So as we docked last September we did have plans for some fall and winter cruising, but it becomes challenging as the boat transitions to more of a house than a vehicle to move around in. The dock lines magically become velcro and so here we sit at the dock. Covid and some other issues contributed to the inertia…but that didn’t mean we sat idle. Since we didn’t head south as planned, we started to tackle some projects that were on the “nice to do” list as opposed to the “need to do” list which was done as part of the prep for cruising offshore.
During our stay at the apartment in January and February, Brian managed to update our galley. The laminate countertops were probably original to the boat and were very tired. It was a big job that could only be accomplished with us off the boat as you can see from the pictures below, every bit of living space in the salon was transformed into a workshop. The stove was removed and the fridge was turned off. Off came the old and on went the new. As with any boat project, nothing is square or level and requires a fair amount of ingenuity in construction methods. I have tried to document the process in pictures below.
BEFORE: This is a very old shot of the galley from when we first bought Cariba – the first thing we did was get rid of that old microwave! We replaced the stove so we could have a decent sized oven. The fridge lid was very inefficient as well; the seal was poor allowing for lots of frost build up.
DURING:
AFTER:
I am really pleased with how it all turned out. My fridge lid is much lighter and seals better so no ice build up on the fridge plate inside. The utensil holder is so gorgeous. Brian laminated together some teak and wenge wood. Yes wenge, I had to look that up; it is sometimes known as African rose wood. Very pretty but can give one lots of very fine slivers before epoxy and varnish is applied. And look at those taps!!!
Overall I am thrilled with the galley. Since buying Cariba we have added a carbon filter tap for drinking water, a new water cooled fridge system and a new stove. Now with the cosmetic upgrades, it looks amazing. I can reach all the critical elements I need with only a couple of steps or turning around. The quarter berth on the starboard side is just across from the galley and the hanging locker has been converted into my pots/pans storage. That along with the cloth spice rack I made will make making meals underway easy to do.
So up next on Cariba… the head countertop and taps. Project is underway – stay tuned for the update… here are a couple of pics from the “deconstruct phase”. Why didn’t I take that before shot!! Argh!
Contemplating the plumbing connections… a bit of an issue with nearly 40 yr old vs brand new connections!
SV Cariba 
Fantastic. Love the new galley.
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Thanks and we have new countertop and taps in the head as well. Pics to come! Enjoy the cruising season!
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