I think the biggest challenge you faced was not the work, it was the stress and tension, not to mention the fatigue you endured through it all.The true beauty is the love, patience and strength you gained from each other. Florence is looking great, but your love and devotion to each other truly brings life to her. God Bless !
Great video. Best part being your honesty about what is truely involved in achieving so much. That said you must be totally chuffed with the results of your labour. Cheers
Good to see Florence back in the water. She's looking amazing, really reflects the hard work you have both put in, congratulations on a brilliant refurb.
Doing the job as well as you possibly can is a fairly vital component of doing anything on which your lives depend. While some people might find the attention to detail - and the ability to have caring parents who will pick up the slack so you can go hell for leather - difficult to achieve, the principle of doing the job correctly, and to the purpose desired the first time is in itself an inspirational and important goal. Florence is your home, your womb, your lifeboat. It's vital that her hull and spars, her deck and instruments and everything on board is the best you can build and afford - your lives are depending on her, and on your work. Don't undersell that. Your videos have been inspirational and enjoyable, for the pragmatism, knowledge, skill, understanding, and professionalism you've displayed in each and every one. They are the most informative and realistic depictions of travelling the world by sailing yacht, with the ups and downs that mode of travel brings, the joys and the fears and the frustrations. I hope you'll keep sailing, exploring, adventuring and sharing those experiences.
I've said it before and I'll say it again (and again...) BEST sailing channel on UA-cam! Reasons being: Amy, Matt and the invincible and beautiful, Sea surfing FLORENCE!!! Let's go! ⛵️
As someone who has built 4 boats (and was working on them today) I really like the addendum you put on the video. I see a lot of videos from people who make refits look easy and fun. There will be times when you wish you hadn't started and the only thing you can do is grit your teeth and plug on. The vast majority of popular yacht sailing videos do not show the real world of ownership and the mental struggles to keep on going when life is passing you by and you make very slow progress on the build. So great advice to keep things simple and get out there. Cheers Phil
Matt, Amy, your refit and upgrades are just wonderful. Personally, having owned some sail boats in my own past, I think your knowledge base of Florence, all the refit parts and their function is HUGE, and the bigger part. WELL DONE, folks. I have watched for a long time, your circumnavigation. Have grown truly fond of you, way more than I deserve, as I’ve watched and listened to you and you wouldn’t know me. Please know that there are a lot of us that care and worry for you out on blue water. May God be with you….from east Tennessee.
Highly recommend a air dehumidifier to keep condensation in control. We use it during cold spring and fall sails in Sweden (and when our 2 golden retrievers are wet). Also doubles as a drier when washing cloths and you can’t hang-dry outside.
You two are a loving couple. The end of this video was emotional with you explaining the hard work both of you endured. Very nice of your parents to cook you meals and have a place to stay. All the best to future adventures.
Everything looks great! One note as a long time cold weather backpacker- you can permanently decrease the loft (and therefore the r-value) of down gear (jackets, sleeping bags, etc.) by storing them under compression. The jackets-as-pillow-stuffing idea is a clever use of space, but I would be careful not to damage your warm weather gear over time by keeping them stored like that.
So glad you added the coda at the end about the realities of what you've just undertaken. Compressing 12-18 months of refit into 8 months is simultaneously heroic and totally crazy, not to mention filming and editing and managing a YT channel along the way. So fantastic to see Florence looking so great, and you both smiling at the end, but the sheer amount of blood, sweat and tears you've mostly left to our imaginations and having been there I know what an amazing feeling it is to actually get out there again. The best bit is how quickly the pain recedes in our memeories. Amy, your toe-rail synposis rings very true to us too . There are so many jobs that we seriously regretted undertaking during and in the immediate aftermath, and now are grateful every day that we did. Congratulations and happy sailing!
"Florence" looks magnificent! A furler with a luff wire is great! I had a ~160% genny with a wire on my 1971 Grampian 30 in the '90s, the furler mounted just aft of the headstay. Old fashioned, and not great for reefing (i.e. partial furling) unless going downwind, but so convenient. The reefable working jib (yankee) and storm jib were hank-on, the furled genny being dropped and coiled on the foredeck followed by hanking on the smaller jib, Of course, the jib could be hanked on before furling and dropping the genny, provided it didn't interfere with the furler. Yes, I had to go forward, and the halyard and sheets had to be moved over to the jib, but that working jib was so efficient. Stepping and unstepping the mast was so much nicer not having to bother with the longer-than-mast extrusion and heavy furler, and in my opinion safer than the conventional furling jib which can get stuck on the extrusion, especially if partially furled. I always found conventional furlers temperamental on other people's boats.
My takeaway from the refit videos was "how on earth did they finish all of those projects in 8 months? They must have worked like hell non-stop." However, people should take inspiration from you. As you said at the end, they should also know it isn't easy and probably cost time, money, frustration, anxiety, and every other emotion known to man. Look forward to seeing you sailing again.
Florence looks wonderfull and very sympathic of you to be so transparent on the effort it took! That focused boat-work mode you describe is very recognizable! Since I grew so fond of you I take the liberty to share two concerns that rose when I was looking at the video: 1) the cushions: if you do not use them to sit against it may work, but as soon as you use them (and we use our cushions a lot on board) your puff jackets will reduce to no more than cushion filling. But that is not my major concern, my major concern is 2) the tapestry like material that you added to the wall next to your sleeping berths. The insulation beneath this material is a very good idea, but I expect that the tapestry will not prevent the formation of condensate, but it will hide it. Giving you less clues that you have to improve ventilation, also you can not wipe it dry as you can a normal cabin surface and hang out the cloth. Furthermore, it will gather dust etc . I therefore fear that in this way you unintendedly created the ideal mold growing spot next to the place you sleep, which is potentially very harmfull to your health... Just wanting you to be safe!
I came across this channel more or less by accident, but love the content and have enjoyed many episodes. Thank you for being such good story tellers, providing engaging and high quality content. It almost feels like we are along for the ride. I sold my boat some years ago and can relate to some of the challenges you have come across.
I recently cleaned up a rental house. It took 5 months to go through it: Carpet, paint, HVAC updates, insulation, re-stained the kitchen cabinets, appliances, etc. There's no easy way out on that stuff. Either fix it now or fix it later. Looks like Florence will be up to whatever comes her way. Well done.
There's a girl here in Canada who has started a slight craze with her curtains. She glued little dollar store magnets around her ports. Then made up two sets of curtains, one summer and one with insulation, of course with magnets sewn in. You can do them in halves to give some control.
Congratulations, well done. Amazing the work you've achieved. Someone once said, "A boat is a hole in the ocean, into which you pour money." Looking forward to further adventures with you and Florence. Thank you for sharing. Take care and all the very best from down here in Nz.
Great video and summary of what you did in your refit. I did a refit on a 25ft boat and it was so much work. I get why you wouldn't want to mislead people on how hard of work it actually is. My arms were just jelly from weeks and weeks of sanding. So much never ending sanding. Look forward to following along for the next part of your adventure
Great job guys! True voices of experience, absolutely golden info for all prospective cruisers. Thank you for being so detailed and informative. Using cushions to store thermal clothes.... Bloody BRILLIANT idea! You never have enough cushions and those thermal clothes take up so much needed room in the limited wardrobe space. Seriously brilliant!
ALL THAT in eight months - absolutely incredible. Thank you for taking us along. And greatest thanks for sharing the reality of what the refit demanded of you, That is such an important message to all the folks who take inspiration from your efforts (and results) but have less experience. Signifcant repairs, and even some routine maintenance take a greater toll on persons' mental health than most would imagine. Our rule has always been to double the time (and usually the cost) assumed in our initial estimates of work on our boat that we plan to do ourselves. Reality has a nasty side. For us, it means that we sometimes bite the bullet and outsource to professionals the tasks that require more skill, experience, and/or tools and equipment than we have. Our experience has been that doing so often doesn't exceed our "double the assumed cost" rule by very much and almost always results in a better result attained more quickly. Then we go boating. We're in our late 70's now, so that objective is taking on greater priority in our decisions. It will be wonderful to see your new adventures on the water. As others have said, yours is our favoriate sailing channel. Fair winds. Following seas.
Having sailed thousands of miles on the oceans with B&G very similar to that, I think you'll love it. Their wind display is brilliant for sailing. (the one you are showing on the inside of the boat tour). Much nicer than the Garmin/Raymarine alternative. The Lithium battery system will transform your cruising experience - especially in high latitudes. Love your new dodger setup and the interior changes. Rolly Tasker has done well for you guys. I'm much impressed with them. I'm not under any misunderstanding of the work required to do all of that. Great job all around!
Words of wisdom from true sailors: refits are an unhealthy way to live, so get what needs to get done to get back out sailing! (I break my list into “must do pre-launch”, “should do pre-launch”, “must do post launch” and “nice to dos.” I rarely finish the must dos and once launched, I seem to be way too busy sailing and adventuring to get any of the nice to dos done. My to do list just keeps growing, but so does my photo album. Cheers to being back on the water!
Very good job. But I'm as impressed with the fact that you guys stayed on task, kept your goal in sight, worked hard at it and completed it as i am with the quality of the work.. That you didn't get to a few things is par for the course. Very comprehensive, and well done. Stoked for your season in the north.
You have done amazing work to make your boat an Artic Adventure. I look forward to viewing the Artic Adventure of a Life Time. You have earned this new travel experience.😊
Really chuffed to see all this hard fought progress. I would be incredibly interested to understand how that staysail furler will work on a job without a foil. I'm kicking around the idea of adding an inner stay myself and your thinking would be muuuch appreciated
A boat that comes out looking so great after only 8 months of hard work is a great accomplishment! Florence and Amy have never looked better! We got a rough idea of the work load involved without any of the fatigue and grouchiness that goes with it! I suspect that you will be jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire when the days get short and the temps drop, and you are experimenting with a new environment under trying conditions. I don't know how many diesel cans you will carry on deck but it will never seem like enough now that you have to heat the boat with it in the arctic. Additionally burning propane while cooking is going to give off that water vapor you didn't want to condense on everything, Maybe you will have to wait until dinner is over to close up the boat and turn on the heater. And I don't know if burning diesel will also give off water vapor, but most of that should go out with the exhaust. Will you have internet in the high latitudes? Will you have anyone doing the weather monitoring for you? I will enjoy seeing Florence's tender out sailing in the glacial fjords to get closeups of the calving glaciers! Isn't that why you put a new rub-rail on it? ;)
Dear Amy and Matt. Long time viewer, first comment. The old girl looks quite beautiful and now, very modern and cozy. The wonderful result is a testament to your extraordinary work ethic, planning and love - for each other and for Florence. The emotion on Amy's face during your outro was very evident. It has been a long, hard slog, but I'm sure the rewards will be there. Much love to you both and hope to see you back in Australia for a future adventure! Fair winds and smooth seas!
Thanks, you two for showing Florence off after your dedicated hard work. I was one of the subscribers that said at the beginning of the refit that you were really pushing it only giving yourselves 6 months to do the work you wanted. You did however accomplish a lot more than I expected job very well done. Florence looks absolutely revived. Let's hope the northern climates and weather are nice to her. until next video stasy safe and hope the new sails do arrive for next video cheers
what a fabulous couple I with you all the very best in your adventures, as a sailor I think your positivity is commendable. You are Bothe very talented people and the work you have achieved is brilliant you should be very proud of your boat it looks stunning. I wish you a happy season of sailing and please keep the video's coming.Kind regards and may the wind be always at your back.
Terrific upgrades. I especially like the things like the bimini mods that are fresh ideas. I just bought a B&G chartplotter myself, but I've used them in the past. In cold wet weather, wet hands, in mittens or gloves... that touch screen is a bit difficult to use. Maybe a pencil holster and a 'touch' pen on it so instead of having to take hands out of gloves, just use the tool. About gloves. Last year I sailed from Vietnam to Canada, I brought my sailing gloves, but I also brought a pair of fleeced lined 'waterproof' rubber gloves. They weren't quite waterproof, but in the cold and wet of the north Pacific they were brilliant. (I have terrible circulation in my hands and feet.) I've 'upgraded' them to heavy rubber gloves and wool liners. Two pairs of each. One pair of 'rubber' gloves are very heavy duty nitrile with long gauntlets almost to my elbows (Just got them at the local janitor supply.) This way one pair of liners can be drying out while I'm wearing the other pair. I have a similar binnacle with the stainless arch. What I'd love to do is put a loop on it out to near the radius of the wheel so instead of grabbing at something out board, or the wheel, there's something inboard to reach for. And I guess you're used to climbing around the wheel. My boat came with a folding wheel $1000. Be hard to spend that money, but at anchor or tied it it's so much better for moving around.
One of the most important things you can do is double “Glaze” your windows. Without double glaze you will forever have condensation dripping off. A window vac will be your best friend as you go North. The problem with the beds in the fore peak is moisture from you bodies which will condense against the hull below the mattress. Mould will be your worst friend. As I’m typing this I realise perhaps the best fix for this is one or two electric blankets under the mattress. You can get 12 volt 50 watt blankets. When you have surplus electricity or when the engine is running have them come on. Getting one was on my list for last winter but I never. Got to it.
If you ever done ordinary maintenance on a boat,you can imagine how much work you two have done this winter. Well done and fair winds,from Tomas in Sweden. Hope to see you here this summer. 🥰🥰🥰⛵️⛵️⛵️
The ending was the best advice any sailing channel has given. Don't spend your life in a boatyard. Do what you need to do to get the boat seaworthy and go sailing.
You have done a great job refitting Florence,she looks beautiful I am now looking forward to watching the future sailing videos.Thank you for your time and effort…I just had a thought,I love the way your dress matches Florence’s paintwork.cheers,Roly🇬🇧.
I figure roughly 1800 hours in six months will give anyone wanting to purchase a boat a rough idea the amount of hard work necessary to do a major refit for Northern latitude sailing. Florence looks almost as beautiful as Amy in her blue dress.💙 Thanks for sharing.
You did a fabulous job on your boat refit. So much work has paid off! I see it lasting for many years and it will be so enjoyable up north. Looking forward to your new adventures!
Well, a lot of hours and energy have resulted in a quite outstanding ‘new’ Florence. Even without the interior varnish and other pieces, she looks quite stunning. The deck and deck gear are particularly nice, but then it _all_ is beautifully done. Enjoy the higher latitudes ❤
Overall a nice job. It’s so difficult to find good balance during a refit, especially if you are limited in funds to farm some of the work out to others.
You two are extraordinary. As a boat owner of Antrice, slightly (3 years) younger than yours. I can appreciate the huge effort it took to get the boat to this high standard. Can I suggest as you head north this summer you look up “Ella in the Arctic” Ella is taking her boat north this Summer after its winter refit like Florence. Ella is using the time to train and refine her boat Yeva in preparation for a solo round the Arctic circumnavigation next summer.
I moved up to a Heritage from a Contessa 32. Beautiful boat and identical to 'Florence' except you have done so much more to her and she looks brand spanking new. I hope that you have many happy years together sailing in safety and comfort. Incidentally my boat Velindra' was sailed to Australia where she was sold.
Small world, we met Velindra in Mackay marinia Australia, she has since been sold again and the new Australian owners are Patrons and came to visit us last month when they were visiting the UK.
Florence is looking fabulous. One reservation. 400 watts of solar is not that much, especially in northern climes. I have a feeling an electric kettle might not be sustainable for regular use (along with essential electrical loads). No doubt you will still have a kettle for the gas cooker as a reserve. Looking forward to seeing your next sailing adventure!
Obsessive Compulsive Refit Disorder is okay for a couple that can handle the 8 months refit after sailing around the world in 8 years. The prize for all this work is to sail once more, but on a fluffed and buffed Florence. Time to get her moving - there are dolphins waiting to bow-ride the thrust provided by Florence and her sails. :¬) Webhead USA.
Such an extensive refit project is so worthwhile, and the rewards will be when you are out cruising again. I'm amazed at what you achieved and the quality of the results from toerail, to insulation, electrics, and instrumentation. That cockpit 'tent' looks like a big improvement to life on board.
Great job people, and given your disclaimer at the end.. you must have really been going hard for months. It's unhealthy for some, sure. But given your drive and motivation it has paid off. Now you will reap the rewards of the brutal work. All the best and wishing you both a fantastic new adventure on your beautiful little ship. Hello from Australia!
I loved your advice on the refitting. I have just had my Corbin 40 totally refitted in Langkawi but unlike you I paid others to do it. It took 14 months of shear hassle as the contractors were totally unreliable and it cost roughly double my original quote. But my point is, however hard you worked on Florence you now know every nut ,screw, bolt and system onboard whereas if anything goes wrong with my boat I am completely in the dark … hats off to you guys and really looking forward to the new adventures
Hi there.J I've just discovered your videos of the tour of Great Britain, which are great, and I'm now going back in time to the renovation of Florence. You've done a superb job, and I'm amazed that six or eight months was enough for you! I renovated the interior of a 42-footer after it sank (the hull was not touched). It took two people two years to do it!
Wow Florence is looking spectacular! I’m not from the UK so if you spent the summer hosting your family and friends on Florence for day sails and short hops around the coast I wouldn’t complain it’d all be interesting and in fact more unique as I’ve already followed a few channels north through Scandinavia and the Arctic.
Florence is looking great! Good for you for keeping it Authentic and realistic. Keep up the great work and I look forward to your northern voyage. Wishing you both fair winds and following seas! Cheers 🤙
We appreciate your videos so much! And, hope that you got some quality time with your loved ones, as well. And God bless your folks for their generous hospitality and support of this project! All blessings and fortunate cirumstances to you and yours! 😊
thank you folks.. you are such an inspiration.. so decent.. so true.. so motivating.. take good care and fair winds forever.. greeting from Switzerland
You both, and Florence, all deserve smooth sailing with fair winds. The journey so far has been such a pleasure to follow. Looking forward to seeing your next destinations. 😊❤🇦🇺🌏
Congratulations on an amazing job well done! No way did I ever think this was an easy refit. I got tired just watching all you did! Looking forward to your sailing Florence to the north! Safe sailing!
Fantastic job - I understand the blood, sweat and tears that you have experieced over the last six months. Looking forward to seeing you sailing again. Hope you visit Sweden
Springy pieces of plastic dowel fed into or across the yoga mat would work to pop your insulation into the window apertures. ( Heated rod would make vertical routes for the plastic dowel ) .. love the whole boat and the hands free staysail and VDH style Rustler dodger doors! Top job guys
Well, Florence is looking #Mads "Super Spiffy"! Well done for your monumental effort! I must say one very important thing: Back in the winter of 2020/2021 wintering in Plymouth I also fitted the same stove as you have which I had fitted by a professional since I also replaced all the pipework. Whenever I used the grill my CO alarm would go off. I had the gas engineer check it and it turned out that the reading was something like 1400ppm (800ppm is fatal!!!) So PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE get yours checked out!
Truly impressed with all the work you have managed to do this winter. As I am in the middle of a big refit myself I know everything about what it takes. Well done👏👏 Now enjoy the labour and fair winds⛵️ (and welcome to Norway☺️)
Florence looks amazing!! All those sleepless hours have paid off, and I sure you both feel much better now that it is accomplished. Perhaps now, you two can take time to recharge mentally and physically (and maybe make peace for those cranky times) before starting your new voyage.
Been watching sailing channels for a few years, nice of UA-cam to recommend some fellow brits 🇬🇧 for a change. Boat looks amazing good luck with your adventure.
My compliments! You did what others dream of doing to their boat! Every single upgrade seems worth the effort. But to keep everything in perspective it would be good to knwo how much each improvement was in financial terms and time invested. Technical information (for example a special on electrics modification, another on instruments etc.) which might also help others who are planning a similar update to their boat systems.
The boat project has obviously delivered the outcome you each hoped for. In fact would suggest it is even better than a new boat specced up purely because of your intimate knowledge of Florence. After some seven years in residence, no reliance on guesswork or punting on various options, you know exactly what upgrades / repairs to employ and the result speaks for itself. Well done!!!!!!!! And a shout out to the support crew ie. family and friends, nothing more welcome than a hot meal on the table waiting at the end of 'another' trying day down at the boatyard. Enjoyed.
Great refurbishment and fit-out guys!! Really looking forward to stowing away and following you along on your northern waters adventures!! Bon voyage - fair winds and calm seas!!
If your heading N in winter you might want to think about double glazing those ports and any horizontal deck hatches .. or they will drip condesate if they dont actually freeze up.. Aluring Artic had this problem on the boat they initially took north as far as Iceland. They also modified their current boat they are taking around the NW passage..this summer 🤞🏻🧙🏻♂️
As someone who knows how difficult boat projects can be, I appreciate the bit at the end where you give a reality check. Wishing you the best in your future sailing adventures and I'll stay tuned.
I knew this was a huge undertaking, a lot like improvements to a house, 2 or 3 times longer than thought and mostly a lot more money. That being said, she looks brilliant! Looking forward to seeing you guys on the water next video! Congrats!
I think the biggest challenge you faced was not the work, it was the stress and tension, not to mention the fatigue you endured through it all.The true beauty is the love, patience and strength you gained from each other. Florence is looking great, but your love and devotion to each other truly brings life to her. God Bless !
So very well said, I couldn’t agree more
Great video.
Best part being your honesty about what is truely involved in achieving so much.
That said you must be totally chuffed with the results of your labour.
Cheers
Yes. And money. Lots of money
Good to see Florence back in the water. She's looking amazing, really reflects the hard work you have both put in, congratulations on a brilliant refurb.
Doing the job as well as you possibly can is a fairly vital component of doing anything on which your lives depend. While some people might find the attention to detail - and the ability to have caring parents who will pick up the slack so you can go hell for leather - difficult to achieve, the principle of doing the job correctly, and to the purpose desired the first time is in itself an inspirational and important goal. Florence is your home, your womb, your lifeboat. It's vital that her hull and spars, her deck and instruments and everything on board is the best you can build and afford - your lives are depending on her, and on your work. Don't undersell that.
Your videos have been inspirational and enjoyable, for the pragmatism, knowledge, skill, understanding, and professionalism you've displayed in each and every one. They are the most informative and realistic depictions of travelling the world by sailing yacht, with the ups and downs that mode of travel brings, the joys and the fears and the frustrations. I hope you'll keep sailing, exploring, adventuring and sharing those experiences.
The two of you are such a compatible couple in every way. Love Amy's blue dress. It really illuminates your lovely smile.
I've said it before and I'll say it again (and again...) BEST sailing channel on UA-cam! Reasons being: Amy, Matt and the invincible and beautiful, Sea surfing FLORENCE!!! Let's go! ⛵️
😂
Only pity they dont answer the questions you have🧐
As someone who has built 4 boats (and was working on them today) I really like the addendum you put on the video. I see a lot of videos from people who make refits look easy and fun. There will be times when you wish you hadn't started and the only thing you can do is grit your teeth and plug on. The vast majority of popular yacht sailing videos do not show the real world of ownership and the mental struggles to keep on going when life is passing you by and you make very slow progress on the build. So great advice to keep things simple and get out there. Cheers Phil
Matt, Amy, your refit and upgrades are just wonderful. Personally, having owned some sail boats in my own past, I think your knowledge base of Florence, all the refit parts and their function is HUGE, and the bigger part. WELL DONE, folks. I have watched for a long time, your circumnavigation. Have grown truly fond of you, way more than I deserve, as I’ve watched and listened to you and you wouldn’t know me. Please know that there are a lot of us that care and worry for you out on blue water. May God be with you….from east Tennessee.
Highly recommend a air dehumidifier to keep condensation in control. We use it during cold spring and fall sails in Sweden (and when our 2 golden retrievers are wet). Also doubles as a drier when washing cloths and you can’t hang-dry outside.
You two are a loving couple. The end of this video was emotional with you explaining the hard work both of you endured. Very nice of your parents to cook you meals and have a place to stay. All the best to future adventures.
Everything looks great! One note as a long time cold weather backpacker- you can permanently decrease the loft (and therefore the r-value) of down gear (jackets, sleeping bags, etc.) by storing them under compression. The jackets-as-pillow-stuffing idea is a clever use of space, but I would be careful not to damage your warm weather gear over time by keeping them stored like that.
I love the idea of using the pillows for soft storage!! ❤ Personal AND practical!
Your honesty and transparency at the end of this refit video is the true inspiration. You are both legends. Thank you. C
So glad you added the coda at the end about the realities of what you've just undertaken. Compressing 12-18 months of refit into 8 months is simultaneously heroic and totally crazy, not to mention filming and editing and managing a YT channel along the way. So fantastic to see Florence looking so great, and you both smiling at the end, but the sheer amount of blood, sweat and tears you've mostly left to our imaginations and having been there I know what an amazing feeling it is to actually get out there again.
The best bit is how quickly the pain recedes in our memeories. Amy, your toe-rail synposis rings very true to us too . There are so many jobs that we seriously regretted undertaking during and in the immediate aftermath, and now are grateful every day that we did.
Congratulations and happy sailing!
You two have made what could have been a very boring vlog and turned it into a great one. Keep it going for many years to come.
"Florence" looks magnificent! A furler with a luff wire is great! I had a ~160% genny with a wire on my 1971 Grampian 30 in the '90s, the furler mounted just aft of the headstay. Old fashioned, and not great for reefing (i.e. partial furling) unless going downwind, but so convenient. The reefable working jib (yankee) and storm jib were hank-on, the furled genny being dropped and coiled on the foredeck followed by hanking on the smaller jib, Of course, the jib could be hanked on before furling and dropping the genny, provided it didn't interfere with the furler. Yes, I had to go forward, and the halyard and sheets had to be moved over to the jib, but that working jib was so efficient. Stepping and unstepping the mast was so much nicer not having to bother with the longer-than-mast extrusion and heavy furler, and in my opinion safer than the conventional furling jib which can get stuck on the extrusion, especially if partially furled. I always found conventional furlers temperamental on other people's boats.
My takeaway from the refit videos was "how on earth did they finish all of those projects in 8 months? They must have worked like hell non-stop."
However, people should take inspiration from you. As you said at the end, they should also know it isn't easy and probably cost time, money, frustration, anxiety, and every other emotion known to man.
Look forward to seeing you sailing again.
Florence looks wonderfull and very sympathic of you to be so transparent on the effort it took! That focused boat-work mode you describe is very recognizable! Since I grew so fond of you I take the liberty to share two concerns that rose when I was looking at the video: 1) the cushions: if you do not use them to sit against it may work, but as soon as you use them (and we use our cushions a lot on board) your puff jackets will reduce to no more than cushion filling. But that is not my major concern, my major concern is 2) the tapestry like material that you added to the wall next to your sleeping berths. The insulation beneath this material is a very good idea, but I expect that the tapestry will not prevent the formation of condensate, but it will hide it. Giving you less clues that you have to improve ventilation, also you can not wipe it dry as you can a normal cabin surface and hang out the cloth. Furthermore, it will gather dust etc . I therefore fear that in this way you unintendedly created the ideal mold growing spot next to the place you sleep, which is potentially very harmfull to your health... Just wanting you to be safe!
I came across this channel more or less by accident, but love the content and have enjoyed many episodes. Thank you for being such good story tellers, providing engaging and high quality content. It almost feels like we are along for the ride. I sold my boat some years ago and can relate to some of the challenges you have come across.
I recently cleaned up a rental house. It took 5 months to go through it: Carpet, paint, HVAC updates, insulation, re-stained the kitchen cabinets, appliances, etc. There's no easy way out on that stuff. Either fix it now or fix it later. Looks like Florence will be up to whatever comes her way. Well done.
All I can say is WOW! Florence is beautiful 😊
Florence looks like a new boat. Marvelous workmanship. At the end of your adventure, you may start a yacht making business. Wish you best luck.
There's a girl here in Canada who has started a slight craze with her curtains. She glued little dollar store magnets around her ports. Then made up two sets of curtains, one summer and one with insulation, of course with magnets sewn in. You can do them in halves to give some control.
Congratulations, well done. Amazing the work you've achieved. Someone once said, "A boat is a hole in the ocean, into which you pour money." Looking forward to further adventures with you and Florence. Thank you for sharing. Take care and all the very best from down here in Nz.
Great video and summary of what you did in your refit. I did a refit on a 25ft boat and it was so much work. I get why you wouldn't want to mislead people on how hard of work it actually is. My arms were just jelly from weeks and weeks of sanding. So much never ending sanding. Look forward to following along for the next part of your adventure
Great job guys!
True voices of experience, absolutely golden info for all prospective cruisers. Thank you for being so detailed and informative.
Using cushions to store thermal clothes.... Bloody BRILLIANT idea!
You never have enough cushions and those thermal clothes take up so much needed room in the limited wardrobe space. Seriously brilliant!
ALL THAT in eight months - absolutely incredible. Thank you for taking us along. And greatest thanks for sharing the reality of what the refit demanded of you, That is such an important message to all the folks who take inspiration from your efforts (and results) but have less experience. Signifcant repairs, and even some routine maintenance take a greater toll on persons' mental health than most would imagine. Our rule has always been to double the time (and usually the cost) assumed in our initial estimates of work on our boat that we plan to do ourselves. Reality has a nasty side. For us, it means that we sometimes bite the bullet and outsource to professionals the tasks that require more skill, experience, and/or tools and equipment than we have. Our experience has been that doing so often doesn't exceed our "double the assumed cost" rule by very much and almost always results in a better result attained more quickly. Then we go boating. We're in our late 70's now, so that objective is taking on greater priority in our decisions. It will be wonderful to see your new adventures on the water. As others have said, yours is our favoriate sailing channel. Fair winds. Following seas.
Having sailed thousands of miles on the oceans with B&G very similar to that, I think you'll love it. Their wind display is brilliant for sailing. (the one you are showing on the inside of the boat tour). Much nicer than the Garmin/Raymarine alternative. The Lithium battery system will transform your cruising experience - especially in high latitudes. Love your new dodger setup and the interior changes. Rolly Tasker has done well for you guys. I'm much impressed with them. I'm not under any misunderstanding of the work required to do all of that. Great job all around!
We put the Froli system under our mattress and we get no condensation and it’s much more comfortable.
Words of wisdom from true sailors: refits are an unhealthy way to live, so get what needs to get done to get back out sailing! (I break my list into “must do pre-launch”, “should do pre-launch”, “must do post launch” and “nice to dos.” I rarely finish the must dos and once launched, I seem to be way too busy sailing and adventuring to get any of the nice to dos done. My to do list just keeps growing, but so does my photo album. Cheers to being back on the water!
Very good job. But I'm as impressed with the fact that you guys stayed on task, kept your goal in sight, worked hard at it and completed it as i am with the quality of the work.. That you didn't get to a few things is par for the course. Very comprehensive, and well done. Stoked for your season in the north.
Most people who take on a project this big will fail to land it - so well done - but I think the caution section at the end is wise.
You have done amazing work to make your boat an Artic Adventure. I look forward to viewing the Artic Adventure of a Life Time. You have earned this new travel experience.😊
Really chuffed to see all this hard fought progress. I would be incredibly interested to understand how that staysail furler will work on a job without a foil. I'm kicking around the idea of adding an inner stay myself and your thinking would be muuuch appreciated
A boat that comes out looking so great after only 8 months of hard work is a great accomplishment! Florence and Amy have never looked better! We got a rough idea of the work load involved without any of the fatigue and grouchiness that goes with it! I suspect that you will be jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire when the days get short and the temps drop, and you are experimenting with a new environment under trying conditions.
I don't know how many diesel cans you will carry on deck but it will never seem like enough now that you have to heat the boat with it in the arctic. Additionally burning propane while cooking is going to give off that water vapor you didn't want to condense on everything, Maybe you will have to wait until dinner is over to close up the boat and turn on the heater. And I don't know if burning diesel will also give off water vapor, but most of that should go out with the exhaust. Will you have internet in the high latitudes? Will you have anyone doing the weather monitoring for you? I will enjoy seeing Florence's tender out sailing in the glacial fjords to get closeups of the calving glaciers! Isn't that why you put a new rub-rail on it? ;)
She looks beautiful now and fit for sailing. Looking forward to watch your top class videos. Thanks for sharing.
Dear Amy and Matt. Long time viewer, first comment. The old girl looks quite beautiful and now, very modern and cozy. The wonderful result is a testament to your extraordinary work ethic, planning and love - for each other and for Florence. The emotion on Amy's face during your outro was very evident. It has been a long, hard slog, but I'm sure the rewards will be there.
Much love to you both and hope to see you back in Australia for a future adventure! Fair winds and smooth seas!
Thanks, you two for showing Florence off after your dedicated hard work. I was one of the subscribers that said at the beginning of the refit that you were really pushing it only giving yourselves 6 months to do the work you wanted. You did however accomplish a lot more than I expected job very well done. Florence looks absolutely revived. Let's hope the northern climates and weather are nice to her. until next video stasy safe and hope the new sails do arrive for next video cheers
Congradulations. Look forward to see you both sailing. Your refit did NOT look easy. Got the impression you worked your a**es off.
FLORENCE is looking ship shape and ready for sea ,nice work done by you both
what a fabulous couple I with you all the very best in your adventures, as a sailor I think your positivity is commendable. You are Bothe very talented people and the work you have achieved is brilliant you should be very proud of your boat it looks stunning. I wish you a happy season of sailing and please keep the video's coming.Kind regards and may the wind be always at your back.
Terrific upgrades. I especially like the things like the bimini mods that are fresh ideas. I just bought a B&G chartplotter myself, but I've used them in the past. In cold wet weather, wet hands, in mittens or gloves... that touch screen is a bit difficult to use. Maybe a pencil holster and a 'touch' pen on it so instead of having to take hands out of gloves, just use the tool.
About gloves. Last year I sailed from Vietnam to Canada, I brought my sailing gloves, but I also brought a pair of fleeced lined 'waterproof' rubber gloves. They weren't quite waterproof, but in the cold and wet of the north Pacific they were brilliant. (I have terrible circulation in my hands and feet.) I've 'upgraded' them to heavy rubber gloves and wool liners. Two pairs of each. One pair of 'rubber' gloves are very heavy duty nitrile with long gauntlets almost to my elbows (Just got them at the local janitor supply.) This way one pair of liners can be drying out while I'm wearing the other pair.
I have a similar binnacle with the stainless arch. What I'd love to do is put a loop on it out to near the radius of the wheel so instead of grabbing at something out board, or the wheel, there's something inboard to reach for. And I guess you're used to climbing around the wheel. My boat came with a folding wheel $1000. Be hard to spend that money, but at anchor or tied it it's so much better for moving around.
With all that Blue Color your Video looked stunning !!!
One of the most important things you can do is double “Glaze” your windows. Without double glaze you will forever have condensation dripping off. A window vac will be your best friend as you go North. The problem with the beds in the fore peak is moisture from you bodies which will condense against the hull below the mattress. Mould will be your worst friend. As I’m typing this I realise perhaps the best fix for this is one or two electric blankets under the mattress. You can get 12 volt 50 watt blankets. When you have surplus electricity or when the engine is running have them come on. Getting one was on my list for last winter but I never. Got to it.
If you ever done ordinary maintenance on a boat,you can imagine how much work you two have done this winter. Well done and fair winds,from Tomas in Sweden. Hope to see you here this summer. 🥰🥰🥰⛵️⛵️⛵️
The ending was the best advice any sailing channel has given.
Don't spend your life in a boatyard. Do what you need to do to get the boat seaworthy and go sailing.
You have done a great job refitting Florence,she looks beautiful I am now looking forward to watching the future sailing videos.Thank you for your time and effort…I just had a thought,I love the way your dress matches Florence’s paintwork.cheers,Roly🇬🇧.
I figure roughly 1800 hours in six months will give anyone wanting to purchase a boat a rough idea the amount of hard work necessary to do a major refit for Northern latitude sailing.
Florence looks almost as beautiful as Amy in her blue dress.💙
Thanks for sharing.
Stoked for this video... I think we have all been waiting for this one. Also, nice touch wearing the matching blue!
You did a fabulous job on your boat refit. So much work has paid off!
I see it lasting for many years and it will be so enjoyable up north. Looking forward to your new adventures!
Well, a lot of hours and energy have resulted in a quite outstanding ‘new’ Florence. Even without the interior varnish and other pieces, she looks quite stunning. The deck and deck gear are particularly nice, but then it _all_ is beautifully done. Enjoy the higher latitudes ❤
I truly feel is the first time someone gives a reality check ! Well done. You guys rock ! ❤marina
What nice people. These video's are a pleasure to watch.
Overall a nice job. It’s so difficult to find good balance during a refit, especially if you are limited in funds to farm some of the work out to others.
You two are extraordinary. As a boat owner of Antrice, slightly (3 years) younger than yours. I can appreciate the huge effort it took to get the boat to this high standard. Can I suggest as you head north this summer you look up “Ella in the Arctic” Ella is taking her boat north this Summer after its winter refit like Florence. Ella is using the time to train and refine her boat Yeva in preparation for a solo round the Arctic circumnavigation next summer.
I moved up to a Heritage from a Contessa 32. Beautiful boat and identical to 'Florence' except you have done so much more to her and she looks brand spanking new. I hope that you have many happy years together sailing in safety and comfort. Incidentally my boat Velindra' was sailed to Australia where she was sold.
Small world, we met Velindra in Mackay marinia Australia, she has since been sold again and the new Australian owners are Patrons and came to visit us last month when they were visiting the UK.
That blue colored dress really suits you. It highlights your eyes and smile.
Florence looks like a brand new boat now.
Florence is looking fabulous. One reservation. 400 watts of solar is not that much, especially in northern climes. I have a feeling an electric kettle might not be sustainable for regular use (along with essential electrical loads). No doubt you will still have a kettle for the gas cooker as a reserve.
Looking forward to seeing your next sailing adventure!
Obsessive Compulsive Refit Disorder is okay for a couple that can handle the 8 months refit after sailing around the world in 8 years. The prize for all this work is to sail once more, but on a fluffed and buffed Florence. Time to get her moving - there are dolphins waiting to bow-ride the thrust provided by Florence and her sails. :¬) Webhead USA.
Such an extensive refit project is so worthwhile, and the rewards will be when you are out cruising again. I'm amazed at what you achieved and the quality of the results from toerail, to insulation, electrics, and instrumentation. That cockpit 'tent' looks like a big improvement to life on board.
Great job people, and given your disclaimer at the end.. you must have really been going hard for months. It's unhealthy for some, sure. But given your drive and motivation it has paid off. Now you will reap the rewards of the brutal work. All the best and wishing you both a fantastic new adventure on your beautiful little ship. Hello from Australia!
Florence looks absolutely stunning. Well done you 2 massive effort.🙏🖖🇳🇿😎
We call that workaholics here in the states. I have that disease myself. Work life balance is definitely a tough one to master.
I loved your advice on the refitting. I have just had my Corbin 40 totally refitted in Langkawi but unlike you I paid others to do it. It took 14 months of shear hassle as the contractors were totally unreliable and it cost roughly double my original quote. But my point is, however hard you worked on Florence you now know every nut ,screw, bolt and system onboard whereas if anything goes wrong with my boat I am completely in the dark … hats off to you guys and really looking forward to the new adventures
Hi there.J I've just discovered your videos of the tour of Great Britain, which are great, and I'm now going back in time to the renovation of Florence. You've done a superb job, and I'm amazed that six or eight months was enough for you! I renovated the interior of a 42-footer after it sank (the hull was not touched). It took two people two years to do it!
Wow Florence is looking spectacular! I’m not from the UK so if you spent the summer hosting your family and friends on Florence for day sails and short hops around the coast I wouldn’t complain it’d all be interesting and in fact more unique as I’ve already followed a few channels north through Scandinavia and the Arctic.
You have done a great job on Florence, you can be very proud of yourselves. We are looking forward to seeing you sailing again.
Florence is looking great! Good for you for keeping it Authentic and realistic. Keep up the great work and I look forward to your northern voyage. Wishing you both fair winds and following seas! Cheers 🤙
We appreciate your videos so much! And, hope that you got some quality time with your loved ones, as well. And God bless your folks for their generous hospitality and support of this project! All blessings and fortunate cirumstances to you and yours! 😊
thank you folks.. you are such an inspiration.. so decent.. so true.. so motivating.. take good care and fair winds forever.. greeting from Switzerland
You both, and Florence, all deserve smooth sailing with fair winds. The journey so far has been such a pleasure to follow. Looking forward to seeing your next destinations. 😊❤🇦🇺🌏
She looks great. You two did a TON of work on her, and no it isn't easy.
Congratulations on an amazing job well done! No way did I ever think this was an easy refit. I got tired just watching all you did! Looking forward to your sailing Florence to the north! Safe sailing!
You two are amazing... as are your parents! I look forward to seeing the next leg of your adventure.
Fantastic job - I understand the blood, sweat and tears that you have experieced over the last six months. Looking forward to seeing you sailing again. Hope you visit Sweden
Using pillows to store stuff is brilliant!
Norway to Scotland, Iceland and all the islands...like Eric. So cool and so daring.
How ?
@@humblestever24 By boat
Good job! The three of you are looking fresh and ready for your next adventure. Good luck🇬🇧
Springy pieces of plastic dowel fed into or across the yoga mat would work to pop your insulation into the window apertures. ( Heated rod would make vertical routes for the plastic dowel ) .. love the whole boat and the hands free staysail and VDH style Rustler dodger doors! Top job guys
Well, Florence is looking #Mads "Super Spiffy"! Well done for your monumental effort! I must say one very important thing: Back in the winter of 2020/2021 wintering in Plymouth I also fitted the same stove as you have which I had fitted by a professional since I also replaced all the pipework. Whenever I used the grill my CO alarm would go off. I had the gas engineer check it and it turned out that the reading was something like 1400ppm (800ppm is fatal!!!) So PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE get yours checked out!
Truly impressed with all the work you have managed to do this winter. As I am in the middle of a big refit myself I know everything about what it takes. Well done👏👏 Now enjoy the labour and fair winds⛵️ (and welcome to Norway☺️)
She is looking fabulous! Looking forward to the next chapter. Bon Voyage!
Florence looks amazing!! All those sleepless hours have paid off, and I sure you both feel much better now that it is accomplished. Perhaps now, you two can take time to recharge mentally and physically (and maybe make peace for those cranky times) before starting your new voyage.
Just 1300 hours to go around the world, despite our love of turning the engine off. Amazing.
Been watching sailing channels for a few years, nice of UA-cam to recommend some fellow brits 🇬🇧 for a change. Boat looks amazing good luck with your adventure.
What a great job, she looks great and I wish you many more miles of sailing. The videos are superb, keep up the good work.
Florence looks beautiful…Looking forward to your adventures!Your videos are my favorite of all the sailing channels ❤
Great to see you so close to resuming sailing 🙏
Well done so if you get back to New Zealand pop in for a cuppa ☕️
You guys pooped me out just watching it! Good for you and happy wakes -Darcee
Wow wow wow!! Just an epic job you guys have done. Florence is back to being the Lady she is. 👏⛵️⚓️🥂
My compliments! You did what others dream of doing to their boat! Every single upgrade seems worth the effort. But to keep everything in perspective it would be good to knwo how much each improvement was in financial terms and time invested. Technical information (for example a special on electrics modification, another on instruments etc.) which might also help others who are planning a similar update to their boat systems.
Florence is as good as new! Looking forward to your northern oceans videos.
The boat project has obviously delivered the outcome you each hoped for. In fact would suggest it is even better than a new boat specced up purely because of your intimate knowledge of Florence. After some seven years in residence, no reliance on guesswork or punting on various options, you know exactly what upgrades / repairs to employ and the result speaks for itself. Well done!!!!!!!! And a shout out to the support crew ie. family and friends, nothing more welcome than a hot meal on the table waiting at the end of 'another' trying day down at the boatyard. Enjoyed.
Great refurbishment and fit-out guys!! Really looking forward to stowing away and following you along on your northern waters adventures!! Bon voyage - fair winds and calm seas!!
If your heading N in winter you might want to think about double glazing those ports and any horizontal deck hatches .. or they will drip condesate if they dont actually freeze up.. Aluring Artic had this problem on the boat they initially took north as far as Iceland. They also modified their current boat they are taking around the NW passage..this summer 🤞🏻🧙🏻♂️
As someone who knows how difficult boat projects can be, I appreciate the bit at the end where you give a reality check. Wishing you the best in your future sailing adventures and I'll stay tuned.
Beautiful. I look forward to your videos more than vagabond. Thanks and fair winds.
I knew this was a huge undertaking, a lot like improvements to a house, 2 or 3 times longer than thought and mostly a lot more money. That being said, she looks brilliant! Looking forward to seeing you guys on the water next video! Congrats!
I sure love following your adventures throughout the years. I can't wait to see what happens next. 😊❤