The Refit of SV Unladen Swallow
SV Unladen Swallow has already circumnavigated under the name of Wombat of Sydney. In her 10 year journey, the previous captain adapted and overcame many technical, mechanical, electronics, electrical, plumbing and other issues. Maintaining a sailboat on the open ocean is no small feat and will humble the most skilled handyman.
When we bought the boat, we knew she was in need of some modernization as well as addressing items that were just plain worn out. Along the way we ran into lots of things that were done for expediency or other good reasons that now that we had the time to make “more” right or better serve our needs we sought to make the boat truly ours.
Follow the next few paragraphs to follow our refit in chronological order:
Phase 1 of the refit took place in Carter’s Cove Marina along the banks of the Rappahannock River in the Northern Neck area of Virginia.
2021 was focused on dealing with what the initial survey found and customizing the boat to fit our needs, specifically scuba diving, as well as upgrading the electronics. Then the plan was to spend a season in the Bahamas and FL, and return with better understanding of what we liked and didn’t like, what worked and didn’t worked, so we could go into the next phase of the refit better informed.
Phase 2 of the refit took place Jul-Sep 2022 in Fairhaven Shipyard in Massachusetts. It included replacing standing and running rigging, as well as moving the radar mount and adding a satellite mount, battery upgrade, more electronics work, and the swim platform issues that wasn't completely resolved until after we visited Annapolis and then onto Moorehead City, NC.
We also had some unplanned maintenance involving the raw water cooling system on the main engine.
Continuation of Phase 2 projects:
Haul-out Year – let’s call these our phase 4 projects
Destination – Tyrell Bay Marina and Boat Yard – Carriacou
Seat Cushions – In Stitches Sail Loft
Rudder Bearing Replace
Keel Cooler Replace
Electrical patch panel overhauls
Electronics – rehome and expand Victron Cerbo GX
Galley conversion from Propane to Electric
The following list allows you to track the refit by system/ area:
Well 2024 and Hurricane Beryl have interrupted this plan. We'll restart this story once we have a new boat