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Building the Ultimate Off-Grid Sailboat (Step-by-Step)
22 March 2026 · 12 min · 17K views · New Zealand
Crew installs fridge in sailboat galley, tools at hand
What this video covers
A Swan 37 named Elixir undergoes a full systems overhaul in New Zealand after sailing from the UK, with the goal of extended off-grid cruising in the remote South Pacific, including Fiji.▶ 0:37 Max replaced two aging AGM house batteries with a 300 Ah lithium-ion bank — four times the previous capacity — and installed a Victron combined charger/inverter, adding AC power to a boat that previously had none.▶ 2:20 The Schenker watermaker installation required drilling a new seacock, plumbing a filter, pressure accumulator, pump, and membrane, and routing output to a dedicated test tap so water quality can be checked before committing it to the main tanks.▶ 6:51 A leaking Vetus forepeak hatch was removed after a day and a half of work cutting through Sikaflex, then replaced.▶ 6:26 The fridge box was stripped, re-insulated with foam, fiberglassed, and fitted with a new evaporator plate and compressor.▶ 3:17 The engine received a full overhaul covering hoses, gearbox, mounts, and surrounding structural woodwork, much of which had deteriorated from vibration on the 56-year-old hull.▶ 10:17 Interior finishing timber is kauri sourced from Facebook Marketplace and milled at a workshop.▶ 8:56 All work was done by Max and friends without professional contractors.▶ 0:53
Boats in this video
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