The only specialised marine publication in Oceania that focuses on the maritime industry, from super yachts to small craft to large commercial ships, including coastal shipping, tugs, tow boats, barges, ferries, tourist, sport-fishing craft, je
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By enclosing the void between the old saloon and the dodger, extra space has been added that has extended the main saloon allowing two more booth seats to be added. The stairs have also been reoriented for'ard-aft and the slope reduced for passengers and 120 daytime cruise passengers, with accommodation in 16 four-berth cabins. Curtains separated the cabins from the companionway, and the toilets were on the main stern deck, with showers at the end of one of the accommodation areas. To have a shower or brush their teeth, passengers had to walk the length of the boat through the main saloon. The toilets were located on deck, a chilly walk for travellers contending with beautiful Fiordland's abundant rainfall. In addition, the stairs were steep, making it difficult to carry luggage up and down. Milford Wanderer always had a duo-mode electrical system with the main generator powering everything during the day, and a small 8kW Kohler generator (upgraded to 12kW) at the stern powering the lights and bare minimum of utilities at night making her a very quiet boat during the night: – apart from the vocal snorers! This low noise aspect was retained during the refit. The new layout, constructed and installed by Interiors by Innovation Ltd, now caters for just 36 overnight passengers. It splits the passenger accommodation into three areas along the length of the hull, separated by watertight bulkheads. Instead of bunk rooms there are now twin-berth cabins with individual heating and ventilation. Each cabin has two single beds which can be converted into a double by pushing them together and changing the linen. The accommodation areas now also have new shower and toilet facilities utilising fixtures which conserve water. The accommodation interiors have been replaced with insulated partitioning walls with sapelle (African mahogany) linings, skirting and dado lines. All light fixtures are of a traditional brass type and the beds, luggage racks and bedside tables have been custom designed and built for the boat. 56 NZ WORKBOAT REVIEW 2013 better safety. The seating was changed from a U-shaped booth to a transverse bench seat booth to facilitate both dining and viewing. A new self-serve catering station has been installed for hot and cold drinks. The bar has been upgraded to close in the galley and inhibit cooking smells and steam from passing through into the saloon. The original layout encouraged maximum interaction between staff and passengers, and this has been retained. The main walls have been lined with sapelle and the ceilings with Dampa tiles to facilitate servicing. The original Royal Stewart carpet design has been retained throughout helping to maintain the traditional feel of the vessel. The small galley was challenging for a chef preparing a three-course meal for over 70 people, and has been extended by removing internal bulkheads from where the toilets used to be on the rear deck. The new galley layout has a better flow for food preparation and One of the key requirements was she had to be back in the water for the new season upgraded dishwashing facilities. New commercial-grade appliances, refrigeration and benches now meet the hospitality requirements, and improve the level of service provided to guests. The lighting has been completely changed from the original 240 volt AC system to a 24 volt DC system using LEDs throughout. The brass light fittings included downlights, reading lights in the cabins, courtesy lights for the floor and up/down lights in the saloon for mood lighting during the evenings. The low draw of the LED lights means many of the courtesy lights may be left on. Backup batteries for emergencies have been installed and can operate all the courtesy lights in an emergency. The vessel is heated with 1kW night storage heaters that are charged during the day when the main generators are running and release their heat during the night. This system, coupled with extra insulation, means she is warmer and the temperature is comfortable throughout the night. The fresh water supply system had to be completely