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
I've said it before and I'll say it again (and again...) BEST sailing channel on TH-cam! Reasons being: Amy, Matt and the invincible and beautiful, Sea surfing FLORENCE!!! Let's go! ⛵️
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.
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.
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
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.😊
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. 🥰🥰🥰⛵️⛵️⛵️
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
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.
"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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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
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!
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.
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!
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. 😊❤🇦🇺🌏
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.
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 ❤
Been watching sailing channels for a few years, nice of TH-cam to recommend some fellow brits 🇬🇧 for a change. Boat looks amazing good luck with your adventure.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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! 😊
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 🤙
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 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!
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☺️)
There are not enough superlatives to express my admiration for what you have accomplished, as a couple or as sailors. You are to be commended. So very grateful that you share your journey with the world. Thank You.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Hello, good afternoon S/V Florence Crew. Really, it's no longer an Oyster, it's a Triton conch, wow! you changed 40 years of design. P.S. There is something I notice: A LOT OF SNOW FALLS in the region and navigation area. Therefore, I recommend that you study this indication: ZEOLITE mineral stones WILL ABSORB MOISTURE AND ODOR. Their maintenance is simple, once they darken, they are washed with running water, whether fresh or salty, plus a brush and you can distribute them throughout the jar, even inside the frizzer and cabinets. Many use charcoal stones but they react to oxygen and humidity. Just consult it and study it. EXCELLENT IS THAT 37' OYSTER GIRL. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Florence looks amazing. You both did such an amazing job considering the time you had and all the work you did. Have fun and can’t wait to see the next video. On our way to Hawaii to our second home next week. Cheers from the Brit in California 🇬🇧🙏❤️
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 🤞🏻🧙🏻♂️
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!
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🇬🇧.
She looks great, now! Lots of great reliability upgrades, too. You might consider guard-bars over the Dorade vents to keep lines from catching them. Maybe we'll see you out there in a few years. We just closed on our high-latitude ocean-crosser this week. We get our first real sail this weekend.
Amazing guys, you are a power couple and an example that hard works pays off. Your inspire people to chase their dreams and show that with enough hard work and dedication, anything is possible. Cant Wait for the next adventure
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!
Believe me, you are not the only ones out there doing massive refits and as a friend of a boat owner it never stops. The work grinds you down and it by no means looks easy. You've worked your socks off so now go and have some fun. Happy sailing
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!
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!
Yes, I had thought you were a trifle ambitious in the winter time-frame, primarily because the jobs had been stacking up during your years away (which I had been observing). However, next winter should be a snip, AND in addition there will be much less wear-and-tear during the short season trip ahead. Now, let's see you go.!!!!
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
I've said it before and I'll say it again (and again...) BEST sailing channel on TH-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🧐
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.
The two of you are such a compatible couple in every way. Love Amy's blue dress. It really illuminates your lovely smile.
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.
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
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 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.
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.
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.
Your honesty and transparency at the end of this refit video is the true inspiration. You are both legends. Thank you. C
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.
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.
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
All I can say is WOW! Florence is beautiful 😊
I love the idea of using the pillows for soft storage!! ❤ Personal AND practical!
Congradulations. Look forward to see you both sailing. Your refit did NOT look easy. Got the impression you worked your a**es off.
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
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.
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.
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!
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.
FLORENCE is looking ship shape and ready for sea ,nice work done by you both
We put the Froli system under our mattress and we get no condensation and it’s much more comfortable.
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!
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.😊
She looks beautiful now and fit for sailing. Looking forward to watch your top class videos. Thanks for sharing.
I truly feel is the first time someone gives a reality check ! Well done. You guys rock ! ❤marina
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. 🥰🥰🥰⛵️⛵️⛵️
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
Well done so if you get back to New Zealand pop in for a cuppa ☕️
Stoked for this video... I think we have all been waiting for this one. Also, nice touch wearing the matching blue!
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.
What nice people. These video's are a pleasure to watch.
Varnish would definitely complete the girl’s makeover
"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.
That blue colored dress really suits you. It highlights your eyes and smile.
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.
Florence has a whole new lease on life 😇
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.
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.
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 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.
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
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!
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.
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!
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. 😊❤🇦🇺🌏
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.
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 ❤
Been watching sailing channels for a few years, nice of TH-cam to recommend some fellow brits 🇬🇧 for a change. Boat looks amazing good luck with your adventure.
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.
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.
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.
Norway to Scotland, Iceland and all the islands...like Eric. So cool and so daring.
How ?
@@humblestever24 By boat
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.
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!
She looks great. You two did a TON of work on her, and no it isn't easy.
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! 😊
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 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 🤙
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.
We call that workaholics here in the states. I have that disease myself. Work life balance is definitely a tough one to master.
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!
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☺️)
back breaking work for nearly everything you do on a boat
You have done a great job on Florence, you can be very proud of yourselves. We are looking forward to seeing you sailing again.
There are not enough superlatives to express my admiration for what you have accomplished, as a couple or as sailors. You are to be commended. So very grateful that you share your journey with the world. Thank You.
Florence looks beautiful…Looking forward to your adventures!Your videos are my favorite of all the sailing channels ❤
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.
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.
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.
Wow wow wow!! Just an epic job you guys have done. Florence is back to being the Lady she is. 👏⛵️⚓️🥂
You two are amazing... as are your parents! I look forward to seeing the next leg of your adventure.
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.
I am really looking forward to your new adventure, you two are the best.
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.
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.
Florence is as good as new! Looking forward to your northern oceans videos.
Hello, good afternoon
S/V Florence Crew.
Really, it's no longer an Oyster, it's a Triton conch, wow! you changed 40 years of design.
P.S. There is something I notice: A LOT OF SNOW FALLS in the region and navigation area. Therefore, I recommend that you study this indication: ZEOLITE mineral stones WILL ABSORB MOISTURE AND ODOR. Their maintenance is simple, once they darken, they are washed with running water, whether fresh or salty, plus a brush and you can distribute them throughout the jar, even inside the frizzer and cabinets. Many use charcoal stones but they react to oxygen and humidity.
Just consult it and study it. EXCELLENT IS THAT 37' OYSTER GIRL.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Florence looks amazing. You both did such an amazing job considering the time you had and all the work you did. Have fun and can’t wait to see the next video. On our way to Hawaii to our second home next week. Cheers from the Brit in California 🇬🇧🙏❤️
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 🤞🏻🧙🏻♂️
I sure love following your adventures throughout the years. I can't wait to see what happens next. 😊❤
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!
How very excited you must be to go sailing on your marvelous boat. Keep it up.
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🇬🇧.
She looks great, now! Lots of great reliability upgrades, too. You might consider guard-bars over the Dorade vents to keep lines from catching them.
Maybe we'll see you out there in a few years. We just closed on our high-latitude ocean-crosser this week. We get our first real sail this weekend.
Amazing guys, you are a power couple and an example that hard works pays off. Your inspire people to chase their dreams and show that with enough hard work and dedication, anything is possible. Cant Wait for the next adventure
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!
what a gem of woman. ive been watching for a long time now but that "detail" is ever present.
With all that Blue Color your Video looked stunning !!!
Believe me, you are not the only ones out there doing massive refits and as a friend of a boat owner it never stops. The work grinds you down and it by no means looks easy. You've worked your socks off so now go and have some fun. Happy sailing
Florence looks like a brand new boat now.
Florence looks absolutely stunning. Well done you 2 massive effort.🙏🖖🇳🇿😎
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!
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!
You did an excellent job, I congratulate you both individually.
We always find your posts sincere and we sincerely appreciate your sincerity.
Yes, I had thought you were a trifle ambitious in the winter time-frame, primarily because the jobs had been stacking up during your years away (which I had been observing).
However, next winter should be a snip, AND in addition there will be much less wear-and-tear during the short season trip ahead.
Now, let's see you go.!!!!
Beautifull Boat, Beautifull People and amazing at what they do ! just brilliant.
Wow!