Sailing The Dream

PROJECTS
Boat works and maintenance jobs, also known as repairs in exotic locations. The challenges of trying to fix things without speaking the language or knowing the place.

Coppercoat

Sailing The Dream

Nov 6, 2022

Coppercoat antifoul treatment - preparation & application (part 2)

This stage of the preparation of the hull was not only backbreaking but also psychologically challenging.

Coppercoat antifoul treatment - considerations and costs (part 1)

Sailing The Dream

Oct 24, 2022

Coppercoat antifoul treatment - considerations and costs (part 1)

A pure cost analysis not factoring inflation over a period of 10 years puts normal antifoul paint at 4500€ against the 4200€ of Coppercoat

Building a hardtop at anchor

Building a hardtop - costs, other numbers and conclusions (part 6)

Sailing The Dream

Oct 13, 2022

Building a hardtop - costs, other numbers and conclusions (part 6)

To our surprise the weight difference between the old set-up with the original Bimini and the new hardtop was negligible.

Building a hardtop - stainless steel works and installation of equipment (part 5)

Sailing The Dream

Mar 27, 2022

Building a hardtop - stainless steel works and installation of equipment (part 5)

They were quite surprised that John and I could lift it reasonably easily just the two of us

Building a hardtop - joining the pieces and painting (part 4)

Sailing The Dream

Feb 26, 2022

Building a hardtop - joining the pieces and painting (part 4)

With a plan in mind, we prepared a set of lines and straps, arranged in a way that allowed us to flip the 3.8x3.8m hardtop

Sailing The Dream

Feb 19, 2022

Building a hardtop - fairing (part 3)

Once all the fibreglassing for both pieces was completed it was time to start working on preparing for fairing and primer painting.

Building a hardtop - the construction (part 2)

Sailing The Dream

Feb 12, 2022

Building a hardtop - the construction (part 2)

With the decision of building the Bimini on the foredeck, we wasted no time while still waiting for a few work supplies we built a mockup

Building a hardtop - the idea, concept and material choices (part 1)

Sailing The Dream

Feb 5, 2022

Building a hardtop - the idea, concept and material choices (part 1)

After living on board for four years, we became more and more convinced that a rigid Bimini was one of the items that would improve our life

Solar Power - Our Journey

Sailing The Dream

Jul 28, 2019

Rigid solar panels - here we go

...when we went to order them the supplier had already run out of stock, damn we missed out the opportunity and the option was to settle wit

Sailing The Dream

Sep 9, 2018

Solar panels - what's next?

So, after some serious re-thinking of our current solar installation and the efficiency of the flexible panels, or in this case how they see

Flexible solar panels - second season of use update

Sailing The Dream

Aug 21, 2018

Flexible solar panels - second season of use update

Our power production was affected in a way we were not expecting, considering that the previous season most of the times whilst docked in a

How we power our batteries - solar energy

Sailing The Dream

Oct 10, 2017

How we power our batteries - solar energy

Power, electrical power, is the all-time battle and headache of any long-term sailor, of course, we can plug to shore in the marina or run t

Batteries

Sailing The Dream

Nov 27, 2022

The Dream - LiFePo4

A total of 600Ah capacity would give us up to 480Ah of usable power (at 80% discharge) of usable capacity with a total weight of 60kg

Sailing The Dream

Mar 1, 2020

Batteries failure - what went wrong!

Before moving onto The Dream back in 2017 we had spent a lot of time doing research and arriving at our decision with regards to the new...

Replacing the batteries and running 220/240v full time

Sailing The Dream

Aug 18, 2017

Replacing the batteries and running 220/240v full time

All it took was one touch on the electric winch after we had issues with the fuel tanks that stopped us from using the engine and the whole

Transat - Repairs off the beaten track and another lesson learned - part 3

Ana

Apr 8, 2023

Transat - Repairs off the beaten track and another lesson learned - part 3

Between the suitcase and the new autopilot, I was already close to my weight allowance leaving only room for some clothes I could use to pad

Transat - Repairs off the beaten track and another lesson learned - part 2

Ana

Apr 2, 2023

Transat - Repairs off the beaten track and another lesson learned - part 2

After having our spirits crushed again when the autopilot blew the fuse after a couple of hours of use, we decided, we had nothing to loose

Transat - Repairs off the beaten track and another lesson learned - part 1

Ana

Mar 11, 2023

Transat - Repairs off the beaten track and another lesson learned - part 1

The dark cloud had rolled back over our heads, and we knew we had an urgent problem to be solved before we could start exploring the country

Transat - the Hydrovane and the jury rig

Ana

Feb 25, 2023

Transat - the Hydrovane and the jury rig

Despite being back at steering with the Hydrovane quite successfully, the failure of the autopilot presented a huge problem.

Galley mini-refit - Gimballed induction cooktop and convection oven

Sailing The Dream

Nov 20, 2022

Galley mini-refit - Gimballed induction cooktop and convection oven

Since the beginning of our boat travels we did not like the idea of LPG on the boat.

John

Dec 16, 2019

2019 Winter projects list

Some projects from last years jobs list weren't completed and there's also the new projects that another year living aboard demand a

Sailing The Dream

Aug 4, 2019

Increasing the Diesel capacity

After a bit of work fitting the diesel heater in the deep stern locker and then installing the new diesel tank The Dream fuel capacity is no

Sailing The Dream

Jul 17, 2019

Warming up for a winter at anchor

We also plan to sail both high and low latitudes in the coming few years. So a diesel heater was a must.

EPIRB, PLB, MOB devices - what are they, how do they work and what do we have

Sailing The Dream

Jun 30, 2019

EPIRB, PLB, MOB devices - what are they, how do they work and what do we have

Every time we get into the discussion of what are our safety procedures and pieces of equipment with other sailors the discussion is always

2018 Winter projects list - what was really done

John

May 29, 2019

2018 Winter projects list - what was really done

Ok well goodbye 2018 and hello 2019, we hit a lot of repairs, projects and upgrades last year and the list is comprehensive, I thought we sh

Making the cockpit feel like home - cushions

Sailing The Dream

May 15, 2019

Making the cockpit feel like home - cushions

The original Dufour cushions were just pathetic and embarrassing when one thinks of how "luxurious" they sell the brand. With the

Sailing The Dream

Mar 14, 2019

How to repair your Solar Panels

A lot has been said about flexible solar panels, one of the things is that they stop producing power quite easily. One of the reasons is the

Sailing The Dream

Nov 23, 2018

The ongoing bow thruster dramas

The AGM batteries are now right on five years old and we believe at the end of their life, again we don’t know the story of how were they ca

John

Oct 22, 2018

2018 Winter projects list

With the end of the sailing season of 2018 it is time for some intensive care of The Dream, after all our yacht has just turned 5 years old,

Sailing The Dream

Dec 15, 2017

How we steer just with wind

After having to completely rebuild our rudder bearing we decided we needed the R-word REDUNDANCY and thus we started our search for a backup

How we replaced our seized rudder bearing assembly (part 1)

Sailing The Dream

Aug 20, 2017

How we replaced our seized rudder bearing assembly (part 1)

2 months have flown by and at the same time it feels days dragged by. (...) It was day after day of 10-11 hours working in all sorts of diff

The Dream
feel the fear, do it anyway!

PROJECTS
Boat works and maintenance jobs, also known as repairs in exotic locations. The challenges of trying to fix things without speaking the language or knowing the place.

Coppercoat

Building a hardtop at anchor

Solar Power - Our Journey

Batteries

Where have we been?

PROJECTS Boat works and maintenance jobs, also known as repairs in exotic locations. The challenges of trying to fix things without speaking the language or knowing the place.

Coppercoat

Building a hardtop at anchor

Solar Power - Our Journey

Batteries

Where have we been?

PROJECTS
Boat works and maintenance jobs, also known as repairs in exotic locations. The challenges of trying to fix things without speaking the language or knowing the place.