450: Just signed on a new 450s!

[davedindubai]

Originally Posted by PaulinOz

"Ps, my broker is supplying the 2 legs for €40!" get him to also supply a pair of the under table brackets as well.

So are there drop down bracketed table legs to support the sides of the table?

My only fixing as I didn't tick the €800 option is the round leg support in the center line of the table with 4 screws in each, it's this I think would not take the load of someone sat on the sides of the table.

The question is:
Whether to have a smaller coffee table or to have it as a bed. I can't do both and I can't store a table as the 'S' doesn't have the in flybridge table storage.

I think if the L shape sofa was larger (deeper and thicker cushions) and more comfortable then the desire to make it into a bed would be less.

[Catapault]

Do you need the bed as a berth, or are you just trying to make a more comfortable sofa for watching TV ?

And no, I don't think the conversion would survive someone sitting on the edge of it. Not at full weight anyway.


If its for TV watching / relaxing, I'd go with some couch/cushion mods rather than the bed arrangement IMO. Maybe a short

At least, that is what I suspect we will do. Not sure what yet, that's a winter project. ' (Along with a growing list of other projects !).

Regards

Mark.

[davedindubai]

We still haven't started our electrical / solar install yet. It's proving to not be an easy job!

[Catapault]

Its not !

Unsure exactly where we are going to put the Victron Quattro at this point.
MPPT's are going front of engine room, but the Quattro is a bigger beast.

Some serious cable sizes required between them as well.

[Pascals Wager]

Dave these are the coffee tables on the L63 power cat. From memory they rotate 45 deg then the corners fold up to form one large table. They worked pretty well, you might be able to fashion something from this idea?

[davedindubai]

Very nice idea. What a shame products from each model are not available to all models.

We couldn't even buy the 42's teak cockpit table so will make our own.

I do LOVE the sofa and pouf/coffee table tho. That's exactly what we want to achieve and will move high up our list I think

[Catapault]

Interesting, They used to make a Teak table for the 450. At least, we have one that came with the boat. Unsure if prev owners had it custom but I doubt it.

Right now I'm looking at the ''lift up'' style for Salon table. Like the lift up coffee tables. So its a low box normally, but can lift up and forward to eat or computer off when needed, otherwise its out of the way.

Then we are going to beef up the cushions on the couch.


Regards

Mark.

[davedindubai]

Hi guys,

I've had a couple of messages pointing out that I'm neglecting the forum so I must apologise. Sorry.

I finished at my job on Tuesday and flew to Gibraltar on Wednesday to see the boat afloat for the first time! Hayley even picked me up from Gibraltar airport in the dinghy which was hilarious but an amazing way to first see Susan Ann II afloat and to come alongside. We ate, drank and celebrated the night away and I didn't stop grinning. It's amazing! Still haven't stopped grinning and it's only just starting to feel like someone isn't going to come along and tell me they made a mistake and have to take it all away.

We haven't stopped working since we woke up the next morning. Our boat list is pretty full considering it's a new boat but not with things that need doing but with things we want to do. The solar install should be complete by Tuesday and the electrical install finished on Wednesday ish I think. I'll post some pics tomorrow when I get a minute. My first job tomorrow is to do our first 50 hour oil change on both engines and sail drives taking advantage of the instal guys weekend off, or I'd be in their way.

We got her off the berth today just for a few hours so I could start to get a feel for the way she handles. Hayley is without doubt the captain of this boat and put her back on the berth beautifully (on the 2nd attempt). We'll give it another go tomorrow afternoon while we have the boat to ourselves these are perfect conditions to practice in. There's so much to learn but we are getting there slowly and loving every minute.

The funniest thing is we keep saying to each other 'this is without doubt, the best buy' and that's for everything from the full cockpit enclosure to the folding bikes. I think we are loving yacht life and got really lucky with our choice of boat. It seems so far (early days I know) that it's very us, it's just exactly what we want from a boat.

Thanks everyone on here that offered advice and still do, we've listened, soaked it all up and are definitely benefitting already.

I'll update on our upgrade progress tomorrow.

[davedindubai]

Here's a couple of pics of the outside as a start. Any requests for pics, let me know.
Yes, we do need to sort the fenders out. I didn't realise just how many we would need.

[Pascals Wager]

She looks great Dave, have Lagoon stopped putting 450 markings on the hull or was that a request from you?

[rallyman1122]

Just saw the instagram video from Haley. Looks like it's time to celebrate given the amount of alcohol you stocked up. 😀😀

[davedindubai]

Originally Posted by Pascals Wager

She looks great Dave, have Lagoon stopped putting 450 markings on the hull or was that a request from you?

Nope, Hayley got in the dinghy and ripped them all off!

[davedindubai]

Originally Posted by rallyman1122

Just saw the instagram video from Haley. Looks like it's time to celebrate given the amount of alcohol you stocked up.

Well coincidentally my Dad was an hour away with his car so we took advantage to stock up. It was only when we unpacked everything that we realised we are completely out of water!

A lot still to learn I think.

[rallyman1122]

Originally Posted by davedindubai

Well coincidentally my Dad was an hour away with his car so we took advantage to stock up. It was only when we unpacked everything that we realised we are completely out of water!

A lot still to learn I think.

Water can be made or found but you have the important liquids now. Good luck and calm seas.

[StefanS]

Hi all, this is my first post here!
Dave - congratulations on the boat -- fascinating thread and a great resource for us looking to take the plunge in the future. I've been looking at the 450S or 42 sometime in the future.

Quite a few questions for Dave if you don't mind!

- Sorry if I missed a post but did you get the AC option in the end? If not does a future retrofit look feasible?

- Does the space for the washing machine fit a full size (60cm wide) washer/washer-dryer, or just the compact marine sized 50cm-wide units?

- Thanks for posting the insurance rates you were quoted. Are these fully comprehensive for the boat and wondering what the verifications are like on your previous sailing experience? Did you have you produce a log book or show certifications? Really just curious to know how things work on this for a first-time cat owner.

- Wondering why you decided to go for UK flagged (rather than VAT-free Guernsey or Gibraltar)? I gather you're not an EU resident and will be heading off to the Caribbean soon anyway? I apologise if it's indiscreet to ask such questions -- but I'm also an expat and looking at a similar plan, buy in Europe VAT free, use in the Med for a while and then head west...

Good luck with the electrics work -- I think you made a great decision going with Victron as it opens up a great upgrade path to lifepo4 batteries in the future, when hopefully the prices will come down substantially!

best,

Stefan