Finishing Touches in the Galley 2025

A few finishing touches were needed to complete the galley this season. The two hatches for the refrigerator and freezer and the sink side storage locker had to be attached along with some plumbing and trim. The solid surface pieces were lined up and glued to the insulated painted plywood pieces with thickened epoxy.  Flush mounted stainless steel piano hinges were attached to the hatches to mount them in the galley.

The refrigerator hatch and the sink side storage locker are inset flush with the counter top so they needed a latch to open them. The freezer hatch can be opened by grabbing the front of the hatch. The latches were inset using a router to cut it into the top of the solid surface material.  I used a small 1/4 inch round router bit and set it to the thickness of the latch body which was about 1/8 inch. I had one chance to make the right cut. If I messed it up there was not another piece to replace it.  I carefully measured the latch to make sure I routed it perfectly square. I set up some guides boards with clamps and took it slow and it turned out great.  The stainless latches had square corners so I rounded those over with a grinder a little at a time until they fit the routed corners. Part of the latch was thicker so I had to use a wood bit to make a deeper circular ring for that to fit into. A third deep hole had to be made to fit the latch. 

Routing the latch 

Latch routed with rounded corners

Latch screw holes drilled

Surface mounted latch complete

Gluing on the freezer solid surface with thickened epoxy 

Storage locker next to the sink

Freezer hatch attached with piano hinge

Refrigerator hatch attached with piano hinge

Gas struts were added to the refrigerator, freezer and sink side storage locker to keep the hatches open. There is nothing worse than having to hold open the hatch while digging into the bottom of the freezer.  Two struts were needed on the heavier freezer hatch. A variety of struts of different lengths and strengths can be purchased on Amazon. 

Struts attached to sink side storage locker

Hatch struts all attached 

Refrigerator hatch complete

Galley with all hatches completed

Sink side storage locker with recessed latch

Freezer hatch attached with flush piano hinge

I added a faucet and drains to the sink in the galley. I used a hole saw to cut the 1 1/4 inch hole for the faucets. The supply lines were led down and attached to the supply lines below.  The drains were hooked up to the PVC that leads down to the gray water sump in the engine room. The sump pumps out automatically through the bilge pump hose when it gets full.

Sink drains installed

Faucet hole cut with hole saw

New galley faucet

Galley sink complete

The galley sink drain system was installed using household plastic pipe. I ran a piece of 1 1/2 inch PVC into the engine room which tied into the new gray water sump. The sump runs automatically when water runs into it. The exit hose was tied into an existing bilge pump line so another through hull was not needed. A check valve was added to the bilge pump line so no gray water back flowed in to the bilge. 

Sink drains and sink supply lines

The fresh water pump was installed below the galley sink

The gray water sump was mounted in the engine room

The head sink and shower drain line were attached to the PVC drain line

One last feature added to the galley was a pantry at the end of the freezer and just aft of the mast. This area was unused so it was a great location for some added storage which is easily accessible. It was built about eight years ago and had been sitting in the closet until the galley was completed. Special air tight containers were purchased to fit on the shelves. This will be handy for storing flower, sugar, rice, pasta and other staples.

Pantry floats off the floor

Aft view

Side view

View from forward of the mast

Front view

Detail of the cut around the countertop

Piece added to extend up to the headliner

Piece added on 

Glued and clamped

Full galley view

Headliner trim installed

Three nice drawers were added to the galley.  The shaker style fronts required some drawer pulls.  We wanted some that would be easy to grab on to but would not snag or catch us on the way by. I found these low profile bronze handles on Amazon which worked out great. These attached from the back with two screws. 

The galley came together nicely but is still not completely finished.  We bought an electric induction cook top to use for cooking. Some sort of gimbaling cabinet needs to be built to house that and possibly a convection oven. This will be in place of a gas stove. We no longer wanted to carry propane on the boat. Apart from that the galley is looking ready to go. All the trim and major projects are completed. 

Sail On /)

Mark