Early in 2022 we said goodbye to our beloved Mustang Sportscruiser with hopes to move onto a bigger boat. Something unusual came on the market, at the right price, so we bundled the kids and dashed 2 hrs south to Port Geographe.
This Seahawk 45, despite her rough state, possessed all the right qualities, including a pair of powerful CAT V8 engines. It needed a lot of love, but we decided on the spot that we were up for a challenge. We saw the potential and embraced the idea of turning her into the boat of our dreams.
Our initial plan was to steam the Seahawk back to Perth, but a thorough inspection revealed a potentially dangerous issue. The wet boxes were precariously attached to the turbo flanges by four bolts, making the exhaust system unstable. Thankfully, our good mate Josh at Pro Marine supplied the necessary mixers and blankets. With wet boxes glassed back down in the lazareth, one problem down.
Boat refit starts with trasnsporting, and what a nail-biting 45 minutes in our driveway it was!
The next hurdle involved transporting the boat. To navigate low structures and powerlines, including those lurking in our own driveway, we called upon our friend Greg from Vautex Mobile Services. In a true team effort, we removed and secured the flybridge, clearing the way for a smooth transport.
After a long and slow journey by road, the truck rolled up, and we were about to experience the most anxious 45 minutes of maneuvering it up the driveway. Thankfully, our driver Rowan, who was cool as a cucumber, and well known in the boating community here in Perth for his expertese, lined her up perfectly between the roof of our house, the driveway drop off and the neighbour's fence, so she fit like a glove! Another hour, and she was standing proud right behind the workshop. This was the very last job for Rowan before he retired, we are so grateful for his time! To watch the full ordeal see it on our Instagram.
Whilst we live close to the marina, storing the boat next to our shed proved to be a game-changer. Having all our tools readily accessible made a significant impact during the 10-months-long entire boat refit process. We could easily grab what we needed without wasting time on numerous trips to and from the marina. While weekends became dedicated to the project, our goal of splashing the Seahawk by Christmas 2022 kept us motivated, no matter the challenges.
It was time to take a breath and roll up the sleeves. Best to start with engines and bilge we figured. More on those fun times soon.
Around this time we privately agreed to name this boat June, after John's Mum who sadly passed away a year prior. Queue to now, the name is proudly installed on the transom (we will of course share that lighting DIY too). In the meantime, the real dirty work was about to start, from the bottom up. Stay tuned for the next chapter!
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