Malihini is well-designed for fast ocean passages and well-built of 5/8" Divinicell foam core, epoxy and fiberglass. Though she has made a round trip to California and sailed between the Hawaiian islands, she has been used primarily for daysail racing rather than cruising. This is a list of potential improvements to the boat, partly for maintenance reasons, partly for greater comfort as a live aboard (or charter) and partly to enhance her sailing ability and ease of handling. Some are high priority while others can be deferred or may be debatable. The list is a result of three months using the boat at anchor instead of from a dock.
Priority
replace dinghy and dinghy outboard - very old Avon inflatable, ~8.5', fits on car top inflated or net forward or deflated below deck for the channels. Leaks air, barely holds three adults. Old 2002 2hp 2-cycle dinghy outboard; three screws holding cover in place are salt water "welded", preventing service. Need ~10' dinghy, room for four adults and provisions, adequate horsepower, high reliability, maybe a trailer?
for safety singlehanding, a highly reliable autopilot that can be mechanically engaged and disengaged quickly, in easy reach of the cockpit (or interior) for manual override.
Maintenance
head thru-hull valves (2) - leak when open. Ordered Shakewell seacock thru-hull valve parts to stop leaks, inlets, both sides; "two complete piston devices (assembly) with new rubber o-rings and big piston ring. Weight is 350 grams."
holding tank discharge pumps (2) - manual Whale Gusher pumps don't work, flapper valves need to be replaced but screws holding them are corroded, paint is flaking off interior of pumps. A temporary solution (in use now) involves an electric macerator pump inserted into the inspection port. Another approach (more involved) would be a gravity drain holding tank. There is no pump out station on Kauai!
wind/log/depth instruments - Silva Nexus system. Not fully working, needs to be repaired or replaced.
Heart Freedom Inverter/Charger - inverter appears to not work.
fresh water fill tubing - starboard side needs to be replaced.
bottom paint - current epoxy coating requires weekly cleaning using stainless drywall taping knife.
Live Aboard / Charter
replace all incandescent lights with LED lighting (interior and running lights).
replace open cell foam mattresses with closed cell foam (three double berths).
additional solar or wind power - Four solar panels already on the boat need to be supplemented to drive a watermaker, a laptop running ~12 hours per day, refrigeration. More battery capacity.
dinghy davits - ability to lift dinghy w/ outboard instead of removing and stowing outboard, motor mount, oars and seats before lifting dinghy into the front net.
watermaker - When anchored away from a dock, carrying fresh water to the boat for drinking, cooking and washing is a major chore. A shower after a swim is mandatory. Solar showers may be OK for a few weeks of camping aboard but are inadequate for regular full time use; and you still have to bring the fresh water aboard via dinghy. A Spectra watermaker changes everything.
new heads - existing heads (one in each hull) use a "marine bowl" which is absurdly small. Manual pumping can be a drag for guests, especially when it requires opening and closing a thru-hull to use it. With a watermaker, it's possible to consider using fresh water to flush the heads, which reduces corrosion, calcification and odor. Lavac and Vacuflush make heads that use minimal water.
convert port side vanity/head to enclosed shower - rinsing off in the cockpit is fine but lathering up and washing hair requires drain to holding tank instead of overboard into Hanalei Bay.
refrigerator/freezer
water heater - a convenience more than a necessity, but makes washing easier.
lifelines - required for chartering.
Sailing
highly reliable autopilot, protected from weather, in easy reach of the cockpit (or interior) that can be mechanically engaged and disengaged quickly.
The mast on Malihini has five wire stays attached at the top: one headstay, two shrouds and two fixed backstays. With a stiffer mast, like a 16" chord rotating wing, this would reduce to three stays.
In addition to two fixed backstays, there is a pair of running backstays that each attach at two points to the mast, just below each set of spreaders. The windward one must be kept tight, the leeward one retracted out of the way of the main. The running backs can too easily snag on the spreaders.
Finally, the mast has two sets of spreaders, adding more wire rigging.
Possible Alternative Mainsheet/Traveler System
NOTE: There is nothing wrong with the traveler and mainsheet on Malihini.
The lines proposed below work instead of traveler car controls to tightly control the boom, and by consequence, the traveler position. The bottom of the running backstays on Malihini can be re-purposed as boom control lines using the same winches, rope clutches, fair leads, etc., without moving any deck hardware. The tops of the running backs, connected to the mast at two points, would be led outboard and aft to existing hard points, perhaps out of the way of the boom? The (old) running back bottoms connected to the boom end will make a huge difference in sail handling, especially during jibes. The boom vang, and eventually the traveler, can be removed from the cockpit, making room for a small dodger.
If the steering bar is moved, the mainsheet traveler can be on the aft crossbeam, as orignally designed, and these lines used to position it. A temporary preventer might be needed further outboard when running off the wind, acting to keep the mainsail leech tight. All aft of the cockpit, clear of the outboard and steering bar. Excellent jibe control. Similar to the two dark lines in this photo (below) of my old boat, the legendary Newick trimaranMoxie, attached at the end of the boom and running out to each hull aft of the crossbeam, then back to winches (or cam cleats) in the cockpit:
Depending on the angles, it might be possible to eliminate the traveler track and use these lines as the mainsheet?
