Are These the BIGGEST SOLAR PANELS You've Seen on a BOAT? - (Episode 367)
7 June 2026 · 25 min · 185K views · Phuket
Man installs black sink into boat's galley countertop
What this video covers
A 6.4-kilowatt solar upgrade on the catamaran Parlay Revival in Phuket, Thailand, forms the core of this refit update, alongside reinstallation of a 500-liter aluminum diesel fuel tank and a galley overhaul.0:06 The solar system uses four 710-watt bifacial panels on a new welded stern frame plus three 440-watt bifacial panels added to the extended hardtop — six panels total on the hardtop — for roughly 6.5 kilowatts combined.8:39 Colin explains the decision to run panels only in pairs in series rather than longer strings: shading from the boom or sail on one panel in a series string cuts output for the entire string, so eight separate charge controllers (four in the electrical cabinet, four in the superstructure) feed individual fused runs to a busbar and then to the batteries.8:39 The 400-volt DC breakers and large-gauge cable — up to 120 mm² tinned copper — proved the most expensive line items, with import duty in Thailand nearly doubling prices.9:37 The fuel tank reinstall required screwing rubber anti-corrosion straps to the wooden cradle frames to prevent them falling and causing aluminum pitting, a fix that resolved a recurring corrosion problem traced to wood-to-aluminum contact.0:56 The galley work includes two recessed sinks cut into plywood with a Corian benchtop fabricated externally for $2,000 USD, and a new induction cooker replacing the gas stove — part of a broader push toward fully off-grid operation with air conditioning.20:23 New crew member Taylor, a sailor from Bahrain, joins the project.5:00
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