The project-mode has continued now for a month while we’re in the mooring field outside the boatyard. We’ve been working all day every day to get Pitufa ship-shape again…
Remember our old Bertschie kerosene stove with lots of character and a tendency to spit flames and soot? After 15 years we’ve finally got rid of him and installed a shiny induction stove 
In order to do so, we first had to install more solar panels–but where to put them? We went for an all-solar bimini: we removed our old sunbrella bimini and its stainless steel mounting and had an aluminium frame welded on the cockpit instead. Then we ordered 2 big solar panels (nothing available in the Philippines due to Trump’s war, high fuel prices and a crazy demand for solar panels…) from China, one arrived smashed, we had to wait another 5 weeks for a replacement, but THEN we could finally finish our solar roof.
Christian reinforced the outer frame with aluminium angle bars, that also serve as barriers for a water collection system. The big surface was flexing alarmingly, so he added another angle bar in the middle. We then sealed everything off with food-grade silicone to have a dry cockpit AND be able to collect drinking water. Last step was getting out Miss Pfaff to make side-flaps for the roof to keep out sun and rain in bay-mode and spray in passage-mode.
Inside we also had a building site as we had to pull the solar cables, install a new charger and a new 3 kW inverter, connected with extra thick cables to the batteries. It was crazy chaos–the cats loved it. Every day a new locker to explore, boxes and stuff to inspect everywhere 
Now we’re finally finished and can get the boat ship-shape into sailmode!!
