Ryan & Kelsey, Excellent choice of boat. Those Swedish boats sail wonderfully. You two are adapting to life aboard quickly. Love your choice for "fixing" the aft berth. Keep up the awesome progress. You two are on an awesome adventure that you'll never forget. The best is yet to come!
Ryan, Regarding the hack saw, they are normally used with the blade set to cut on the push stroke not the pull stroke. Since you are on a boat, I will tell you the one time in 70 years that i found the pull stroke to be an advantage. If you ever have to cut a line off your prop or rudder, the pull stroke works the best with the most fine toothed metal cutting blade (24 - 28 teeth per inch)! One tip about that window AC, pay attention to keeping it level. The bottom pan is suppose to fill with water which is the precool for the hot gas line. If it does not fill up far enough to touch that line, you will loose about 2/3rds of the cooling. On the power connectors, the Hot is Black and goes on a Brass colored terminal, Neutral is White and goes on Silver colored terminals and Green is ground. You should be certain that the ground is still connected to everywhere the manufacturer intended for it to go. If you have screwed up power, seek advise from an expert because you can get some really bad electrolysis issues and things will dissolve in no time. One last issue, it would be well to consider where the hydrogen gas coming out of that battery stack is going. They do require a vent. Hydrogen is very light so it wants to rise. If it collects anywhere there could be a source of ignition, there will be a very nasty pop! Fare winds!
This series is fantastic. The honest realism is what makes it. I fantasize about a liveaboard, like a daydream...I can live vicariously through your adventure, its fun! I'm an electrician and a hobbyist woodworker so watching your struggles here made me cringe once or twice but your tackling it in spite of inexperience shows real grit. I appreciate the struggle that's what makes the adventure right?
I think those videos preparing the boat are actually quite good and interesting. They make us feel like part of the adventure from the start to wherever it will lead; describing the surroundings, the people involved as well as the boat, good story telling. Staying tuned.
Congratulations on your first boat DIY projects!!! Don't let anyone dissuade you, we all have cut wood with blade backwards, a hacksaw and had to ask how to wire our first outlet!!!! Love the channel!!
You are tackling new projects more aggressively now than you did in the beginning....shows you guys are more confident and you have the right to be. Thank you for taking the time to make these videos.....
It's all good and you will both learn as you go. One of my all time favorite quotes is.."The Journey is the Reward!" Yes, you did have the blade on backwards but who gives a rip. (unless it's dangerous) AND...there are plenty more mistakes you'll both make but just embrace them while you create amazing memories. You've got my support! PEACE OUT!
onthebeaches1 Yes! Thank you. We mentioned we aren't a DIY channel. Neither of us consider ourselves "handy". We do things we feel uncomfortable about to grow and get better. Being comfortable with being uncomfortable is what it's all about to us! Cheers!
you guys are quickly becoming my favorite sailing channel, and i subscribe to almost all of top ones. keep up the good work. i'm half way to my financial goal to get my sailing adventure started, but my first adventure (aka work, which is an adventure in itself) is just starting again, for this year.
Fun video, guys. Glad you're back. You might want to look into caulking that teak. At least until you've saved enough dough to have it redone... and possibly the core of your deck along with it.
Love watching the videos, even though I don't live on a boat all of the space saving ideas always cross over into any aspect of life from campers, to rvs to even making the most of an extra room. And lol at her face at 7:30, we all know what that means... Gotta have fun even amongst all the disarray, good on ya guys.
I'm at 11:45 mark and really enjoying this episode...I've done a lot of Jigsaw, & router projects as well....SOOO nervous time for me but I love my remakes....The Queen is so important. I've reworked and widened my Settee , 6 inch foam, 34 " wide with an installable canvas piece to enclose the open side.Which I've never used yet. I've used the little Engel (15 qt)for 6 years . Great pick. almost no power needed....G.T.
gary t glad to hear you approve of the Engel! We were jamming to some Neil Young while we were underway last week and thought of you - hope all is well! Happy 4th 🙂
I've dreamed about a bed like that...for so many years...my hunter is 33" LOA and well no excuses.You two got it done... Expected amps draw on engel maybe .9 per hour to 2 amps per hour if you really want cold like 35 degrees and you're opening it quite a bit...
Michael Purkey We're thinking total cost for us to be out there actually living the dream will be around 70k. Best part is we'll have the same views as those who spend millions 😋
It has always been my dream to do what you guys are doing but unfortunately it isn't one my wife shares. Now that I (we) are approaching retirement age I am more and more determined to have a sailing boat I can spend much of my time on and maybe even do some cruising (alone if I have to) before it's too late. I am researching now. Discovered hallberg-rassy boats of about the age of yours that are not too bad... we shall see what happens... thanks and the very best of luck..
Great start guys, been watching since your first video. You picked my favorite boat, a Halberg Rassy. Have to say I had a little trouble watching you cut into the aft cabin birth but get the reasoning. I wish you both the best with your channel!
What So Short! When you first introduced us to your sleeping arrangement I was sure that was not going to work well with you living on board. However with addition of the Queen, seems much better. I was worried after the last episode that you were going to have mold and mildew problems however I am glad this did not happen. Thank you so much for sharing your lives with me. Sail happy.
Just discovered you guys, enjoying vids. We had our Pearson 33-2 all fixed up and refitted out of the yard. All done by us here in Rockport, Tx. Then along came hurricane Harvey. Now, I'm living on the boat and starting over. You worked and lucked into a nice boat. Solid foundation for anywhere you decide to go. Good luck.
You two are doing great. Vids are getting better and better and over time you'll become fine filmmakers. Don't listen to the outside noise. Stay focused on whatever it is you want to do and enjoy every minute of it. Keep up the good work.
Entirely unnecessary, but that's totally nice of you to say! We've been traveling and enjoying life, but our plan has always been to work and travel until we're done "working" then live on a sailboat. Ryan actually used his favorite book "Dove" as a test of our compatibility when we started dating. I loved it and we've been inseparable ever since! Some day soon, perhaps?
As a fellow Floridian sailor (now living in Cancun), I'm loving your videos!... the best part though was the description: "...you think I needed a queen mattress on board? No, I didn’t but the better-looking half of the dream did" 😂 Cheers to making things happen!
Your idea/recommendation for AC unit is fantastic. I live in Florida for over 20 years (in Tampa since late 2017). Summer without AC here only forcibly after some hurricane! :-) I've been slowly watching your videos. I like to see the chemistry and energy between the two of you. Also, the openness about cost/etc is a great differential of your channel. Keep it up!
Hey guys don't feel bad about boat projects! It's a boat you have to work on it, everything can't be beautiful scenery,for me anyway I like the DIY it shows that you care about your home which is a boat! Keep up the good work.
Great video, you two. It's awesome to see that you're taking the time to do these projects yourself. There are a lot of boats out there that don't get the TLC you're giving this Rassy! I'm currently neck deep in projects on my speed boat, but plan on buying a sailboat in the not-too-distant future! Fair winds and keep these awesome videos coming!
Aaron Bunce Thank you for your support 🙂 We're trying our best to give this girl the care she deserves! Learning as we go but it feels great to see the progress we've made on her. Cheers!
I like your channel. Keep it up. I never knew a scroll saw could be used backwards. Actually it can be handy when starting and having more reference area. Thanks for showing 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
TH-cam is a marvelous place to learn how to use the proper tools and and the Proper tools. Hacksaws are typically used to cut metal and from the looks of your use it can be used to cut wood but might take a bit longer. I've also never seen a Jigsaw Blade used in reverse but if it works why not. I'll have to give it a try and see if mine will even accept the blades in reverse. I have to hand it to both of you for taking such a huge step. God be with you on your journey through life! I'd love to send you a few tools I have extra that might make your life easier. Again Good Luck and thanks for sharing!
A lot of higher end jigsaws actually progress the blade forward on the cutting stroke. This would not work in reverse, but this seemed to work for them, so, cool.
As a carpenter/joiner never thought of using a jigsaw blade backwards....probably because it's easier to guide the blade as designed. But good effort, enjoy and be safe.
Mattress suggestion:) We lived on a yacht for 7 years and one of the the first things we did was reconfigure the aft stateroom from two twins to a queen and a closet. Large mattresses are hard to get into some staterooms. We had a costume built, off brand, queen size pillow top sleep by number made for about $1100 dollars ($100 bucks more than the off the shelf, just 2 inches shorter ) and it was amazing and light.
I think you did good making the queen mattress fit. I would have probably have done the same thing. Eventhough I was sad to see you taking a saw into that nice wood it turned out good. I eventually want to get a boat and this project is turning out well for you.
Hey guy's, greetings from the UK. Great to see such an honest channel for a change. A lot of people have commented about your lack of DIY skills and yes I did think WTF. But life is all about learning and having a go at something new. But please tell me that you can sail better than DIY, other wise this could be a very shot lived channel. ;-) Keep up the great work, your doing good.
I saw this video first and was hooked. Sub'd and watched all from the beginning. Wish you all the happiness and success. I have no sailing experience but can absolutely relate to wanting to go minimalist and enjoy life via a different path. Keep a well stocked First Aid kit and electrical supplies (wire, connectors, cutters, spare switches, tape, bulbs) as these can get you out of trouble. Glad I found you early in your journey.
thanks watching you guys brings back memories of what fun/horrors of living on our 43 ft Gulfstar.. It now is our summer home, 25 years later. Still upgrading :)
OK R & K. I have abadoned boat with my own country folk (SLV) and am happy to get on board with some yanks! Getting that inspo again from your videos and hope you succeed on the patreon side!
Chris King Appreciate you hopping aboard mate! Welcome to the AC Crew and a huge thank you for your contribution to our weekly episode goal via Patreon. Truly means the world to Kelsey and I. Hope we can get to your side of the world one day and share a beer!
Yay! I'm stoked to get in early on a channel that looks like its going to do great. Keep up the good work guys! It is great to see the honest side of sailing: its not all exciting new places and epic adventures. Thanks for sharing.
I subscribed, was it via patreon? I don't know. I like this sweet couple a lot and their approach is informative as well as fun. They smile and laugh and that's what sailing is about...being happy along even with hard times!
Hey Ryan, do what works for you, backwards, frontwards, sideways , it's all good as long as it works !. I can't help but smile and feel grateful that you two are sharing this wonderful adventure with me, and yeah everyone one else . Love everything about this one , editing, shot placement are spot on and i'm confident will just keep getting better. You both are rock stars.
Dinger Dog thank you! Good to hear we're doing something right other than the unspeakable "backwards" blade on the jigsaw 😋 Kels and I always appreciate your comments, really means so much to us to have your incredible support!
This is the first time I viewed one of your videos. Well done! Lots of interesting projects that shows how ingenious one can be if they are determined to make it happen. Although I'm not sure I would be totally comfortable with the set-up of a large bed because if you had to get it out of the way in a hurry to access a puncture in the hull you might sink before you got things pulled out but I suspect in this case with the bed being in the aft cabin the risk is very low of that happening so go with the creature comfort. I also liked the installation of the solar ventilators. It seems easy enough for a great increase in comfort. I also like your air-conditioning solution. If you are a live-aboard it makes sense in warm climates like Florida or even in Canada where I live.
Hey guys, great video, looking forward to many more. I've been building a boat and I've learned quite a lot thus far. What r u using as sealant installing items? My advice is to use 3M 4200 on anything that's not permanent and 3M 5200 for anything permanent. Don't use silicon on a boat, just passing on some good info.
Not sure if anyone else mentioned it, but a little trick I learned on my boats was to run the hole saw in reverse for a bit to score or cut through the gel coat, then run it forward to cut the fiberglass. It helps reduce the chipping on the gel coat (not much of a problem because of the large trim panel for the shore power outlet). Love the channel and good to see semi locals (I'm pretty much directly across the state from you) :)
You might have to put a moisture barrier under your mattress as condensation is going to get in there and cause a mold problem. Land mattresses are made differently than boat mattresses.
Ryan not sure if anyone has addressed this yet. the screws you put in to hold the shore power connection need some silicon on them. this is to prevent and moister from getting into the hull. Keep at it you guys will learn as you go.
I have to say as a person with a passion for sailing and TH-cam sailing channels, I have become a fan since I came upon you two. Well done and good for you. It seems you two are in pretty much the same situation as our Canadian West Coast friends "Breaking Waves Sailing" are in. You two should reach out to one another and say hi as you grow together. Cheers to you both and keep the dream alive. STAY SAFE :)
As a future owner of a boat, I am somewhat surprised (but not chocked) about the amount of work you need to put into preparing a boat for the sea. I still can't wait. Me being a bit conservative, gonna wait until I graduate college and get a job, before venturing into the magical world of sailing. Being in your early thirties isn't too old, right? All the best! :)
Hi Guys. Great videos! Love the HR. You are doing great. The AC hit home. We are in Bradenton, lived with a window AC in the companion way for 5 years. Finally broke down and centralized. The jury is still out as to which is better. Hopefully we'll run into you along the way. S/V Esconditas.
Great idea on the bed supports. You probably could have saved some money using regular plywood for this, as it's not likely to get wet. Stain all those pieces with mahogany stain and a bit of varnish and nobody will be able to tell it's just pine.
What happened to that bronze looking post that you show around 10:19? Not sure what it was for but I hope it didn't have to do with an emergency tiller. Where does the mattress go when you have to access the storage underneath, is there room in the cabin to just move it off it's platform? I know my mattress at home doesn't fold very well ;). Best of luck and I sincerely hope things work out well for you.. kudos on giving it a shot!
Hey guys,so glad to be able to join y'all on your sailing adventures.watched you install the shore power !I don't know if it was gasketed or not,I couldn't tell from my vantage point,do yourself a huge favor,put silicone behind everything you install against a hole in your hull.just some friendly advise that I've learned the hard way...⚓happy sailing ⛵
Love this episode! But we're super interested in any of the retrofit projects. Maybe make it something for the Patrons? We'd totally dig that. Nice job on the work you did. Will be sharing this to help you get whatever details. Hope to see you guys out on the blue water some time soon. Casz & Greg, aka Proteus Rising.
Proteus Rising We could definitely do DIY project videos for patrons. We'll be doing our first Q&A video soon for patrons so be sure to submit a question once we have the patron only section up on the website!
Just found your channel (: Great information and a point of view that will genuinely help a lot of people. Keep up the great work. Wishing you the very best adventures (:
Henry Morgan We love it!! Turns off when it's overheating - great technology. Faulty shore power is the #1 cause of boat fires so it seemed like a no brainer to make this investment!
Great video, nicely done with lovely editing too. Please buy some proper eye protection for both you, particularly when drilling or sawing. All it takes is for a jig saw or drill bit to break inappropriately and you can permanently loose the sight of an eye. Keep up the great videos and I think you should do more stuff like this.
Quick note, when drilling holes through Fiberglass spin the drill backward to skor the gel and cut through the first 1/16” then go back to cutting normally it will give you a much cleaner hole with less chance of Spider cracks.
One more thing: you can renew solar wents - I just did ours on our boat - by replacing the solar panel and the rechargable battery in it. As solar panels are more powerful nowadays, most likely it will be smaller than before but more powerful. We put our recycled one into the hatch over the bathroom - it is easier and safer than drilling one more hole into the laminate. Best regards.
Hey, post all of the boat work as you want, that is as important as seeing sailing! I sure hope you used some butyl tape or something around those screw holes?
The jigsaw blade is made of hard brittle steel, if it jams it may break and send a piece flying, always use safety glasses when using power tools. Good thought and well done modification.
Wow! talk about a square peg in a round whole! I would never have guessed that, that mattress would fit through your entry way! Great Job! Did you cut the mattress sincere you bunk area wasn't completely square and if so, how are was that to do? Great video, can't wait till you guys are posting weekly, you seem like you're a lot of fun. Good luck, God Bless you both on your new adventure! Bill S. s/v ODIN
SOOO the one thing I am still wondering is what did she just get done doing at 7:30 into the video ????? Left a lot open for the imagination there. Love the boating life. I do want to point out that sometimes I use a metal blade in my sawzall for a very fine/clean cut as opposed to a large tooth wood blade. It was painful to watch you take that much off the wood with a file but you probably wont do that again. Thanks for the fun....
When using a hole saw always run it in reverse, first, to set your mark! Fiberglass gets super hot while cutting so cool it if you can so the saw blade doesn't get ruined. 👍🏼
Watching you cut the piece, a trim router and a flush cut bit would have been much easier and a pretty result. Probably will need one again for future projects. Trim routers are small too. I look forward to more episodes👍
Hey guys great stuff! I was also looking at HR boats, it seems here in Europe they are much more expensive even its European brand. 352s age 1985-1987 are moving around 60-70k USD around similar condition maybe even older engines with more hours on it. The price you payed is a real bargain, congrats, I'm glad for you, have fun abandoning comfort :)
A level is useless on a boat,except for a straight edge, also minimize saw mess by taping a plastic bag under the saw work. love the vids , keep up the amazing journey!
Great resolve to add the mattress to the aft berth. However, I don't think it was necessary to cut back all of the lip around the bunks. It would probably have been easier to build a lattice framework of 1x2 and 1x4 lumber and top it with either 1/2" or 1/4" plyboard to make a new bunk deck that was even with the lip. A few small notches in the lip or a couple of joist hangers could have been used to mount 2x4 supports to span the gap between the bunks. Best of luck to both of you!
Seeing you drilling prompted me to mention in case you are not aware of it that, as I understand it, you should avoid drilling into an area of the deck that has coring, to avoid possible paths for moisture to get into the core. Best wishes...
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![8] Sailboat Christening Party! | Abandon Comfort - Sailboat Restoration](/img/tr.png)
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Ryan & Kelsey,
Excellent choice of boat. Those Swedish boats sail wonderfully. You two are adapting to life aboard quickly. Love your choice for "fixing" the aft berth. Keep up the awesome progress. You two are on an awesome adventure that you'll never forget. The best is yet to come!
Ryan, Regarding the hack saw, they are normally used with the blade set to cut on the push stroke not the pull stroke. Since you are on a boat, I will tell you the one time in 70 years that i found the pull stroke to be an advantage. If you ever have to cut a line off your prop or rudder, the pull stroke works the best with the most fine toothed metal cutting blade (24 - 28 teeth per inch)!
One tip about that window AC, pay attention to keeping it level. The bottom pan is suppose to fill with water which is the precool for the hot gas line. If it does not fill up far enough to touch that line, you will loose about 2/3rds of the cooling.
On the power connectors, the Hot is Black and goes on a Brass colored terminal, Neutral is White and goes on Silver colored terminals and Green is ground. You should be certain that the ground is still connected to everywhere the manufacturer intended for it to go. If you have screwed up power, seek advise from an expert because you can get some really bad electrolysis issues and things will dissolve in no time.
One last issue, it would be well to consider where the hydrogen gas coming out of that battery stack is going. They do require a vent. Hydrogen is very light so it wants to rise. If it collects anywhere there could be a source of ignition, there will be a very nasty pop!
Fare winds!
i like to think if the wiring as black=death. on this system i highly doubt it would kill you if you touch it, but still.
Reversing the blade works well . . . if you do not have really good footing; or so they told us at USN Dive school.
This series is fantastic. The honest realism is what makes it. I fantasize about a liveaboard, like a daydream...I can live vicariously through your adventure, its fun! I'm an electrician and a hobbyist woodworker so watching your struggles here made me cringe once or twice but your tackling it in spite of inexperience shows real grit. I appreciate the struggle that's what makes the adventure right?
I think those videos preparing the boat are actually quite good and interesting.
They make us feel like part of the adventure from the start to wherever it will lead; describing the surroundings, the people involved as well as the boat, good story telling.
Staying tuned.
Congratulations on your first boat DIY projects!!! Don't let anyone dissuade you, we all have cut wood with blade backwards, a hacksaw and had to ask how to wire our first outlet!!!! Love the channel!!
You are tackling new projects more aggressively now than you did in the beginning....shows you guys are more confident and you have the right to be. Thank you for taking the time to make these videos.....
It's all good and you will both learn as you go. One of my all time favorite quotes is.."The Journey is the Reward!" Yes, you did have the blade on backwards but who gives a rip. (unless it's dangerous) AND...there are plenty more mistakes you'll both make but just embrace them while you create amazing memories. You've got my support! PEACE OUT!
onthebeaches1 Yes! Thank you. We mentioned we aren't a DIY channel. Neither of us consider ourselves "handy". We do things we feel uncomfortable about to grow and get better. Being comfortable with being uncomfortable is what it's all about to us! Cheers!
Great job guys. I can not wait to see you two hit the Bahamas banks! All your hard work will be forgotten. Thanks for taking us along. JC
you guys are quickly becoming my favorite sailing channel, and i subscribe to almost all of top ones. keep up the good work. i'm half way to my financial goal to get my sailing adventure started, but my first adventure (aka work, which is an adventure in itself) is just starting again, for this year.
Jeff Bennett Thank you so much for the kind words and support. Keep grinding at work and we'll see you out here soon enough!
Abandon Comfort gotta go on fire season, and have a good year on contract.
Fun video, guys. Glad you're back.
You might want to look into caulking that teak. At least until you've saved enough dough to have it redone... and possibly the core of your deck along with it.
Steffenator Thanks for the support! We'll be tearing up the teak and doing synthetic teak this Fall. Stay tuned 🙃
Congrats! Much luck on your current endevours! We all have faith and believe in you! YOU CAN DO IT!
Absolutely love your videos!
Erik and I are thinking of abandoning comforts of our big house and moving onto the boat in next year!
Love watching the videos, even though I don't live on a boat all of the space saving ideas always cross over into any aspect of life from campers, to rvs to even making the most of an extra room. And lol at her face at 7:30, we all know what that means... Gotta have fun even amongst all the disarray, good on ya guys.
I'm at 11:45 mark and really enjoying this episode...I've done a lot of Jigsaw, & router projects as well....SOOO nervous time for me but I love my remakes....The Queen is so important. I've reworked and widened my Settee , 6 inch foam, 34 " wide with an installable canvas piece to enclose the open side.Which I've never used yet. I've used the little Engel (15 qt)for 6 years . Great pick. almost no power needed....G.T.
gary t glad to hear you approve of the Engel! We were jamming to some Neil Young while we were underway last week and thought of you - hope all is well! Happy 4th 🙂
I've dreamed about a bed like that...for so many years...my hunter is 33" LOA and well no excuses.You two got it done... Expected amps draw on engel maybe .9 per hour to 2 amps per hour if you really want cold like 35 degrees and you're opening it quite a bit...
Just found your channel and enjoying it. Good to see someone following their dream and not having to sink a half million bucks into it. Best of luck.
Michael Purkey We're thinking total cost for us to be out there actually living the dream will be around 70k. Best part is we'll have the same views as those who spend millions 😋
It has always been my dream to do what you guys are doing but unfortunately it isn't one my wife shares. Now that I (we) are approaching retirement age I am more and more determined to have a sailing boat I can spend much of my time on and maybe even do some cruising (alone if I have to) before it's too late. I am researching now. Discovered hallberg-rassy boats of about the age of yours that are not too bad... we shall see what happens... thanks and the very best of luck..
Great start guys, been watching since your first video. You picked my favorite boat, a Halberg Rassy. Have to say I had a little trouble watching you cut into the aft cabin birth but get the reasoning. I wish you both the best with your channel!
What So Short! When you first introduced us to your sleeping arrangement I was sure that was not going to work well with you living on board. However with addition of the Queen, seems much better. I was worried after the last episode that you were going to have mold and mildew problems however I am glad this did not happen. Thank you so much for sharing your lives with me. Sail happy.
Just discovered you guys, enjoying vids. We had our Pearson 33-2 all fixed up and refitted out of the yard. All done by us here in Rockport, Tx. Then along came hurricane Harvey. Now, I'm living on the boat and starting over. You worked and lucked into a nice boat. Solid foundation for anywhere you decide to go. Good luck.
Thanks, Bobby. Sorry to hear about Harvey. We really lucked out with Irma over here. Hoping you guys get out there soon enough!
Thanks for sharing your experience.
You two are doing great. Vids are getting better and better and over time you'll become fine filmmakers. Don't listen to the outside noise. Stay focused on whatever it is you want to do and enjoy every minute of it. Keep up the good work.
Bring those boat projects, love your channel guys.
mynhardt saayman awesome to hear, thank you so much for your support!
YAY! Our favorite sailing couple is back with a new video!
Hedgers Abroad Thanks so much for following! We'll be sure to check out some of your travels as well 😉
Entirely unnecessary, but that's totally nice of you to say! We've been traveling and enjoying life, but our plan has always been to work and travel until we're done "working" then live on a sailboat. Ryan actually used his favorite book "Dove" as a test of our compatibility when we started dating. I loved it and we've been inseparable ever since! Some day soon, perhaps?
As a fellow Floridian sailor (now living in Cancun), I'm loving your videos!... the best part though was the description:
"...you think I needed a queen mattress on board? No, I didn’t but the better-looking half of the dream did"
😂
Cheers to making things happen!
Your idea/recommendation for AC unit is fantastic. I live in Florida for over 20 years (in Tampa since late 2017). Summer without AC here only forcibly after some hurricane! :-) I've been slowly watching your videos. I like to see the chemistry and energy between the two of you. Also, the openness about cost/etc is a great differential of your channel. Keep it up!
Hey guys don't feel bad about boat projects! It's a boat you have to work on it, everything can't be beautiful scenery,for me anyway I like the DIY it shows that you care about your home which is a boat! Keep up the good work.
Great video, you two. It's awesome to see that you're taking the time to do these projects yourself. There are a lot of boats out there that don't get the TLC you're giving this Rassy! I'm currently neck deep in projects on my speed boat, but plan on buying a sailboat in the not-too-distant future! Fair winds and keep these awesome videos coming!
Aaron Bunce Thank you for your support 🙂 We're trying our best to give this girl the care she deserves! Learning as we go but it feels great to see the progress we've made on her. Cheers!
I like your channel. Keep it up. I never knew a scroll saw could be used backwards. Actually it can be handy when starting and having more reference area. Thanks for showing 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I can see why Ryan fell in love with Kelsey :D
Now besides that, the aft cabin looks much better like that. Much more usable.
TH-cam is a marvelous place to learn how to use the proper tools and and the Proper tools. Hacksaws are typically used to cut metal and from the looks of your use it can be used to cut wood but might take a bit longer. I've also never seen a Jigsaw Blade used in reverse but if it works why not. I'll have to give it a try and see if mine will even accept the blades in reverse. I have to hand it to both of you for taking such a huge step. God be with you on your journey through life! I'd love to send you a few tools I have extra that might make your life easier. Again Good Luck and thanks for sharing!
Most newer jigsaws allow you to use the blade both forward and reverse.
A lot of higher end jigsaws actually progress the blade forward on the cutting stroke. This would not work in reverse, but this seemed to work for them, so, cool.
As a carpenter/joiner never thought of using a jigsaw blade backwards....probably because it's easier to guide the blade as designed.
But good effort, enjoy and be safe.
I've built 7 homes and didn't know you could run a jigsaw like that. LOL. But it looked like it was working.
Mattress suggestion:) We lived on a yacht for 7 years and one of the the first things we did was reconfigure the aft stateroom from two twins to a queen and a closet. Large mattresses are hard to get into some staterooms. We had a costume built, off brand, queen size pillow top sleep by number made for about $1100 dollars ($100 bucks more than the off the shelf, just 2 inches shorter ) and it was amazing and light.
Great communication glad you both are smiling !!! Brad and Lilly say HI!
Thank you, Brad & Lilly!!!
I think you did good making the queen mattress fit. I would have probably have done the same thing. Eventhough I was sad to see you taking a saw into that nice wood it turned out good. I eventually want to get a boat and this project is turning out well for you.
Hey guy's, greetings from the UK. Great to see such an honest channel for a change. A lot of people have commented about your lack of DIY skills and yes I did think WTF. But life is all about learning and having a go at something new. But please tell me that you can sail better than DIY, other wise this could be a very shot lived channel. ;-) Keep up the great work, your doing good.
I saw this video first and was hooked. Sub'd and watched all from the beginning. Wish you all the happiness and success. I have no sailing experience but can absolutely relate to wanting to go minimalist and enjoy life via a different path. Keep a well stocked First Aid kit and electrical supplies (wire, connectors, cutters, spare switches, tape, bulbs) as these can get you out of trouble. Glad I found you early in your journey.
thanks watching you guys brings back memories of what fun/horrors of living on our 43 ft Gulfstar.. It now is our summer home, 25 years later. Still upgrading :)
Excellent choice on the Engel. They are world class quality and very popular with the long distance overland crowd.
Amazing courage!! Go forth and be your own destiny!
:) Thank you!!
Love you guys. Glad you are back.
OK R & K. I have abadoned boat with my own country folk (SLV) and am happy to get on board with some yanks! Getting that inspo again from your videos and hope you succeed on the patreon side!
Chris King Appreciate you hopping aboard mate! Welcome to the AC Crew and a huge thank you for your contribution to our weekly episode goal via Patreon. Truly means the world to Kelsey and I. Hope we can get to your side of the world one day and share a beer!
Yay! I'm stoked to get in early on a channel that looks like its going to do great. Keep up the good work guys! It is great to see the honest side of sailing: its not all exciting new places and epic adventures. Thanks for sharing.
Alaska Skidood Thanks so much for watching and for the kind words. Stoked to have you along for the ride!!
Alaska Skidood I agree. They seem genuine and fun. Good luck, neighbors, I hope to see many more videos.
Blah Blah .. most men come here to look at his women...lol
I subscribed, was it via patreon? I don't know. I like this sweet couple a lot and their approach is informative as well as fun. They smile and laugh and that's what sailing is about...being happy along even with hard times!
You guys are off to a great start!! Looking forward to more videos to come!!
Hey Ryan, do what works for you, backwards, frontwards, sideways , it's all good as long as it works !. I can't help but smile and feel grateful that you two are sharing this wonderful adventure with me, and yeah everyone one else . Love everything about this one , editing, shot placement are spot on and i'm confident will just keep getting better. You both are rock stars.
Dinger Dog thank you! Good to hear we're doing something right other than the unspeakable "backwards" blade on the jigsaw 😋 Kels and I always appreciate your comments, really means so much to us to have your incredible support!
HEY, for what it is worth I really enjoyed your "refit video" .
more than happy to see more.
Happy to see you both on board
:)
This is the first time I viewed one of your videos. Well done! Lots of interesting projects that shows how ingenious one can be if they are determined to make it happen. Although I'm not sure I would be totally comfortable with the set-up of a large bed because if you had to get it out of the way in a hurry to access a puncture in the hull you might sink before you got things pulled out but I suspect in this case with the bed being in the aft cabin the risk is very low of that happening so go with the creature comfort. I also liked the installation of the solar ventilators. It seems easy enough for a great increase in comfort. I also like your air-conditioning solution. If you are a live-aboard it makes sense in warm climates like Florida or even in Canada where I live.
Just binge watched your channel and love it by the way lol,very informative! Well,cheers!
Hey guys, great video, looking forward to many more. I've been building a boat and I've learned quite a lot thus far. What r u using as sealant installing items? My advice is to use 3M 4200 on anything that's not permanent and 3M 5200 for anything permanent. Don't use silicon on a boat, just passing on some good info.
Not sure if anyone else mentioned it, but a little trick I learned on my boats was to run the hole saw in reverse for a bit to score or cut through the gel coat, then run it forward to cut the fiberglass. It helps reduce the chipping on the gel coat (not much of a problem because of the large trim panel for the shore power outlet). Love the channel and good to see semi locals (I'm pretty much directly across the state from you) :)
Im loving this series!!!
Y'all are going to have so much fun!
Love the boat project videos! Cool to see your new home coming together
You might have to put a moisture barrier under your mattress as condensation is going to get in there and cause a mold problem. Land mattresses are made differently than boat mattresses.
Karen Herman
Im thinking the acid off the batteries will kill the mold...
Love the A/C idea. Smart plugs are awesome. Just converted ours a few months back.
Great video guys. Just love boat projects ... awesome ..
Ryan not sure if anyone has addressed this yet. the screws you put in to hold the shore power connection need some silicon on them. this is to prevent and moister from getting into the hull. Keep at it you guys will learn as you go.
Love the channel. You guys inspired me to buy a boat and live on it. Keep up the great job.
its the first time ive seen someone have the blade facing backwards on a jigsaw!
I have to say as a person with a passion for sailing and TH-cam sailing channels, I have become a fan since I came upon you two. Well done and good for you. It seems you two are in pretty much the same situation as our Canadian West Coast friends "Breaking Waves Sailing" are in. You two should reach out to one another and say hi as you grow together. Cheers to you both and keep the dream alive. STAY SAFE :)
As a future owner of a boat, I am somewhat surprised (but not chocked) about the amount of work you need to put into preparing a boat for the sea. I still can't wait. Me being a bit conservative, gonna wait until I graduate college and get a job, before venturing into the magical world of sailing.
Being in your early thirties isn't too old, right?
All the best! :)
Hi Guys. Great videos! Love the HR. You are doing great. The AC hit home. We are in Bradenton, lived with a window AC in the companion way for 5 years. Finally broke down and centralized. The jury is still out as to which is better. Hopefully we'll run into you along the way. S/V Esconditas.
Music is on point as usual!
Yeah, I loved the main track.
Samuel Altien Awesome to hear! Appreciate your support as always 😎
Abandon Comfort what's the name of the artist/track?
Pete Jones Andrew Applepie is the artist for both songs. Frisbee is the song heard twice.
awesome! keep it real, honest, & simple you two are doing great!.......GRUNT
Great idea on the bed supports. You probably could have saved some money using regular plywood for this, as it's not likely to get wet. Stain all those pieces with mahogany stain and a bit of varnish and nobody will be able to tell it's just pine.
Thanks for the support and kind words! We ordered some stain from Hallberg-Rassy to make sure it matches everything else on board :)
top edge video. there will always be critics. I love your commitment. ROD UK
Appreciate the support, Rod!!!
Looking forward to your adventures
What happened to that bronze looking post that you show around 10:19? Not sure what it was for but I hope it didn't have to do with an emergency tiller. Where does the mattress go when you have to access the storage underneath, is there room in the cabin to just move it off it's platform? I know my mattress at home doesn't fold very well ;). Best of luck and I sincerely hope things work out well for you.. kudos on giving it a shot!
Great video. I am glad I came across your channel.
Hey guys,so glad to be able to join y'all on your sailing adventures.watched you install the shore power !I don't know if it was gasketed or not,I couldn't tell from my vantage point,do yourself a huge favor,put silicone behind everything you install against a hole in your hull.just some friendly advise that I've learned the hard way...⚓happy sailing ⛵
Keep up the great work, thanks for the inspiration and eduction.
Love you guys .Keep it up the best way to learn is to do .
snow dingo Couldn't agree more! Thanks for commenting 🙂
I enjoyed the video of some projects. A video here and there of the stuff you have to work on is not a bad thing.
Your teak decks look pretty good condition wise - have you ever taken moisture readings?
Love this episode! But we're super interested in any of the retrofit projects. Maybe make it something for the Patrons? We'd totally dig that. Nice job on the work you did. Will be sharing this to help you get whatever details. Hope to see you guys out on the blue water some time soon. Casz & Greg, aka Proteus Rising.
Proteus Rising We could definitely do DIY project videos for patrons. We'll be doing our first Q&A video soon for patrons so be sure to submit a question once we have the patron only section up on the website!
St. Pete's skyline is always so gorgeous. I love my city
Just found your channel (: Great information and a point of view that will genuinely help a lot of people. Keep up the great work.
Wishing you the very best adventures (:
Awesome to hear the videos are helpful!! Welcome to the AC crew :)
Good progress guys! That shore power cord is supposed to be one of the best. My friend got a freebie from the inventor. Cheers!
Henry Morgan We love it!! Turns off when it's overheating - great technology. Faulty shore power is the #1 cause of boat fires so it seemed like a no brainer to make this investment!
Abandon Comfort - what’s the name of the shore power cord? I am in Canada. I wonder if it’s available here?
Nice solar vents. Where did you get them?
Snake Plisken West Marine was surprisingly the cheapest!
Im inspired now to follow my dreams...thanks to you guys
Great video, nicely done with lovely editing too. Please buy some proper eye protection for both you, particularly when drilling or sawing. All it takes is for a jig saw or drill bit to break inappropriately and you can permanently loose the sight of an eye.
Keep up the great videos and I think you should do more stuff like this.
Quick note, when drilling holes through Fiberglass spin the drill backward to skor the gel and cut through the first 1/16” then go back to cutting normally it will give you a much cleaner hole with less chance of Spider cracks.
One more thing: you can renew solar wents - I just did ours on our boat - by replacing the solar panel and the rechargable battery in it. As solar panels are more powerful nowadays, most likely it will be smaller than before but more powerful. We put our recycled one into the hatch over the bathroom - it is easier and safer than drilling one more hole into the laminate. Best regards.
Hey, post all of the boat work as you want, that is as important as seeing sailing! I sure hope you used some butyl tape or something around those screw holes?
Enjoyed the video. Good luck on the synthetic teak.
The jigsaw blade is made of hard brittle steel, if it jams it may break and send a piece flying, always use safety glasses when using power tools. Good thought and well done modification.
Wow! talk about a square peg in a round whole! I would never have guessed that, that mattress would fit through your entry way! Great Job! Did you cut the mattress sincere you bunk area wasn't completely square and if so, how are was that to do? Great video, can't wait till you guys are posting weekly, you seem like you're a lot of fun. Good luck, God Bless you both on your new adventure! Bill S. s/v ODIN
Nope, didnt' have to cut the matress at all! Only had to take off 3in of mahogany ledge to get her to fit :)
hey guys love the videos. how do I get some abandon comfort decals. 😁 keep up the great work.
Wishdog Brown Hey! Thanks so much for watching 🙂 you can get some AC decals here -> abandoncomfort.com/gear
SOOO the one thing I am still wondering is what did she just get done doing at 7:30 into the video ????? Left a lot open for the imagination there. Love the boating life.
I do want to point out that sometimes I use a metal blade in my sawzall for a very fine/clean cut as opposed to a large tooth wood blade. It was painful to watch you take that much off the wood with a file but you probably wont do that again.
Thanks for the fun....
Kels just got done hand sanding for about 3 hours at 7:30! Thanks for watching :)
Love the video guys.. Keep up the good work.
What was the round things you were installing, they looked like a solar device?
Did you guys bed all of your new vents and the shore plug with epoxy?
When using a hole saw always run it in reverse, first, to set your mark! Fiberglass gets super hot while cutting so cool it if you can so the saw blade doesn't get ruined. 👍🏼
Did y’all have sailing experience before this? I’m extremely interested in learning more about this lol. About to move to st Pete also this summer!
Watching you cut the piece, a trim router and a flush cut bit would have been much easier and a pretty result. Probably will need one again for future projects. Trim routers are small too.
I look forward to more episodes👍
Hey guys great stuff! I was also looking at HR boats, it seems here in Europe they are much more expensive even its European brand. 352s age 1985-1987 are moving around 60-70k USD around similar condition maybe even older engines with more hours on it. The price you payed is a real bargain, congrats, I'm glad for you, have fun abandoning comfort :)
Thank you, Bojan! We really lucked out with her thanks to Jim. Let us know if we can help in any way with getting you onboard an HR!
7 minutes in... respect earned for having sweat on your brow. Nice job.
A level is useless on a boat,except for a straight edge, also minimize saw mess by taping a plastic bag under the saw work. love the vids , keep up the amazing journey!
Haha yea I guess it was habit! Good insights - thanks for following the adventure :)
Just wondering if you had the saw blade in backwards?? You cut forward 😀
Great resolve to add the mattress to the aft berth. However, I don't think it was necessary to cut back all of the lip around the bunks. It would probably have been easier to build a lattice framework of 1x2 and 1x4 lumber and top it with either 1/2" or 1/4" plyboard to make a new bunk deck that was even with the lip. A few small notches in the lip or a couple of joist hangers could have been used to mount 2x4 supports to span the gap between the bunks. Best of luck to both of you!
Seeing you drilling prompted me to mention in case you are not aware of it that, as I understand it, you should avoid drilling into an area of the deck that has coring, to avoid possible paths for moisture to get into the core. Best wishes...
Great insights! We were sure to only drill into the teak and not the PVC core. We'll see how the core is doing this Fall!