Sew, sew, sew your boat...

When we moved last year, we sold our sailboat (a 27 foot Catalina) and agreed that we would buy a new boat near our home in Comox. We have always had a sailboat. Robert loves sailing, and when we met he was actively involved in racing sailboats. I grew up fishing with my dad, and had never sailed. However, I fell in love with cruising the Gulf Islands - racing, not so much - and our sailboat became our floating summer home. Our son was nine days old on his first sailing trip, and family sailing trips were part of our life. After moving to Otter Point, the boat was rarely used. My health was poor, the farm demanded most of our time, and there were few cruising spots within easy reach.

Now retired and once again living in proximity to prime cruising grounds, a larger family sailboat was our dream. Moorage is at a premium in this part of the island, so that added some complexity to our search. It all came together in the form of a 36 foot Catalina sailboat, moored six minutes away from home at a well-kept private marina.

The boat, Fancy, was well-maintained and the previous owners added lots of great features. Positively luxurious compared to our previous boats, it has hot and cold pressurized water, a shower, a fridge, furling headsail, new canvas, new sails, lots of electronics and will sleep seven. The downside? Purely cosmetic, but a big deal to me. I want clean, comfortable surroundings. The upholstery in the large cabin was original to the boat. 33 years old, dark, ugly and stinky. There were no curtains, meaning you are awakened by the sun during summer cruises. The table tops were a fashionable-in-the-80's faux woodgrain arborite. Yuck.

It was going to cost thousands of dollars, and months, to have replacement cushions made by the manufacturer, and local upholsterers are swamped with work. 18 meters of fabric later, I have reupholstered nearly all the cabin cushions and have made curtains and pillows. Some of the seat cushions had zippers five feet long, so the project took some time and space. I also reupholstered the swivel chair at the nav station. Robert has resurfaced the tables, and the interior looks fresh and clean. It smells better, too.