Sailing SV Delosvideo
Trying Something TOTALLY NEW 😱 Building Our Own Aluminum Catamaran Pt. 32
April 11, 2025 · 33 min · 262K views
What this video covers
The crew fabricates custom aluminum heat exchangers for the dual 25-kilowatt electric motors of their new catamaran.0:19 To dissipate heat into the hull, they design a closed-loop coolant system using rectangular aluminum extrusions mounted below the waterline.2:25 The team calculates a required surface area of 0.125 square meters per exchanger, opting for long, narrow extrusions to maximize contact with the hull plates and internal stiffeners.3:32 After cutting the extrusions to length, they drill and tap the ends for half-inch BSP fittings, then pressure-test the units with soapy water to ensure watertight integrity before final welding.28:42 Separately, the crew cleans and primes the bilges using an acid-based aluminum cleaner, Alley Bright, to ensure proper paint adhesion in the marine environment.22:23 The project also includes a brief excursion to Moreton Island, near Brisbane, Australia, to explore sand dunes and local marine life.15:37
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