The galley renovation on Anui is not quite complete. We are very close and have a weather window next week to get back to Melbourne, so fingers crossed!

Reno Update

We can’t yet show you the reconstructed cabin as the boat is still a work site, but here is an update on where we are at.

Watching Tim & Charlie working with the new Laminex this week has been rather interesting. Cutting the exact shape is fiddly, but not as challenging as sticking it down! To do this you have to cover both the countertops and the back of the laminate with contact adhesive. The brand name, Selleys Kwik Grip, says it all. When both surfaces are touch dry, you only get one go at sticking the laminate in position. Once it’s down, that’s it! If you try to move it, it snaps – ask us how we know… So, to have some leeway as to where the large sheets land, Tim uses a set of wooden dowels laid across the bench so he can roll the sheet, and move it around without it touching the bench covered in glue. He positions the Laminex perfectly at one end, then gradually pulls out the dowels and applies pressure on the Laminex so it adheres to the bench surface. And voilà! It’s down without too much drama. Then the outside edge gets trimmed with a router, another delicate step because you don’t want to put a nick in the timber edge. It’s more difficult to lay the laminate on surfaces which have wooden moldings around the edges, like with the navigation table, the radio station or the splash backs.

And now the Frechewville Heaney team is focusing on all the finishing touches: edges and joints caulking, cedar trims reaffixing, venting holes cut into the cedar back panel behind the fridges, spray painting the vents in brown to blend in. It is another time consuming job. You think you are done, but then something does not quite fit and it’s back to the workshop for trimming. Arrgh! And to add insult to injury, because it is very cold, nothing is drying so although the appliances are plugged back in, we can’t use them and risk getting water splashes or smudges in the galley.

We thought we might be finished today, but it is looking very doubtful so we can’t yet show you the reconstructed cabin! It will be for our next post!

Meanwhile we are getting quite adept at docking Anui as we move around daily from one jetty to another to keep on the right side of the Gippsland Ports people and don’t outstay our welcome.

Gippsland Lakes beauty

Since we are here for a while longer, we might as well show you a bit more of the Lakes.

Here is the map again so you can see the lay of the land.

We took a series of drone shots at Steamer Landing last weekend, before our northerly weather disappeared. The ability to see these waterways from up high emphasizes how extensive they are.

It was moody and windy during the afternoon, then it went all quiet for sunset, with the golden light and reflections doing their magic.  

Although we love this region, we are due back at Jan Juc. We have a weather window next week which we hope we can catch. If the planets align, we will post next Friday with news of a completed galley revamp and successful return to the Wyndham Harbour marina.