Forty episodes ago, we started this journey together. And now… here we are. With Luna out of the water, standing on dry dock, deep into one of the biggest projects we’ve taken on so far. In the previous episode, you saw Luna being lifted out for major hull maintenance. Every single layer was removed: right down to the gelcoat.And in this episode, the real work begins: rebuilding everything from scratch. Seven layers. Seven times preparing, applying, waiting and trusting the process, because every layer has its own bonding method and curing time.This is not a quick fix. This is about rebuilding trust in our Lagoon 450.
⚓ WHAT’S INSIDE THIS EPISODE
🔧 Rebuilding the hull layer by layer — seven layers of antifouling
🔧 Replacing all through-hulls below the waterline
🔧 Installing new underwater lighting (yes… that means drilling holes 😅)
🔧 Filling and sanding every tiny air bubble by hand
🔧 Extreme heat, endless sanding — and swarms of tiger mosquitoes 🦟
🔧 New air-conditioning units — fully integrated into Kay’s custom yacht app
🔧 Smart cameras & smoke detectors in the engine rooms (tested instantly during sandblasting ✔️)
🔧 Fixing a known factory defect on Lagoon escape hatches to prevent catastrophic flooding No millimeter is skipped. Not even underneath.
🧠 LIFE ON DRY DOCK As you can see… stuff everywhere.Tools, paint, parts — constant chaos.It creates instant restlessness. A reflection of our minds during these intense days. The kids are waiting patiently. Scratching.Because if there’s one thing more intense than hull work in Croatia, it’s tiger mosquitoes.Normally I fear tiger sharks…but here, it’s the mosquitoes that truly hunt you. During all of this, we temporarily moved onto another boat, a monohull called ‘More Fun’. A different kind of boat life… and honestly? A refreshing change of perspective.
🚨 THE MOMENT OF TRUTH After three weeks of nonstop work, Luna finally went back into the water.Every through-hull replaced. Everything sealed. This was it. And then…Leaks. Multiple. Water coming in. Luna was lifted back out immediately. We had one hour — during the yard crew’s lunch break —to fix everything before trying again. The second launch? Successful. It had to be. But this episode did not end with “all’s well that ends well.”
💔 AN ENDING WE DIDN’T SEE COMING While docking near the lift to unload our car, a large yacht passed us at full speed —in a five-knot zone. The waves it created were massive. So powerful that Luna slammed violently into the dock,causing serious damage. When I reported it to the harbour master, I was told that filing it officially would result in our boat being detained —and no action taken against the other vessel. After everything we’d been through, that moment broke me. I didn’t film what followed. The desire to vlog was simply gone. But thanks to friends we made during dry dock, Luna was repaired once again. Because sometimes…the lesson isn’t smooth sailing —it’s learning how to keep going anyway. 💙 Thank you for being part of our journey. For 40 episodes already. If you enjoy honest sailing life, real refits, family boat life and the not-so-Instagrammable moments in between —subscribe and sail along with us.
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