Thorfinn is a 45-foot steel, Adams-designed, cutter. She was built in Cairns, by Dick and Kay Turpin over a three-year period, and launched in 1977. The interior is finished with teak and black bean and she is nicely set up for cruising. She has six berths, two toilets and a galley with a fridge and freezer. She is divided into a central area consisting of a galley, saloon and navigation area and two cabins; a forward cabin with two single berths and a toilet, and an aft cabin with a double berth and toilet/shower.
Aka sitting area – has two settees and a table with one drop-down side which enables easier access past it when the table is not being used. We have bookshelves on each side and plenty of cupboard space. Beneath and behind the settees is space for storage. We have a 12-volt TV and media player.
The Aft Cabin
Aka rear bedroom – consists of a small double berth – aka bed, a dressing table, a full length mirror, a three shelf cupboard, a wardrobe and a drawer, as well as lockers under two upholstered seats. The ensuite head – aka bathroom, has a head – aka toilet, shower, a basin, cupboard and a couple of shelves. We have hot and cold pressure water.
The Galley
Aka kitchen – consists of a two burner stove with grill and oven, a basin with hot and cold pressure water, a small fridge and a large freezer. I also have a small electric oven I can use when I have the generator on and it is perfect for these hot tropical areas because I can take the oven outside when I use it!
The Navigation Area
The navigation area consists of a navigation desk and chair, and a berth, we call the navigators berth (original I know!) As well as an area to plot our course, many of Thorfinn’s important systems can be controlled from here. We have the AIS and fuel gauges for our diesel tank as well as our generator fuel tank. The DC power panel, auto-helm control panel, GPS/multi-display panel, HAM radio and VHF radio. Nearby is our AC panel, and engine controls. The photo below is of the area before re-upholstered.
History
Dick and Kay took Dwayne and Felicity cruising the South Pacific when they were teenagers; visiting such places as New Zealand, Fiji & Tonga. Later Dick and Kay did a five-year circumnavigation on Thorfinn. So she has been around….. I’m talking about Thorfinn, not my mother-in-law!
Thorfinn Renovations
When we got her and set a goal to live aboard and sail for many years, we decided to update her a bit. Just things like the amenities and electronics etc. We changed the pump toilets to electric. Put in pressure water and a hot water system. New navigation equipment including a Simrad 4G GPS and AIS….. then we put in a generator to run it all! We also replaced all the windows and hatches and got a new headsail & staysail.
It wasn’t until the end of 2015 that we did any changes for purely aesthetic reasons. When we went up on the slip at Satun in Thailand to anti-foul we decided it was time for a little spruce up. We painted Thorfinn’s hull, sanded and re-varnished the interior, and re-covered the upholstery. We chose a lighter colour (which we may soon regret) to lighten the interior of the boat. Here are some before photos…
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