If you have ever owned an only-new-to-you boat, then you have probably come across an “improvement” or repair done by the previous owner(s) that left you scratching your head. At least every one of our boats has given this joyous opportunity. Sometimes it’s a simple “I wonder why they did that?” situation, and sometimes it’s a “Why in the world would you do that!!” situation. Note: Those two statements, though they sound similar, are very, very different. One is the cousin of “huh?”, the other is the cousin of “WTF” (and usually involves an unexpected cost of some sort).
This boat has had plenty of both. Huh, I wonder why that shelf has that odd cut out? WTF, why in the world would you glue foam-backed vinyl in the shower!
Well, dearest next owner of our beloved boat, I need to explain a few improvements I made this week that I am quite sure will make no sense to you. You see that access hatch in the coaming of the cockpit? Yeah, go ahead and open it up. No, it’s not a storage locker. Yeah, it’s weird, it’s just an opening to an even smaller hole. It goes to the head (bathroom). No, it’s not some icky peep-hole. It’s for the running hot shower water. Yep, you hang the solar shower up there on the dodger frame, drop the nozzle into that hole, and take a warm running water shower down in the privacy of the head. Yeah, as opposed to the deck. You know, for when it’s cold and rainy or if you are in a crowded anchorage. No, there is no hot water heater onboard, solar showers only. Yes, you can add a hot water heater yourself. Why two different size holes in the boat? Oh, yeah, I don’t know. The previous owner drilled the big one. I don’t know why, it didn’t go anywhere. Had to drill a smaller hole to fit in the head. Now, um, the other thing…eventually you would have found it, but let me show you. There is a tiny black switch about the size of a penny when you open the pantry door. Yeah, in there. Now run your had along the forward facing cabinet. Found it? Keep feeling around, it’s in there. Got it? That is the switch for the exhaust fan. Where? Oh, that tiny vent above the stove exhausts into the cockpit locker. Yeah, yeah, that’s probably why you thought the winch handles smelled like bacon.
On second thought, maybe I shouldn’t explain my actions😕
Oh, and to clarify, the boat is not for sale. I am just acknowledging that I too am guilty of being a quirky “previous owner”.
Wright Away Sails Away 
Thanks for that last comment. My thoughts were “WTH, Selling already?” but only an explanation. Whew!
I haven’t been so far down into projects that a “next owner” would be asking themselves “now what were they thinking”, but I’m sure that time will come soon enough.
Every owner has to personalize their boats somehow. Right? 🙂
Oh No! We haven’t been doing all this work just to sell her before we get to take her cruising!
Deborah