It is never easy tearing the boat apart. Matt and I have to create complete chaos in our home in order to complete our vast number of projects.
We disrupted every space and turned the entire boat upside down. Nothing was left untouched.
It made living on the boat very challenging (yes, we lived on the boat for over 3 months in this chaotic state). Especially difficult for my OCD and neat freak character.
The cockpit becomes the work bench, storage area, and new galley.
The Salon
We upturned the salon several times. We emptied all of the contents under the settee into the two bathrooms (heads) and port aft cabin.
All cables and wires are run through this area, which we can access only after removing everything.
Owners Cabin
We repainted the starboard potable water tank, which required taping everything off for weeks. No more access to our clothing, toiletries, or bed.
We dismantled the starboard cabin to allow workers access to install the new air-conditioning unit.
Starboard Bathroom
The owners bathroom was now a dedicated storage area for displaced items. We now stored items from the bilges, cabinets, and items from under the settee here.
Port Cabins
The forward cabin was now where Matt and I slept. We stored our settee cushions here while work was being done in the main salon.
I packed the aft cabin with tools, parts, and projects waiting for Matt’s attention.
Port Bathroom
Stuff, junk, pots, pans, and more filled the port bathroom from floor to ceiling.
We stripped down and modified both helms.
We tore up the bow and bow peaks and rebuilt them several times as different projects progressed.
This is a shot of the bow while we were painting our cross beam.
Under the Boat
Under the boat is usually a storage area for yard tools, paint cans, and random projects outside. We store our dinghy under the boat, park the car under the boat, and generally complete projects.
We were “on the hard” at Norsand Boatyard from early November 2025 to February 2026.
Get ready as you are about to read all about the projects that caused such chaos onboard Sugar Shack.
Don’t miss our last beautiful post on Whangarei Waterfalls.