The New Boat Is Almost Done… I’m Flying to Thailand
1 February 2026 · 15 min · 85K views
What this video covers
Hull number five of the Island Spirit 525 catamaran is nearing completion at the Thailand shipyard, with a launch date pushed to late February or early March due to shipping delays.▶ 3:29 The delay stems from salvaging standing rigging, winches, and deck hardware from hull number one — the boat that washed ashore in Malaysia and was written off when the salvage company filled the hull's holes with expanding foam rather than patching them, making the underwater sections unrecoverable.▶ 1:03 Island Spirit sent an inspection team to Malaysia and confirmed the standing rigging and mast are sound; those components will be shipped to Thailand to reduce build costs.▶ 2:50 The 52-foot catamaran has its deck on, non-skid paint applied, countertops installed, and plumbing and electrical conduit run; remaining work includes teak-effect decking, lifelines, stanchions, running rigging, and the hard top.▶ 7:55 The owner flies Dallas–Frankfurt–Bangkok on Lufthansa around 24 February, with two dogs travelling as cargo through Frankfurt's pet concierge layover facility via AEPets.▶ 4:21 Hull number six, a six-cabin charter-configured Island Spirit 525, is available for purchase, targets a July completion, and will appear at the Annapolis Boat Show; bareboat charter rates are projected at $14,000–$18,000 per week.▶ 13:35
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