For travel bloggers Jonathan and Kach Howe, the husband and wife team behind Two Monkeys Travel Group, buying a boat to live on while sailing around the world wouldn’t be just another pipe dream, it would be a reality.
The couple, having traveled nonstop for four years across 80 countries, recently bought a 1971 Finnrose 37-foot sailboat named S/V Empress for the next leg of their journey. The couple knew a boat that old would need some work, so the two savvy-travel-bloggers-turned-DIY-sailboat-refurbishers dove in, documenting and sharing the process with like-minded adventurers and DIYers on their popular YouTube channel and blog.
The couple has put a lot of work into updating the interior of Empress, transforming and refitting it in the style they describe as “floating Miami beach house.” They started by sanding and painting the interior walls, then moved on to the floor. Jonathan, who described the floor as old, tired, and worn out, wanted to go in a new direction.
“Revamping our 1971 sailboat was no easy task,” the couple wrote. “We had to constantly look for materials which would best suit her condition and which would give us nothing but the best quality.”
Infinity’s Luxury Woven Vinyl flooring was one of those materials.
The couple chose our Better Than Teak II Luxury Woven Vinyl and started creating templates for key areas of the floor. Next, they cut the LWV and bound the edges with tan Sunbrella binding material from Sailrite before laying the new flooring down. They didn’t just use our LWV to replace Empress’s worn-out wooden floor, they also used it to update the wall and ceiling linings, too. The templating, cutting, and binding process was similar to what they did for the flooring, only a bit more difficult because the cabin, deck structure, and overhead areas offered more complex shapes and curves.
When it came time to discuss methods of adhering the product, glue was out of the question.“We didn’t want to use glue for vinyl linings especially in our sailboat where it is prone to moisture which almost guarantees its rapid wear and tear,” the couple shared.
Of course, Jonathan and Kach found an innovative workaround, fitting the LWV with heavy-duty Velcro for the horizontal linings — sewn in using Sailrite clear monofilament thread — and using stainless steel snap fittings on the vertical areas. Just like the flooring, the wall and ceiling linings would become fully removable for easy cleaning.
Paired with a coat of fresh paint on the interior walls, the LWV totally transformed their floating home.
“The Infinity Luxury Woven Vinyl in Better Than Teak II looks stunning with S/V Empress’ new shade,” the couple wrote. “The colors open up the space more and it looks bigger and brighter. We now don’t have to worry about the flooring getting dirty as it is easily rolled up, removed, and cleaned. It is also antimicrobial, soil, and stain resistant… perfect for a sailboat!”
To follow along with Jonathan and Kach on their journey around the world subscribe to their YouTube channel or visit TwoMonkeysTravelGroup.com.
