Boat people, eat your heart out!
The Amazing Marvin is a 2015 Leopard 48, meaning he is a 48′ (14.63 m) sloop-rigged sailing catamaran made by Robertson & Caine in South Africa and designed by Dutch naval architects Simonis and Voogd. We bought him new so we would have no one to blame for our troubles but ourselves. Well, and the factory. Love those warranties!
For full stats and more detailed pictures of Marvin, check out the page we made when we sold him:
The kids picked the name. It has no particular meaning, but it sounds funny, and it is ironically humble. As a family we have always been fascinated with cuttlefish, so we started to conceive of Marvin as a steampunky, cultured Victorian traveller, touring the seas and recording things in his travelogue. Strangely enough, the boat looks a bit like a cuttlefish from the helm. We commissioned an artist for some boat decals, and now we have some personality! As a family, we are writing a story about The Amazing Marvin, cuttlefish detective, here.
Overall, we remain thrilled with the boat and could not imagine a better fit for our lifestyle. Of course, we have customized things over time. Here is a list of all of the modifications we have made (or commissioned to be made) to the boat so far, as well as breakages. Greg plans on writing monographs explaining the more complicated modifications to the electrical system soon!
Update: Mel wrote that last sentence one year ago. So good luck on that.
Modification/Breakage
Date
Removed factory props and installed Max Props
Before launch
Removed factory anchor and installed Rocna
Before launch
Replaced AGM’s with Lithium Ion batteries
Before launch
Replaced power plugs with SmartPlugs
Before launch
Replaced crappy swim ladder with good one
Before launch
Installed Kyocera solar panel
Before launch
Installed more Solaris flex solar panels
Before launch
Installed freshwater flush system for toilet
Before launch
Installed blue stern lights (because they are cool)
Before launch
Had extra storage cabinet built into kitchen
Before launch
Installed extra spice racks in kitchen
Before launch
Had outdoor cushions and cockpit enclosure made
Before launch
Replaced factory mattresses with comfy mattresses
Before launch
Had fitted sheets made for new mattresses
Before launch
Installed Griipa hooks in showers for drying bathing suits
Before launch
Installed bigger spinlock for halyard due to excessive slippage
Before launch
Installed CO detectors in aft cabins
Before launch
Installed netting in a bilge to allow for better storage
Before launch
Installed Spectra watermaker
Before launch
Mounted liferaft on stern
Before launch
Installed Magma grill on stern
Before launch
Anchor bridle hook bent; replaced with Mantus hook
Before launch
Bought fenders (including stern fenders)
Before launch
Modified reefing system
Before launch
Line to grill corroded so we can’t use Magma
On way to Jamaica
Jibsheet chafed through and broke
On way to Jamaica
Scupper cracked, letting water into master bath cabinet
On way to Jamaica
Trampoline tore under upwind stress
On way to Colombia
Had broken scupper fixed
In Colombia
Had dinghy cover made
In Colombia
Had chafed anchor bridle repaired (chafed from poor stowage)
In Colombia
Tightened loose engine mounts
In Colombia
Got trampoline repaired
In Colombia
Modified electrical system
In Colombia
Installed analog and digital barometers
In Colombia
Modified nav station to make room for satphone mount
In Colombia
Installed SSB
In Colombia
Replaced port bilge float switch for the THIRD TIME
In Colombia
Watermaker electrical system broke
In Colombia
Stern lights stopped working
In Colombia
Raymarine Seatalk failed to communicate with AIS and chartplotter had to be disconnected from network
In Colombia
Velocity indicator sometimes seizes up
In Colombia
Learned we needed to flush our freshwater toilet system to avoid post-flush stink
In Colombia
Cut drainage holes in dryer vent hose to stop it from filling with seawater
In Colombia
Replaced 12 mm jibsheet with 14 mm jibsheet
In Aruba
Started troubleshooting our Rocna anchor, which wasn’t setting
In Aruba
Further modified reef system after found chafe in reefing line
In Aruba
Replaced swivel on Rocna anchor with shackle; didn’t help
In Aruba
Added outlets to aft cockpit and master bedroom
In Aruba
Got Raymarine e125 replaced so AIS works again!
In Curacao
Flushed our A/C lines with acid because Cartagena clogged them up
In Curacao
Replaced watermaker circuit boards and cable to control panel
In Curacao
Put handle on trash drawer to prevent it going off track
In Curacao
Figured out Rocna wasn’t setting because it was bent (factory error)
In Curacao
Moved master hull A/C thermostat to bedroom and made curtain to master berth to conserve electricity
In Curacao
Got free,new Rocna anchor from Rocna
In Curacao
Changed bolster fixtures so we can better open lazarette in aft cockpit
In Curacao
Finally put in anchor chain markers
In Curacao
Line holding trampoline on broke AGAIN
On way to Sint Maarten
Drawers below the oven and in the owners’ hull desk flew out
On way to Sint Maarten
Saltwater dripped on nav station, but we can’t find leak (never happened again, BTW)
On way to Sint Maarten
Anchor windlass found to be inop because a wire was nicked on install and then corroded;Greg fixed
On way to Sint Maarten
Owner’s bath hatch leaks because of broken hatch handle
On way to Sint Maarten
Greg installs some engine monitors
In BVI
First run of air compressor to fill scuba tanks successful
In BVI
Greg jury-rigs a replacement stern light
In BVI
Greg replaces cheap, broken drawer slider for a drawer in the port forward cabin
In USVI
Spinnaker sheet fouled prop,bent lifelines because Mel let too much out while dousing
In Spanish Virgins
We forgot to raise swim ladder before going underway and it caught on a mooring ball pennant and bent
In Spanish Virgins
Port engine failed to start due to corroded butt connector;fixed
In Spanish Virgins
Windlass circuit breaker keeps on blowing and has to be reset before we anchor
The entire time
Hauled out: Saildrive boots replaced under warranty
In Tortola
Hauled out: Stern lights replaced and engine room leaks fixed
In Tortola
Hauled out: props cleaned and repainted
In Tortola
Realized battery combiner was inadequate to charge batteries to start engine in certain conditions
In Rudder Cut Cay
Did numerous boat upgrades per this post
In Dania Beach, FL
Block fell off of jib leech line
On passage to Bermuda
Realized hydrogenerator needed a lot of lines to keep it out of the water
On passage to Bermuda
Fuel intake vent developed a kink;fixed
In Bermuda
Generator coolant return line broke and it overheated;fixed
In Bermuda
Generator impeller found to be destroyed;replaced; ?related to coolant line breakage
In Bermuda
Hydrogenerator prop not turning easily and we gave up on it
Transat
Metal fitting attaching port mainsheet block to boom broke due to bad weld
Transat
Broke winch self-tailor on port electric winch: user error
Transat
Parasailor split after huge wave in 15 kts of true wind
Transat
Autopilot compass heading off from magnetic compass by 40 degrees
Near Azores; this apparently happens there
Dometic fridge stops working after after cockpit got pooped; restarted after we dried it out
Transat
Greg shackles down first reefing line at the clew to help with chafe
Transat
Got, uh, “ding” sustained while docking fiberglassed over
Cadiz
Greg assembles complicated shore power plugs for Europe (some are 16 amp, others 32)
The Med
Broke plastic reefing sheave; replaced
On way to Sardinia
The radiator line to the generator chafed through; replaced
Sardinia
Haulout: Repaired ding to hull
In Rome
Repaired winch broken on transat
In Rome
Haulout: Resealed escape hatches with silicone to stop leaks
In Rome
Haulout: Changed oil in saildrives (of course)
In Rome
Master head not flushing well due to hair in macerator; fixed
On way to Greece
Sheared the bolt on the dingy davit latch; drilled out and replaced
On way to Patras
Discovered port forward side bathroom hatch minimally leaking into the hull from the outside; sealed leak
In Patras
Re-seated Raymarine chartplotter into helm as seal was leaking
In Patras
Port battery isolator not working; Greg fixed
In Greece
Both port shower doors have hinge problems; screws tightened and door re-aligned
In Greece
Port aft berth ceiling fan farts out; replaced with the one from the port forepeak
In Greece
Ethernet connector to WiFi booster corroded; ergo re-sealing chartplotter (it is connected behind the control panel, inside the hull)
In Greece
Owner’s head outlet hose blocked off; had to dissolve mineral deposits with several flushes of muriatic acid
In Greece
The VHF sometimes still spontaneously turns itself off but looks like it’s still on — AAAARRRGH Raymarine!
In Greece
Three fenders pop and can’t hold a seal anymore; replaced
In Greece
We are still having problems with the seals around the helm instruments –water gets in behind the panel when we wash the boat
In Greece
Found a 10″ long crack in the fiberglass ceiling near the door to the owner’s bedroom; Greg patched
In Greece
Starboard stern cleat bent a bit in bad swell
In Malta
Rivets popped off on our mainsheet hangars and so Greg bolted them in
On the way to Sardinia
Trampoline split down the middle in bad upwind swell
On the way to Menorca
Discovered small leak in seal around side window in owner’s hull
On the way to Menorca
Got new A3 asymmetric spinnaker from Quantum
In Gibraltar
Got new trampoline from Ullman — just like old trampoline
In Gibraltar
Discovered stranding in inner shrouds; replaced shrouds
In Gran Canaria
Bolt securing jib to furler loosened and almost fell out; screwed back in;we check this all the time now
In Gran Canaria
Discovered stranding in inner shrouds; replaced shrouds
In Gran Canaria
Boat slammed into us at anchor and damaged bow gelcoat; repaired
In Gran Canaria
Popped another fender at a rough marina; replaced
In Gran Canaria
Fenders trapped between boat and dock in swell bent a couple stanchions; fixed
In Gran Canaria
Replaced bent bolt in aft cleat that was bent in Gozo
In Gran Canaria
Upgraded Raymarine p70 autopilot from version 14 to 17 without any issues and recalibrated autopilot
In Gran Canaria
Hit unlit fish farm going 9 kts; tore both engines out of mounts, tore off both rudders; Coast Guard rescue
In Gran Canaria
Massive damage and repairs described here. I.CAN’T.EVEN.
In Gran Canaria
Attempted to replace broken strap for mainsail clew, but Doyle Sails made it too small and we had to leave before we could negotiate a new one. Strap replaced in St. Lucia.
In Barbados
A/C flushed; regular maintenance; A/C working perfectly; it’s frickin hot here!
In St. Lucia
Boat waxed by Jeremiah & Nucky of Yacht Refinishing out of Gros Islet, who did a fantastic job and put in a really long day for us as we were leaving in the morning. We so pretty now!
In St. Lucia
Mel’s Instant Pot pressure cooker wouldn’t come to pressure while she was making chicken cordon bleu and it is so annoying that she is putting it on this list. Fixed by cleaning silicone lid seal.
In St. Lucia
Our Dometic fridge stopped working, which may or may not have had anything to do with the breaking of a beer bottle near it. Okay, Mel broke the bottle. Greg fixed fridge.
In Martinique
Greg pulled out a desk drawer in the owner’s hull and the face came off in his hands; reglued; we’ve had a lot of trouble with those drawers for some reason
In Martinique
One-month-old Culligan water filter under sink cracked and saloon flooded with freshwater on overnight passage; water filter replaced
On way to Eleuthera
Chain stopper for anchor chain bent, got it pounded back flat at machine shop in Spanish Wells
In Eleuthera
Mounting bracket for dryer vent lid bent, easily fixed
In Eleuthera
Dinghy nav lights had corroded connector, replaced
In Florida
Window that cracked in Gran Canaria finally replaced
In Florida
Replaced poly spinnaker halyard with Dyneema
In Florida