Fish Under Sail · video

What this video covers

The owners of the Nauticat 43 sailboat *Sand Dollar* retrofitted the vessel for full off-grid independence by upgrading power, water, and deck systems.0:11 The electrical system features 1,600 watts of solar capacity—comprised of two 48-volt panels on a custom arch, a 200-watt 12-volt panel, and a 200-watt bifacial panel on the dodger—connected to 1,200 amp-hours of lithium batteries.1:27 A Victron-based system, including a main inverter-charger, a Cerbo GX, and multiple solar controllers, manages the power distribution.6:24 For water independence, the crew installed a Spectra 200T watermaker capable of producing seven gallons per hour at 220–250 ppm, supplemented by a 5-gallon Isotherm water heater.8:21 Deck modifications include a custom solar arch that doubles as dinghy davits, an engine davit for outboard storage, and saltwater and freshwater washdown systems.3:22 The boat is powered by a 90-horsepower Ford Lehman engine, chosen for its reliability in river currents.9:58 These upgrades replaced manual, labor-intensive processes with automated systems to ensure self-sufficiency during long-term cruising.

Boats in this video

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