Sailing NVvideo
5 years in 20 minutes - How We Transformed Our Racing Sailboat into a Family Home
22 June 2025 · 19 min · 11K views
What this video covers
The owners of an Open 66 racing sailboat converted the vessel into a full-time family home by redesigning the interior layout and repurposing structural water ballast tanks. The refit began in Fiji and focused on creating living spaces within a hull originally designed for performance and offshore racing. The crew relocated the head to the bow to install a double berth beneath the hatch and constructed a dedicated chain locker using carbon fiber and foam to replace the previous system of storing chain in the bilge. They modified the original aluminum pipe berths into rotating double beds to maintain a level sleeping surface while heeling. The saloon was expanded by removing non-structural ballast tanks to accommodate a U-shaped settee and a folding table. The galley was reconfigured with a center island and additional storage, while the rear ballast tanks were opened to create two additional double berths. Structural reinforcements were added throughout the interior using carbon fiber.
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