Sailing SV Cordeliavideo
They Cancelled Our Order! So We Finished 2 HUGE Jobs Instead!
May 1, 2026 · 15 min · 1K views · Monterrico, Guatemala
Crew member installs headliner panel in workshop
What this video covers
A lithium battery installation on SV Cordelia stalls when the supplier Guatemala Digital cancels the order twice; Steve reorders in three separate batches, but all three arrive within two days of the planned departure from Río Dulce, Guatemala, making installation impossible on schedule.2:08 The crew decides to defer the lithium install and instead complete two major refit jobs: interior varnishing and full headlining replacement.2:18 Steve and Annette apply a rubbed matte finish to the saloon and galley woodwork, building up gloss layers then sanding back for a satin effect.3:31 For the headlining, they work in sections of four panels at a time, using contact glue and Velcro to attach new vinyl to the cabin panels at Monkey Bay Marina's Palapa workshop area.5:15 A practical setback: two gallons of brush-on glue carried from St. Martin had solidified in the can, forcing a last-minute purchase of both spray-can and brush-on glue in town.11:01 Spray-on glue produced inferior results on the first galley panel; brush-on contact glue worked better on subsequent panels.11:16 All headlining panels are completed before departure.12:44 The crew departs Río Dulce heading for Belize, with the lithium install deferred to phase two of the refit.13:39 Spray-on contact glue produced noticeably worse results than brush-on for vinyl headlining panels.11:24
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