You’ve seen the videos on why we chose a boat from the 1990s to live on, and you’ve had a look at the transom and aft cockpit upgrades and future plans, and now it’s time to share our ideas for the deck of Paikea.
If you are familiar with our channel you would already know about the carbon front beam and longeron and our Bow Pole, our anchoring system and trampoline projects. In this video we share with you some of the features we really love about what this boat has, what we have already upgraded and what we still want to do.
Some of the upgrades still to come include:
- Semi rigid solar panels for the cockpit hard top
- Replace and glue in the front windows
- Composite hatches
- Bow Extensions
Of course we still have our rudders to complete and the remaining chainplate to make and install. Plus our headsail is falling apart quicker than we can repair and we still haven’t managed to fix Frankie our asymmetrical spinnaker so the workload is piling up!
Luckily for us, we have had a very busy work season in the Caribbean this year so hopefully, we have enough cash in the kitty to at least get the major jobs ticked off the list.
Welcome back on board and let’s take you through the front bit of the outside of the boat.
- Solving Boat Shower Drainage with Cardboard, CAD, 3D Scanning & 3D Printing
The Hybrid Design Workflow: Building a Boat Shower Floor with Cardboard, CAD, and 3D Scanning: Walk through the hybrid design process for a custom boat shower floor. See how cardboard prototyping, CAD, 3D scanning, and 3D printing combine to solve complex drainage and access problems in a marine refit. Author: Shayne and Anna Introduction Designing… Read more: Solving Boat Shower Drainage with Cardboard, CAD, 3D Scanning & 3D Printing - The Boat Shower Floor Blueprint: Drainage, Hatches & Avoiding Bilge FloodsWhen your floor needs to drain, provide access, and never flood the bilge. A deep dive into the logic behind our custom shower hatch. Key Topic: Join Shayne & Anna in the bilges for a marine design deep-dive. We’re solving the boat shower’s trickiest puzzle: creating a floor that drains properly, includes mandatory access hatches,… Read more: The Boat Shower Floor Blueprint: Drainage, Hatches & Avoiding Bilge Floods
- Boat Hatch Build: Installing Lenses & Drains for a Watertight FinishKey Topic: After months of building custom composite hatches, we reach the transformative stage: making them watertight and bringing in light. This hands-on guide walks you through our exact process of installing thick acrylic lenses, designing effective 3D-printed drainage, and using the right sealant for a perfect, professional bond. See the step-by-step techniques that turn… Read more: Boat Hatch Build: Installing Lenses & Drains for a Watertight Finish
- Diagnosing and Repairing Hull Delamination and Core Damage.The Problem: From Floor Installation to Structural Repair Author: Shayne and Anna During the installation of new cabin soles in our Catana 42 refit, a routine task uncovered a significant structural issue. The discovery process is a textbook example of why systematic disassembly is critical. Initial Indicators: The Technical Failure:In a cored composite structure (like… Read more: Diagnosing and Repairing Hull Delamination and Core Damage.
- The Professional’s Approach: Replacing a Problematic Hatch with a Proven Structural PortlightTopic Overview: We permanently eliminate a chronic leak point and increase deck panel strength by removing a problematic overhead hatch and glassing in a solid, camber-matched core. In its place, we install a robust, under-gunwale structural portlight—applying proven marine engineering for a drier, stiffer, and more reliable cabin. Author: Shayne and Anna The Problem: When a… Read more: The Professional’s Approach: Replacing a Problematic Hatch with a Proven Structural Portlight
