Believe it or not, if you think a refinishing is a simple task. Both Peter Heller and I have spent quite a bit of time on the exercise, but I'm willing to do it again if necessary.

I have gained a fair amount of experience in lacquering and varnishing wood over time. Sometimes, luck plays a part as well (admittedly). This turned out to be my best laquering ever. Temperature, humidity, varnish, and varnish additive must have had an exceptionally good day.

I used Epifanes clear varnish with Epifanes additive (Epifanes Easy Flow), which makes the varnish flow better without thinning it. I find this to work well.

In total, it took me about a day to prepare and varnish the boat's topsides once.

To give myself a bit more cruising range with the Knarr when sailing alone, I have now, after some time of consideration, installed an autopilot. The installation required that I had the shown bracket in the picture specially made. Incidentally, it was cheaper than if I were to have bought a standard bracket (which didn't even fit). And it's much more enjoyable to design, build a model, and search for a suitable manufacturer.

The battery feeds our only luxury onboard. I insist on having cold milk, cold beer, and white wine on board, and that requires a refrigerator.

We have a portable refrigerator with a compressor that can easily cool food and drinks – even in the summer heat. However, it requires us to have a battery installed that can also provide power for cabin lights and more.

I have installed a lithium battery that is not only lighter and takes up less space but hopefully lasts longer. My power consumption is so modest that a "normal" battery wouldn't last more than 2-3 years.

Now, we have also completed the installation with a master switch and fuses.

There's something special about a wooden boat, both inside and out. Atmosphere is also about the materials and the smell hereof. In the cabin, it smells different than in a fiberglass boat. There's a different air in here, and the sound is distinct.

Varnish can be tricky. It's easy to blame the varnish or the circumstances, but the truth behind the 5 coats of varnish on the cabin sides is that I probably just wasn't focused enough. I chose to persist until I was satisfied. The purpose of re-varnishing was to achieve a better result than the last time, and one must keep going until it's better.

I also used Epifanes varnish with Epifanes Easy Flow added.