Sam Holmes Sailing · video

What this video covers

Installing a Victron MPPT 150 solar charge controller requires crimping ferrules onto 10-gauge marine-grade stranded wire to ensure secure connections in screw terminals.0:13 A 100-watt solar panel lashed to the Bimini with UV-resistant Dacron antenna guideline wire provides enough power for basic lighting and phone charging.2:18 Replacing temporary plywood cabin doors with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) starboard requires cutting, planing for fit, and adding rubber latches to prevent movement while underway.8:27 Additional maintenance tasks include replacing wind vane steering lines with low-stretch Dyneema, re-routing reefing lines, and fabricating custom wind vane blades to improve steering performance in high winds.5:21 Standoff blocks made from scrap HDPE prevent the boarding ladder from resting against the hull and exhaust outlet.10:49 Testing these modifications during a short coastal sail confirms the effectiveness of the solar setup and the improved functionality of the reefing and steering systems.8:00

More from Sam Holmes Sailing

Making big miles offshore sailing through IndonesiaSept 2026Orca sighting! we repair one daggerboard only to break another oneSept 2026Sailing to Maratua, a rarely visited Indonesian island Sept 2026We hit a log sailing by strange Indonesian sea platformsAug 2026

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