🛠️Staying afloat
“Everything on your boat is broken — you just don’t know it yet”
Ask any boat owner and they’ll smile, nod, and maybe even laugh a little nervously. And honestly… we’re no different.
Since taking ownership of Novera back in October, we’ve discovered just how many things quietly demand attention on a boat. It’s amazing how much we’ve already fixed, tweaked, replaced, tightened, cleaned, cursed at, or celebrated.
Luckily, Novera came with a treasure trove of spares — the kind of magical locker stash that has saved the day more times than we can count. A spare fuse here, a mystery bracket there, and a toilet switch that was a real hero.
This page is our light‑hearted maintenance log: a place to capture all the little (and not‑so‑little) jobs that keep us afloat. Because when you live on a boat, you forget half the things you do… until something else breaks and reminds you.
”Safety first”
All the research into blue water yachts we did showed what a capable and safe boat Amel's are. We have had many compliments on our journey with many saying how well built and how safe the Amel's are. So safety is important to us and we have invested in a few things to keep us safe at sea!.
🛟 New 6‑man life raft Our original raft was enormous — too heavy for the two of us to launch safely, and the only place it could be stored blocked our view. So we swapped it for a smaller, still‑perfectly‑sized raft and mounted it at the stern, close to the water for easy deployment .
⛓️ Mast jammers & clutches We’d used jammers on other yachts and knew immediately they were a must‑have. They make handling halyards safer and simpler — especially since we use them to lift and lower the tender .
🔩 Outboard engine hoist Another essential upgrade, particularly with my reverse shoulder joint limiting movement. The hoist makes lifting the outboard safe, smooth, and shoulder‑friendly .
📡 AIS Not every yacht has AIS, but we felt it was important. Tim sourced one and fitted it himself — a brilliant addition for visibility and peace of mind at sea .
📡 Radar (Raymarine) We weren’t even sure it worked at first — it wasn’t connected! But after a bit of research, Tim got it fully up and running. It’s now one of our favourite safety tools, especially at night or in busy waters .
🔥 Goodbye gas, hello induction Gas on boats can be dangerous, sinking into the bilges if there’s a leak. So we removed it completely and switched to an induction hob and air fryer, powered by our inverter and lithium batteries . We kept the original cooker though — its gimbal makes it the perfect stable platform for the hob .
⚙️ Furler support bracket This was flagged in the survey, and although we had a new one fitted, it turned out to be slightly too long. Tim had it shortened in Spain and refitted it perfectly — another quiet but important safety fix .
”The heart of Novera - The Captains table”
Novera’s navigation station had already been upgraded when we bought her — but, as with all boats, not everything had actually been installed yet . There’s never quite enough time, is there? So some of the very first jobs Tim and the brilliant team at SMS in Port Napoleon tackled were right here at the Captain’s Table
🧭 Back‑up Autopilot Having one autopilot is vital, but having a second one already onboard (just not fitted!) made it a no‑brainer to get it installed. SMS mounted it properly and added a switch so we can swap between systems with ease .
🔌 New Switch Panel With all our new toys — Starlink, Alexa, AIS — we needed a proper switch panel. Tim fitted a clean, organised one that finally gives everything a home .
📟 Ekrano GX Panel To manage our lithium batteries and inverter system, SMS installed and configured the Ekrano GX panel. It’s now the nerve centre for all things electrical aboard Novera .
⚡ Inverter Connected & Set Up SMS also connected and configured the inverter, completing the power system upgrades we’d planned .
🗺️ Garmin Chart Plotter Novera came with an extra Garmin chart plotter intended for the Captain’s Table — it just wasn’t fitted. SMS installed it, and Tim worked his magic to link it with the cockpit devices so everything talks to each other perfectly .
🔌 Charging Sockets Everywhere There are never enough charging points on a boat, so Tim added USB ports and French plug sockets at the nav station. A small upgrade that makes a huge difference .
🌡️ Temperature Monitors Tim fitted sensors for the fridge, stern cabin, and saloon — partly for food safety, partly to confirm just how roasting hot our cabin gets in summer .
💧 Water Alarms We use these at home, so having them on the boat felt essential. Tim installed alarms to alert us to any small leaks quickly — peace of mind in a tiny box .
”Staying connected"
Staying in touch with family — and getting the latest weather, charts, and updates — has been absolutely amazing . Starlink has become one of our biggest monthly expenses, and definitely not the cheapest one… but wow, has it been worth it . It’s our lifeline for maps, Navily, messages, and of course, sharing photos of our adventures.
🔌📱With our phones doing so much of the work, USB chargers in the cockpit quickly became essential. Our batteries were forever running low, so Tim fitted a proper charging hub to keep everything powered up .
🛠️📲While we were home for a week, we finally made use of those old square speaker holes in the cockpit. Tim 3D‑printed bespoke phone holders and chargers that fit perfectly into the space — no more phones bouncing around while we’re underway . They’re one of those small upgrades that make a huge difference.
🛰️⛵And of course… the Starlink dish. Tim 3D‑printed a pole extension and mounted it so it’s out of the way but always online when we need it . It’s become part of the family now — our little digital guardian keeping us connected wherever we are
”Making life aboard comfortable"
Living on a boat full‑time is a whole new adventure for both of us . At first, we bought the usual things — a few cushions, some bedding — but the longer we stayed aboard, the more we realised that the little comforts make the biggest difference .
🪑 Articulated Cushion Seats These were one of our best early purchases. At €120 each, they were absolutely worth it . You can sit anywhere — on deck, in the cockpit, even perched on a random ledge — and suddenly you’re in total comfort. Long passages feel completely different with these beauties .
😴 Better Sleep = Better Sailing Sleep isn’t always easy on a boat. There are noises, movement, and the occasional mystery clunk at 3am. So we added extra mattresses on top of the cabin cushions to make nights as restful as possible .
🔦 Lights Where You Need Them Novera has amazing storage, but some cupboards are deep enough to hide a small village. To actually see inside them, we added USB‑rechargeable, motion‑sensitive lights — wave your hand and voilà, instant illumination .
🌀 Fans, Fans… and More Fans We have USB fans. We have plug‑in fans. We have fans we didn’t even know we owned. When you live aboard in the heat, fans become your best friends .
📺 A Little TV Time We used to watch everything on the iPad and insisted we didn’t need a TV. But sometimes you just want an hour of escape — and watching your favourite drama on a proper screen is a lovely break from a rolly anchorage .
🦟 Mosquito Defence System Mosquitoes don’t care whether you’re on land or at sea — they find you anyway . So we added velcro around the hatches and 3D‑printed magnetic corners for the companionway. Now our nets stay firmly in place and the pests stay out.
🍔 A Simple Grill = Instant Joy A BBQ on a boat isn’t easy, but we found a simple electric grill that plugs in outside. Perfect for a bit of outdoor cooking at anchor .
🧺 The Mighty Mini Washing Machine It’s small. It doesn’t spin very well. But it’s a hero . Being able to wash a few things without trekking to a laundrette — especially when everything gets salty — is fantastic. And honestly, the smell of freshly washed clothes has become one of our favourite little luxuries .
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