Sailing Squibvideo
Squib's Refit - DIY Hot Water Boiler - Frame for Window Hatch - Thoughts on the Refit / Episode 50
18 January 2024 · 16 min · 1K views
What this video covers
The refit of the pocket catamaran Squib involves constructing a custom 14-liter hot water boiler and fabricating a wooden frame for an aft cabin hatch.2:29 The DIY boiler utilizes a 160 mm diameter PVC pipe, sealed at the base with fiberglass matting and epoxy, and incorporates a 200-watt, 12-volt heating element designed to raise water temperatures to 35–40 degrees Celsius.2:38 This system replaces an existing gas-fired instant water heater to simplify plumbing by eliminating the need for a mixing valve.3:18
Separately, the project includes building a custom frame for a hatch installation in the aft cabin.5:19 The frame is constructed from hardwood strips joined with epoxy thickened with sawdust, using a plastic-lined mold to ensure precise right angles.6:34 The process involves filling corner gaps with the epoxy mixture and sanding the cured joints to achieve a flush finish.13:19 Additional refit tasks include preparing starter battery pedestals and refining a mounting console for a windvane self-steering system.15:26
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