Our beautiful ‘Mare is undergoing major surgery, akin to replacing her heart. But in this case, she isn’t getting someone else’s heart; she’s getting a brand new one! Uh-oh, we’ll have to gussy up the rest of the engine room so that shiny new engine doesn’t look out of place.
This week, the “open-heart surgery” began, albeit a bit backwards, not from the outside but the inside. We did as much as we could before the pros arrived, like remove everything – pots and pans, cabinetry and drawer items, soft goods, ceiling panels, TV, electronics, you name it.
Once the upper cabinet was removed from the galley ceiling, it was time to focus on the peninsula. It’s a boat with a lot of systems. Wires run everywhere.
And under this end, we will find screws holding it down, I think…
Wow, what craftmanship! One end of the peninsula is tightly fitted between two other fixed cabinets, and the other is simply and logically held down with screws to the deck. But this rascal is heavy! With some ingenuity and controlled muscle, the peninsula slid free, to be relocated safely out of the way by the saloon door.
Next day and next up is the “soft patch,” as it’s called in boats. In our surgery simile, maybe this is the skin? Selene did an excellent job of planning for the unlikely, terrible event of removing the engine by building in a sort of “door” through the roof, or top deck, of the boat. They even branded it and made sure one knows in which direction to reinstall it!
But like our skin, it’s tough! The jack was used just to add some upward pressure as the “caulk/5200 adhesive” sealing it in place was cut with a saw. Whew, what a smelly and messy job!
We have really been impressed with the quality and care with which Selene built the boat. Things are very well constructed and tightly fit. It’s one thing to believe it, but quite comforting to know we have a good, solid boat. Personally, it’s been a roller coaster of emotions, but true to form, our spirits are up, and we are ready for this adventure event.
And of course, our planner extraordinaire is on the job! (Honey, ah, what the heck! Are those countertop samples??)
Took the better part of two days to get the soft patch free. Next step? Time to lift those heavy, sound-insulated floor panels and cross braces and carefully add them to the growing pile of boat “parts” at the far end of the room.
Now we have good access and light for the engine expert – just have to be careful moving around.
Despite all this progress, the peanut gallery outside is not particularly impressed.
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