Electric head install complete

This weekend's refitting included Matt running wire from the breaker panel to the flush pump to power our new electric head.

Productive & Fun Labor Day Wknd

Deciding where to mount the manual back-up pump.
Installing the waste hose.Helping our marina neighbor load up his dinghy to be repaired.
Family stopped by for a fun visit and brought BBQ lunch for the crew.

Labor of Love

We spent this Labor Day weekend with one of our 1st major refit projects aboard Kaleo. September is dedicated to all things plumbing so we started with upgrading our manual-only toilet to an electric / manual back-up, Lavac. The 1st step was to have the holding tanks pumped out and rinsed followed by removing the old toilet. The greatest challenge was engineering a hose run that involved an electric pump, a manual back-up pump and a downhill run to the tank - all within the confines of the space below the v-berth.

We're happy to report that with the help of Christie's dad, Craig, the install was a success within "plan a" and without any sacrifices. We now have the convenience of an electric head with a manual back-up in case of power failure.

Productive Seattle Weekend

We took full advantage of a long weekend in Seattle with a date night staying at The Edgewater and seafood dinner at Elliot’s, a refitting gear quest across some premier and cost-effective suppliers, and a visit with the family in Coeur d’ Alene.

• We started our sailing supplies’ gathering with a visit to Fisheries Supply (think Toys-R-Us for boaters). There we picked up epoxy (marine glue) for the companion way doors that Matt and his dad are building, our new electric Lavac Marine Toilet and some electrical wiring for the toilet pump. Through Matt’s exhaustive research, we chose a Lavac for its unparalleled reputation for simplicity and longevity among blue water cruisers. Earlier in the week, we ordered the necessary hoses from Defender Marine Outfitter.

• We then marveled at all the other treasures there and even picked out new LED lighting fixtures (but that’s in our October budget & refit plan so we jotted down the part #s and headed to our next stop).

• From there we headed to Crosscut Hardwoods to pick out some teak planks to build the companionway doors and a shower bench.

• We wrapped up a productive day with a romantic dinner at Elliot’s on the Bay and a nice night at The Edgewater.