From America’s Cup Trash to Boat-Building Treasure: Our Paikea Refit Update

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It’s been a long haul of late nights and tired eyes, but we’re finally at a stage where we can step back and say, “Okay, we’re getting there,” rather than, “Oh, s#%t, what have we done?”

Welcome back to the mess that is Paikea. In our latest update, we’re walking you through the big milestones we’ve hit after a massive push of work. We’re tired, but we’re committed, and it’s all starting to come together.

Saving a Piece of Sailing History

First up, we’ve got our hands on some incredible salvage. We managed to grab some leftover bits of an America’s Cup boat that was destined for the rubbish bin. We’re talking about a section of the transom from a big catamaran, made from carbon nomex panels.

The only catch? It’s not flat. It’s curved, it’s twisted, and it’s going to be a challenge to fit into our design. It’s going to be a bit of a faff, but we’re excited to see if it ends up looking super cool or like we just glued a warped panel to the boat. We also snagged some massive, solid carbon fiber sail battens. They’re heavy, but incredibly strong, and we’ve already put one to work as a structural stiffener on the cabin top.

Stiffening Up the Roof & Rethinking the Interior

That carbon batten is now a stiffening stick on the cabin roof. We identified a flexy spot after removing some old plywood, and this carbon piece has made it super stiff. We’ve also added a patch at the end to distribute the load and prevent it from punching a hole through the skin—no hard points here!

Inside, we’ve ripped out all the old liner. We’re going for a clean, painted finish this time. The galley layout is staying similar, with a nice long counter, but we’re adding a step-up section for the microwave.

A major focus has been the companionway steps. We went through a whole design process to find the best arrangement, and while we ended up back at the original number of steps, they are now reconfigured to be much easier and safer to walk on. We’re also building a massive new pantry, turning what was a dead space into a functional storage area. The pantry door will have a dual purpose: it’ll slide to close off the companionway, keeping light from the saloon out of the sleeping quarters at night.

Harry’s Upcycled Project & Aiden’s Room

Harry has been working on a cool repurposing project. He was gifted some lockers from the Volvo Ocean Race boat, Ericsson 3. He’s built shelves for them, and we’ll be fitting the original carbon-faced doors to finish them off. He’s even carving out a little workbench space in his area.

Down the back, Aiden’s room is almost finished. We’ve painted it, and we’ve completely rerouted all the electrical wires and plumbing to run through new bulkheads—it’s actually beautiful work.

The Aft Cabin & Shower

The aft area has seen a huge transformation. The shelves are in, but the big news is the new shower and toilet area. It’s the real-life version of our CAD model.

  • The Door: We finally got the shower/toilet door dummy-fitted.
  • The Cabinetry: All the storage and step areas are in place.
  • The Sink: That carbon sink? We’ve been carrying it around for years, across the Atlantic twice. It’s from a race boat from a past era. It feels so good to finally fit it.
  • The Floor: We infused a new floor, complete with a plinth for the toilet and decored areas so we can bolt it down properly (and in the right place this time!).

Smart Systems & Future-Proofing

We’re also tackling the plumbing with a clever system. The toilet will pump into a black water tank located in the daggerboard case cavity, which sits 90% above the waterline. This means the waste will gravity-feed out, requiring minimal pumping. For ventilation, we’re adding extra airflow to the back rooms with small hatches and a bit of fly screen from Ali Express to keep the bugs out.

It’s been a long road, and we’re still far from the finish line, but for the first time in a while, it feels like we’re making real progress. The hatches look amazing, the stauncheons are in, and we’re starting to see the vision come to life. Now, if you’ll excuse us, it’s Friday night pizza night. We’ve earned it.

More on our Refit

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