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Owning a boat means constant maintenance. And when you sail with a boat like we do, it also means constant improvement. From time to time, due to modifications, the boat may even change its outward silhouette, so it’s possible that someone might not recognize it right away in the harbor or in photos.
So, to prevent our crews from wandering around marinas searching for the original Midnight Blue, it’s time to update your idea of her a bit. Among other things, we also want to boast a little about everything we’ve managed to accomplish and improve during this year’s voyages. After all, 2023 was exceptional, especially in terms of modifications!
We believe that after reading this, you’ll look forward to being aboard the Midnight Blue even more and will feel even more comfortable and safe on her.
For those who have known us for a while or attended our lecture “5 Years of Off-Grid Living on a Boat,” you know how much we’ve been tinkering with her. You may have heard that our boat is now fully insulated. It was the most demanding project we’ve undertaken on MB so far, taking us nearly 3 years. But finally, it’s done! (And we swore we would never do it again 🙂
The salon underwent a much more visual transformation. The old upholstery is gone, and Maruška sewed new ones. The salon now looks a bit more modern.
The most significant change this year was the installation of a wind generator. The stern of Midnight Blue now looks completely different. The generator has a maximum output of 490 W (at 29 knots of wind), and it typically provides us with around 100-150 W. Along with the mobile solar panel that we deploy at anchorages and in ports, we no longer need to rely solely on the engine to recharge the batteries under favorable weather conditions! We’ve even successfully tested (albeit with just two of us) cooking solely on electricity.
It’s not just about reducing the need to run the engine; it’s also an additional safety feature. In terms of a power source for navigation equipment, we’re no longer solely dependent on one source.
Another addition to the stern is a frame for the bimini – the cockpit cover. As we gradually head south, the need for shade becomes essential. While yacht clothing protects us from rain and cold, it doesn’t shield us from the sun (well, it would, but who would see me in thirty degrees wearing a jacket, should have laugh at me 🙂
We’re particularly proud of this structure. Getting 6-meter long poles from Bergen to the boat and bending them properly (without breaking them) was a heroic feat.
(But I’m probably most proud (Tom) because given my complete lack of 3D imagination, I’m amazed that I was able to come up with, draw, and implement the whole thing.)
The frame is foldable and designed so that when we return north, it will serve as the foundation for a full cockpit enclosure, including side panels. The cockpit will then become a comfortable seating area for all weather conditions.
In spring 2024, among other things, we have a big sewing project ahead of us, for which we’ve acquired a brand new sewing machine. Maruška can’t wait 😀
Another significant change on board is the removable inner stay, known in yachting jargon as the baby-stay. Essentially, it’s a steel – in our case, high-strength Dyneema – line running from the masthead to the deck, attached between the bow and the base of the mast, onto which an additional sail is hoisted.
While sailing close-hauled, besides the mainsail and genoa, we can also carry a smaller jib, which we’ve named the “baby.” Depending on the wind strength, it adds around 0.5 – 0.8 knots to our speed. This means potentially arriving at the marina nearly an hour earlier during a 4-hour sail, which is crucial if you want to make it to the pub before it closes. 😄
However, this is primarily a significant improvement in terms of sailing safety. Besides the increased speed (and the ability to avoid adverse weather conditions), we can sail with the sails even in stronger winds. Because the baby is smaller, lower, and closer to the center of the boat, it has a smaller heeling moment in strong winds, making sailing with it in rough conditions less demanding, with less heel, and therefore more comfortable than with the genoa.
So, currently, we have 5 sails on board in total. These include the Jib, Storm Jib (a headsail made of stronger material designed for storms), Genoa, Storm mainsail, and mainsail.
Because we’re heading to places with much deeper anchorages, we extended our anchor chain by another 25 meters. So now we have a total of 50 meters of chain and an additional 25 meters of rope, allowing us to anchor in depths of up to 20 meters if needed. And while we were at it, we also reinforced the entire anchoring area, making it better able to withstand shocks and handle greater loads.
Finally, we managed to finish installing LED lighting below the deck on the port side and in the kitchen. The entire salon is now illuminated from both sides along its entire length. The LED strips have adjustable color, which invites experimentation. Below deck, it sometimes looks like a disco party 🙂 However, the best thing is the red lighting, which allows us to be seen below deck during night voyages without losing our night vision adaptation, and most importantly, without dazzling the helmsman and watch in the cockpit.
