• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
GO TO EXPAT LIVING SINGAPORE
GET OUR NEWSLETTER

Expat Living Hong Kong HomepageExpat Living Hong Kong

Moving to Hong Kong and not sure where to start? Expat Living is the essential lifestyle guide to living in Hong Kong.

Login Pelcro Shop

Menu
  • Living In Hong Kong
      • Living Here
      • Where To Live
      • Schools
      • For Guys
        • Gardening: growing herbs and vegetablesGrowing herbs and veg in Hong Kong
        • Peter Hopper of Gone Runners Running Club Hong KongFeeling Sporty? Join a running club!
        • A day in the life of a Shrewsbury student
        • 6 Beautiful Boats for a Day at Sea
      • View all
    Close
  • Things To Do
      • Things To Do
      • What’s On/Calendar
      • Competitions & Offers
        • Gardening: growing herbs and vegetablesGrowing herbs and veg in Hong Kong
        • 6 Beautiful Boats for a Day at Sea
        • things to do in Hong Kong - Art Central 2023Top 35 Best Things To Do In Hong Kong This Weekend
        • What to watch this month – Netflix & more!
      • View all
    Close
  • Kids
      • Activities & Things To Do
      • Education & Enrichment
      • Health & Wellness
      • Mums & Babies
      • Podcasts
        • A day in the life of a Shrewsbury student
        • Tackling the issue of kids and online safety
        • Meet the new head teacher at Stamford
        • Things to do with kids on their school break
      • View all
    Close
  • Homes
      • Home Décor
      • Readers Homes
        • Want to buy a property in London to live in or rent out?
        • Exploring the interiors of HK’s newest hotel
        • What’s in your mattress?
        • Why leasing furniture can be a great option
      • View all
    Close
  • Travel
      • Short Breaks
      • Further Afield
      • Travel News & Offers
        • Best beach holidays, French Polynesia8 great beach escapes from HK
        • 6 Beautiful Boats for a Day at Sea
        • 10 of the most famous gardens in the world
        • travel from hong kong to macau - new macau hotels - LondonerA guide for your next trip to Macau
      • View all
    Close
  • Wine & Dine
      • Recipes & Groceries
      • Bars & Restaurants
        • Vegetarian recipe: Whole Roasted CauliflowerRecipe: Whole Roasted Cauliflower
        • Pizza restaurants in Hong Kong, takeaway pizzas and delivery - Pizzeria Italiana5 Places to get great pizza in HK
        • Cask whiskies stacked for article on investing in cask whisk for Cask Trade in Hong KongInvesting in whisky casks in Hong Kong
        • International Women's Day – stories of female entrepreneurs and businesswomen in Hong Kong – NanaIWD Special: Women kicking goals in HK #1
      • View all
    Close
  • Style & Beauty
      • Fashion
      • Hair & Beauty
        • Michelle and Danielle - co-founders of Anja Swim swimwear brand in HKLooking for a new bikini or swimsuit?
        • The latest in laser hair removal, plus great deals!
        • Men's tailors in Hong KongOur top picks for men’s tailors
        • Beauty news: The latest launches!
      • View all
    Close
  • Health & Fitness
      • Medical & Dental
      • Fitness
      • Wellness
        • Peter Hopper of Gone Runners Running Club Hong KongFeeling Sporty? Join a running club!
        • heart health: high cholesterol levels and cardiovascular disease10 Key Questions on Cholesterol
        • Fitness the Fast way!
        • 10 great gyms & studios to keep in shape
      • View all
    Close
  • Shop
    • Magazine
    • Advertise With Us
    • Close

Transforming an old Hong Kong junk

18 January, 2023 by Expat Living 3 Min Read

https://expatliving.hk/buying-a-boat-in-hong-kong-renovating-an-old-junk/

American expat JENNY SELEVAN and husband Marc had toyed with the idea of buying a boat for some time, when they chanced upon a flyer for an old Hong Kong junk. Then it was just a matter of making it seaworthy!

Tell us a bit about yourself and your family – where are you from and what brought you to Hong Kong?

I’m from Jacksonville, Florida; we came to Hong Kong 15 and a half years ago with Marc’s family’s toy company. We have two children: Ethan is 18 and attending the University of Colorado Boulder, and Bradley is 17 at Elsa High School here in Hong Kong.

Jenny Selevan and husband Marc on their Hong Kong junk boat
Jenny Selevan and husband Marc aboard their renovated Hong Kong junk boat

Where did you find it and what style is it? What made you decide to give it a makeover?

We have always loved junk trips and boats in general, and I had been trying to talk Marc into buying a boat for years. We just happened to find Serendipity on a flyer at the Aberdeen Boat Club. She is a 56-foot Chinese teak junk built in 1994 by Sun Hing Shing in Ap Lei Chau.

We called the seller straight away and his friend picked us up within the hour to take us to see her. She hadn’t been lived on in over a year, and was full of mould and roaches; but we both knew pretty quickly that she was the one. And she was totally not what we thought we wanted, so how fitting was her name, Serendipity! We had her surveyed and the guy pretty much told us that it would be a mistake to take on the project!

Where was the work done on the boat, and how long did it take?

The rebuild and renovations were handled by Sun Hing Shing Shipyard in Ap Lei Chau. The whole project took 11 months. We contracted Inge Strompf-Jepsen of Jepsen Designs based on her creativity and experience with ship renovations.

Hong Kong junk boat - lounge area

What are some of the key features of the renovations?

We overhauled the engine, added a generator, and increased the capacity of the fuel and fresh water tanks so we can take her out for a weekend.

What have been some of the challenges? Has the pandemic made things more difficult?

Due to basically having to gut the junk, we gave ourselves the opportunity to have a blank canvas to create what we imagined. As she is all teak, it took the skilled craftsmen’s time and our patience to complete the project. When we discovered the very high costs of materials and fittings in Hong Kong, I spent quite a bit of time sourcing stuff outside of here. As for the pandemic, it was actually a positive in some ways as it gave us something to focus on while we weren’t able to travel.

How do you hope to use the junk now that you’ve finished it?

For weekend getaways – though it feels like an escape even if we just stay in the marina!

aboard a Hong Kong Junk boat

Do you have a favourite aspect of the new-look boat?

I think my favourite area is the kitchen bar, which has a proper ice machine – I love to cook and entertain. Marc’s favourite is the hidden TV lift cabinet for watching his American Football.

Have you always been a “boat person”?

We grew up in Florida, so yes, we love boating!

Where do you live in Hong Kong? What do you like about the area?

We’re in Mid-Levels. We like being close enough to Central to walk to shops and restaurants.

What are a few things you like to do in Hong Kong when you’re not working or fixing a junk?

We do a lot of “urban hikes”, stopping to look in shops or eat. Aside from that, I love cooking and playing mahjong.

Buying a junk boat in Hong Kong - bedroomWhat are your top spots for a day sail in HK?

We haven’t had the boat for summer yet, but we like the ease of Deep Water Bay, as friends can come a go very easily throughout the weekend. We’ve also been to Turtle Beach. Serendipity isn’t built for speed, but come summer and calm seas, we look forward to being more adventurous.

Jenny’s Recommendations

Furniture & Furnishings

Marc and I are both very hands-on and like doing projects ourselves. I’ve sourced most of our stuff for the junk online – in particular, from Taobao, Alibaba, Etsy, Amazon and Overstock. Ken from Standard Curtain has done so much of our soft furnishings; he’s great to work with and eager to try new things, as nothing on the boat is straightforward. And Albert from Wing Sun Upholstery did a great job with our sofa downstairs. Another tip is to spend a good afternoon walking the floors at Horizon Plaza.

Dining & Drinks

We like Cotton Tree Terrace at The Murray, The American Club’s 49th-floor Town Club terrace, and Bayfare Social at Rosewood Hong Kong.

Image of inside of a Hong Kong junk boat for article on buying and renovating a boat
Hong Kong junk boat - kitchen
Hong Kong junk boat - deck
buying a boat - deck of Hong Kong junk boat
image of the outside deck on a Hong Kong junk boat
Hong Kong junk - view from boat


Like this? See more in our Living in Hong Kong section.

Subscribe to Expat Living magazine now so you never miss an issue.

Categories: Editors Picks Explore EL Homes Living Here Living In Hong Kong Readers Homes

Get the latest events, stories and special offers sent to your inbox
Get the latest events, stories and special offers sent to your inbox

You May Also Like

A day in the life of a Shrewsbury student

What to consider when choosing an international mover

The latest in laser hair removal, plus great deals!

Primary Sidebar

  • COMPETITIONS & OFFERS
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Subscribe

© 2023 Expat Living Hong Kong, All Rights Reserved.