edit.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Initially, the new swim steps on <i>Totem<\/i>\u2019s transom carved up just one side. I asked Jamie to make a step big enough for us to sit on together.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\"><\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>This upgrade has created a new space for us to enjoy life afloat. It eliminated the awkward, perpetually rusting stainless-steel ladder, and gave us bonus space in the propane locker, which is about 20 percent larger.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reaching The End&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen will you splash <em>Totem<\/em>?\u201d is the question we hear repeatedly. \u201cIt\u2019s a 40-year refit, so only 38 years to go,\u201d Jamie replies with a weary, wry smile.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The timeline has extended far beyond anything we imagined. The delays answer the question of why cutting the dock lines can be so hard for cruisers. Life gets in the way. There was a pandemic. Our daughters went off to college and life on land. There were unanticipated \u00addelivery delays. And it was an important time to be in reach of my parents. We could not have known that these two years in the shipyard would be my mother\u2019s last two on Earth; to be in reach for easy visits was priceless. She passed away early this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But ultimately, Jamie and I are on no timeline but our own. As we reach the point of being ready enough, the islands beckon, and we\u2019ll soon point their way.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-galley-upgrades\">Galley Upgrades<\/h3>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC00306_edit-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"galley space\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC00306_edit-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC00306_edit-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC00306_edit-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC00306_edit-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/DSC00306_edit.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Jamie inspects the cutout space for the new GN-Espace stove. It\u2019s smaller than the Force 10 it replaces, which gives us more functional space to the right of the stove.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Behan Gifford<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>While every cabin on <em>Totem<\/em> is part of the refit, changes to the \u00adgalley crept up on us. At first, we focused entirely on \u00adnondiscretionary needs. The Force 10 we installed in 2007 was on its last legs, and was not practically repairable. The laminate countertop installed in 2014 in Thailand was wearing through enough to expose particleboard\u2014that had to go. Jamie fell through dry-rotted stringers under the sole\u2014looks like that would have to be replaced!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Discretionary updates crept in, easily justified. The new stove\u2019s geometry would let us reclaim precious inches of workspace at the forward end by rebuilding a cabinet, turning it from skinny to functional. Then, when pulling off the laminate\u2014why not just pull the whole countertop and reimagine a better use of the storage spaces below? That engine compartment (the whole inboard side of the galley) needed to be gutted for the new Beta anyway. It wasn\u2019t long before the only remaining part of the galley we weren\u2019t tearing into were the lockers along the port hull\u2014and it had always bothered Jamie how when they were rebuilt in 2014, they weren\u2019t to his spec, leaving yawning portals to unrealized storage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Suddenly we were looking at our galley as a near-rebuild, not a few fixes. But a love for cooking and eating well, and no additional time cost to the haulout, made it easy to embrace expanded plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220213_102644_edit-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Galley construction\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220213_102644_edit-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220213_102644_edit-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220213_102644_edit-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220213_102644_edit-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220213_102644_edit.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Our daughters weigh in on the redesign.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Behan Gifford<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>The first splurge was a GN-Espace stove. This UK-made \u201ccooker\u201d is a rarity among boat ovens\u2014it\u2019s actually insulated. This means baking in the tropics without heating the boat, and vastly more efficient use of propane. I can\u2019t wait to hone my sourdough skills from the tropics!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;Countertop material has been the hardest to settle on. For months, installing quartz\u2014a manufactured product from stone powder and resin\u2014was the plan. But it\u2019s too heavy: not because of the weight overall (we determined it to be about the same as having another person on board), but the heft needed to lift the slab for refrigerator access, or a large square to reach the garbage can hidden beneath. Solid surfacing was our second choice, but there isn\u2019t an installer\/fabricator or supplier in this part of Mexico\u2014and it\u2019s not a material we\u2019d like to tackle as amateurs. We decided on bamboo. Strips of the grass bonded to form a slab creates the lightest-weight countertop among all options (save laminate), with the benefit of being relatively thin\u2014an asset because we seek to avoid adding height. The environmentally friendly option feels and looks good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cabin-sole replacement has been a trickier proposition than expected. We could never match the teak and juniper elsewhere on <em>Totem<\/em>; attempting it would look awkward. Casting for options, we initially chose recycled rubber tiles, but Jamie and I kept returning to memories of the cork flooring we loved in our Seattle kitchen: It is comfortably resilient underfoot, handles traffic well (hiding grime from toddlers and dogs), and is a renewable material that we can feel good about. Finding glue-down tiles intended for use in high-moisture settings (such as a bathroom\u2026or a sailboat!) settled the choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220213_110656_edit-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"Galley locker demolition\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220213_110656_edit-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220213_110656_edit-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220213_110656_edit-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220213_110656_edit-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/20220213_110656_edit.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Ripping out the galley lockers.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Behan Gifford<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>Finally, there is literally the kitchen sink thrown in. With new counters and fresh finishes everywhere else in the galley, that 1982 sink was going to look pretty out of place. Jamie jokingly refers to our new sink as \u201cThe Bathtub.\u201d And while the household size might be inordinately large on a sailboat, it fits, it has fantastic utility with nested cutting boards and drainage, and we know from our prior use patterns that we\u2019ll appreciate the capacity. <em>\u2014BG<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Paean to Sanding<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s ironic that making&nbsp; <em>Totem<\/em>&nbsp; better requires removing so much of&nbsp;<em>Totem<\/em>&nbsp;in a slow, agonizing process. I\u2019m referring to sanding. I hate sanding. I recall learning this as a \u00ad7-year-old kid; sandpaper wrapped around the wooden block, cleaning the gunwales of an old wooden skiff in my backyard. At 13, I rebuilt the centerboard trunk on my Enterprise-class sailing dinghy and produced an astonishing quantity of dust. My summer job at age 18 was preparing boats in a shipyard for spring launch in Mystic, Connecticut. Wet sanding \u00adbottom paint is a grueling, messy business. Almost four decades later, this refit on <em>Totem<\/em> is one epic, tedious, awful sanding event. Countless coarse 60- and 80-grit sander disks, cut through rough surfaces. An eternity of 120-grit sheets. When the dust settled, I learned to row in that wooden skiff. I learned to race the wind in that sailing \u00addinghy.&nbsp;<em>Totem<\/em>&nbsp;might be a dusty mess, but I wouldn\u2019t have it any other way.<em>\u2014Jamie Gifford<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What started as an engine replacement turned into long-envisioned upgrades and a total refit.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":50025,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"BS_author_type":"BS_author_is_guest","BS_guest_author_name":"Behan Gifford","BS_guest_author_url":"","hydra_display_date":"","hydra_display_updated":false,"arc_story_id":"","arc_website_url":"","arc_subtype":"","arc_exclude_from_feeds":false,"sponsored":false,"sponsored_label":"Sponsored Content","sponsored_display_label":false,"post_right_rail":true,"post_right_rail_ad_1":true,"post_right_rail_ad_2":true,"post_right_rail_ad_3":false,"post_right_rail_ad_4":false,"post_right_rail_recirc":true,"fixed_anchor_ad":true,"post_top_ad":true,"post_off_ramp":true,"post_taboola":false,"labels":true,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":"","ad_settings_ads_on_this_page":true,"ad_settings_automatic_ad_injection_into_the_content":true,"ad_targeting":"","sponsored_image":false,"sponsored_url":"","social_share":true},"categories":[164],"tags":[183,202,1956,583,293,182],"class_list":["post-50024","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to","tag-how-to","tag-living-aboard","tag-print-may-2023","tag-refit","tag-refits","tag-sailing-totem"],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50024","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50024"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50024\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50025"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50024"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50024"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cruisingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50024"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}