Sail Life - Fixing a design flaw on a 44ft catamaran ⛵️

In this week's video, Julian and I fix an annoying design flaw on their 44 ft Fountaine Pajot Helia. When it rains, the water from part of the hardtop drains into the cockpit, causing wet socks and other misery. Ava tours the Hunly submarine, and I make a custom bend acrylic breaker cover.
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[@kumbormontenegro3387]

FASNTASTIC STORY , ABOUT SUB. AND AMERICAN SOUTH . BRAVO AVA !!!!!!!!!!

[@jasongallant9121]

I can't get enough of Sail Life. When you two get into the Pacific come north to Vancouver Isaland I would love your help with my boat! Love you guys!

[@AlisonFort]

Loved the Hunley tour - thank you!

[@Degenhardt450]

I love the way you make videos, I look forward to them each Monday morning, others tend to want to put me back to sleep, haha. 😊 To bend acrylic, using a heat gun, you need to shield the area, that you don’t want heated. I have used bits of wood lying around and clamped it either side of the bend line. It’s just a matter of heating the acrylic along the line and then bend. A nice clean straight bend.

[@thesteve7397]

For projects that require a lot of acrylic forming, a nichrome wire setup works really well.

[@denisbeaulieu958]

Mads, you are a « wizard » and Eva is an excellent researcher/narrator for the benefit of us all. 🇨🇦👍

[@gavinferguson]

lesson for everyone with a french production boats get to know the joys of epoxy asap.

[@Cptnbond]

A fascinating story about the sub, and expertly presented by Ava. Cheers.

[@OnTourWithPattiSmith]

Every week you inflict a tiny heartache, where are the miniatures?? 💯

[@whitneylake2107]

I really enjoy the historical tours as well as the projects ! Thank you

[@karlfair]

Nice fix on both. Thanks Ava for the Hunly story.

[@TheDomin8rr]

Well done! I'd consider plumbing tee diverters in those new drain hoses for catching some of that rainwater before it goes overboard.

[@peterroland6258]

Once again an excellent presentation Ava. I didn't realise that the museum was so close to you. For Mads, I think countersinking the mounting holes in the plexiglass on both sides will prevent stress cracks breaking out from them. Then again, heating may relieve the induced stresses from the drilling.

[@realulli]

Clive Cussler (died in 2020) was actually a rather good writer. I like his books a lot. His personal life was somewhat similar to his book's hero, Dirk Pitt. Cussler collected vintage cars, and every time he got a new one, Pitt found the same model in the novels.

[@latitudeash]

First time ever I’ve seen Eva get into a sweet. I do hope we get to see it again soon…😂🤣

[@markbernier8434]

Maybe I missed it, but wouldn't the other keel be suspect now that you have seen the leaky one?

[@Followingseasmarine]

Another great episode! Loved Ava’s segment.

[@allsearpw3829]

Nice work again and thanks for Ava,s history lesson .👍👍

[@johnmooney9444]

Good video, and as always, thanks for the Ava content. It adds a lot of value. Cheers from Pawleys Island, SC, USA.

[@metalab6411]

Superb history documentary again!

[@philgray1023]

Great history talk! We did exactly the same with a piece of acrylic from our local reverse garbage store. $2 to make a cover for our poor long suffering auto pilot head that is constantly hit by ankles and elbows. I used a couple of pieces of timber in a vice to get a nice sharp corner and a piece of old stainless piano hinge to allow it to lift up.

[@fredv7487]

Hey Mads, another boxs that I have found useful in some of the electrical projects is the Apache boxes available from harbor freight. The latch doors make for easy access and they are watertight. Great video. 👍👍👍👍👍

[@Plumsytheghillieone]

It's been confirmed, the successor of Athena will not be a catamaran, but in fact, a submarine. Can't wait :D Jokes aside, great video as always, really looking forwad to some more fiberglass work :) Hälsningar från Sverige :)

[@Tomm9y]

Seeing Mads in a different environment and boat, I can appreciate his dedication to ingenuity and communication of the process. Then Eva's splendid history segments a great evolution to Sail Life.

[@scotttan6377]

Mads gives me a lot motiviation and confidence to do some of my own DIY projects Ava is such a great storyteller - I was completely captivated . Any audio books in the future ?

[@rondejoux8006]

Ava didn't say bye. but the tour was great Thankyou.

[@jessefalsone1247]

Great tip bending the plexi-glass! I've got several switches and electrical components that could benefit!

[@johnmayer3433]

Hi Mads, what a stroke of luck to have relatives in need of a DIY guy !

[@wilber504]

the tours and local items of interest are fantastic. Ava is growing her abilities as a tour guide and video star! A side note - tour included remembering the men that died gallantly during the Civil War. Well done.

[@gregsage1605]

Your creative, out-of-the-box thinking never ceases to amaze me. Well done Mads!

[@jeffdege4786]

I've never seen anyone mention it, but I've had a great deal of success when doing drill-fill-drill using a cordless handheld router and a t-track bit.

[@william6526]

If you put a 1inch or even a 2 inch hole in the front of the breaker cover it would still provide the protection but it would make reaching the switch much easier then trying to reach it from under the cover.

[@svbarryduckworth628]

I was thinking the same thing. 1" would be just enough to get a finger into and unlikely for anything else to get to it.

[@milt7348]

Stay safe and we'll see you next week.

[@bobuncle8704]

Ava, Thank you for the tour, and Mads, the bent acrylic cover is brilliant.

[@HeidiandFranny]

Love the drainage solution. I just went through this on our 47. I pulled the top step and routed out the tiny holes, epoxied them and reinstalled the top. It seems to drain pretty well to the outboard side, but I really like the drain into the cockpit scupper. I also added a little dam on each side of the top step gap to force the water down the tubes in the steps instead of just rolling over the edge. That made a big difference too. I'd say a 90% improvement. Thanks for the tip! F

[@kevinh7985]

We will definitely be bending and drilling some acrylic when we are back on board. Another excellent and informative segment by Eva. Cheers Kevin

[@billmcroberts6566]

Mass’s big brain and Eva’s small frame=success;-)

[@scott5106]

You might search under switch guards for an off the shelf cover but I can't imagine it would be any better than your creation.

[@idahobob]

Check out Patriots Point Naval Museum where the USS Yorktown is. Also, all the Civil war to WW2 on Sullivan's Island, just south. And can't wait for the full video on Ft Sumter. You HAVE to tour Old Charlston, especially the old Victorians around Battery Park!

[@Tim8mit]

always brilliant solutions for problems and quality work, the differences in the acrylic were not noticeable, cheers Mads and Ava

[@DiscusRussell]

I look forward to Ava and her narration about the local area you happen to be in. Mads I also enjoy your in depth segments on diy as I have done since dare I say it, the Chubby Mads days oh so long ago

[@erichoffman8671]

some barry white music while eva waved her hair after getting out of the lazaret would have been epic

[@jeanhawken4482]

Eva is amazing. So is everyone else but they can’t get into horrid tight areas and then give a brilliant history tour.

[@peterasacker5948]

great job as always...loved the tour of the sub as well

[@theradioweyr]

The vertical orientation also lets any heat escape also, so overall good simple solution!

[@alexdieudonne1924]

Great video nice mix with Ava. Just would of shifted the breaker higher up the cupboard myself.

[@lyfandeth]

Mads- Something most folks don't realize about DC circuit breakers. Even Blue Seas only has a maximum interrupt current of 3000A. That means at 3000 Amps, the contacts weld shut and the breaker can't trip. The problem is that one "car" size battery can produce over 3500A in a crowbar short. That's why we use fuses, not breakers, in batteries. So if that breaker is protecting the battery beneath it? PULL IT OUT NOW. There are very expensive battery breakers rated a 5000A but they are close to $200 each. So again, back to ANL fuses. It took me years to learn that.

[@henrymorgan3982]

When you both retire, you can easily be a boat consultant firm. You could probably start now! Great engineering! Seeyou! LOL!!

[@jaseastroboy9240]

Is this brother-in-law the same person that introduced Ava to your videos? If so then he really played the long game to get his boats keel fixed. 🤣😅

[@ELCADAROSA]

Way to go, Ava!!!

[@brucevogel2693]

Really enjoy being back into the DIY. Love your new format! Well done.

[@jamesadams1064]

Yay Ava. Gotta love a gal from Michigan. If your BIL hasn’t seen apoxy before perhaps you could introduce him to “Oh glorious Sanding" as well.

[@tommac9578]

Are you planning to drop the other keel. With the examples poor attention to detail I would suspect many areas of the craft. The other keel is probably bad as well

[@mikeatfreo2112]

The hand cranks, on the Hunley, are interesting as they are similar to the cranks by which some recent America's Cup yachts maintained their hydraulic power.

[@aserta]

When you bend plexi, heat both sides and don't keep the heatgun too close. Max heat, but keep it far away, and you heat the plexi evenly, slowly, permeating the bend line. I recommend using a scrap to figure out just how long and how far you can keep the nozzle on a spot before it chars or bubbles (some char, some bubble, depending on the internal mix).

[@thomascallaghan5988]

That was a brilliant video I really enjoyed it

[@donaldwatson554]

Well Done Mads and Ava, loved the episode- keep up the great work!

[@schipp7]

Mats are you putting a drain hose/perforated maybe in the keel for future checks. A drain plug might work as well.

[@jamesbrooks9828]

Eva, it’s so interesting you exploring wherever y’all are. Keep that up. I’m from the Charleston are and have visited the Hunley Museum. The one thing you missed is the thing you called a button is actually a coin that was given to him for luck. The reason it is bent is because Dixon had it in his pocket when a musket ball hit it.

[@Amicaner]

Great stuff! Perfect combination of your both strengths! Glorious DIYing with locally acquired & explained knowledge! Love it!

[@Leith.D]

Bending perspex. The waybive bent perspec in the past is similar to your method with a heat gun but i have 2x bits of angle aluminium, say 20mm x20mm. Place them on top like 2 inverted V's, spaced 5-8mm apart depending on the thickness your working with, this directs the heat to a uniformed band alowing easy olacment and alignment of bends. I developed this method from a plastic bending machine i saw 30 yrs ago that just has 2 bits or square ally that you could change the spacing on and an old school bar heater element below them

[@bake162]

Making those covers would be a great cottage industry for someone that just want to make a few extra dollars

[@bdphourde]

I see why you are so good at DIY, you really love doing it! Me, on the other hand, would have opted for the breaker relocation and the always-fun, expensive cable running throughout the hulls! A project that could easily be completed in just over 3 weeks! That would be almost a month of video content involving more of Ava crawling around in small claustrophobic spaces! You should have thought that through! 😉 And speaking of Ava, once more she shines like a rose in sunshine with her increasingly successful efforts to reverse the dumbing down of America! But I remember there was a sad ending to the Hundley and I never knew if their "torpedo" exploded without a delay sinking them, too, or some other way. I've thought of another way for you to do a long-term DIY boat project. Why don't you go in with Cadoha and agree to combine your yachts into a single catamaran? I'm already trying to calculate in my head how many rolls of duct tape THAT might require! Can't wait!

[@jamesallen712]

Oh glorious sanding next week. Cant wait!

[@edwardhovitz1753]

Funny when Ava came out all sweaty and gross and did the Baywatch hair shake :-)

[@LandyAndy62]

Polycarbonate sheet is easier to work with than Acrylic, and less prone to cracking. It is affected by UV however, and about 30% more expensive.

[@bootybandy]

Lovely stuff Mads, but, is the other keel not getting the same treatment, or is that one watertight?

[@windonwater3895]

As a Navy submariner, I found Ava's talk very entertaining. Much better than watching boat stuff 😂

[@MidnightAmratha]

pro-tip, heating the plexiglass prior to drilling holes in it will mitigate a lot of the brittleness of said plexi-glass. other than that things looked fine.

[@Gottenhimfella]

And an easy way to achieve tidier, more compact and consistent bends is to clamp a couple of strips of sheetmetal to the front grille of a electric one-bar (wound-element) radiation heater, sometimes called a "strip" heater. Just leave a narrow gap of maybe 5mm* for the heat to escape (*for bending 6mm acrylic). Hold the plastic sheet far enough away from the sheetmetal that the reradiated heat conducted through it is minimal, (about 5mm is probably about right) and line up the desired bend line with the slot. Apply a slight bending force with the fingers to judge when the bend zone is sufficiently "plastic" to enable acheiving the desired bend angle. About 5mm is probably about right.

[@johnneal9400]

Good job Eva

[@RasmusHuusom]

Hej Mads, Hvis du skal lave flere skærme eller afdækninger så få fat i noget Polycarbonat "Lexan" i stedet for, det er lidt lettere at arbejde med og det kan bukkes koldt uden at det "springer" som plexiglas/acryl kan gøre

[@pezpengy9308]

the uneven bends are a serious design feature! it lowers the clearance of the cover on the cabinet door side so things slide off and dont get caught on it, while the extra clearance in the back makes it easier to stick big ol fingers in for breaker reset duty. well done!

[@smc4563]

Mads ! Have you never heard of a thread file? And to retigthing the nut , just hold the shaft or the conenical with a pipewrenge or some block of wood. Thats how we do in Danmark.

[@conormegan2824]

Great work.

[@JakobEngl]

Great video

[@chrisiclickyou3947]

Well done!!

[@bwuepper439]

Ava, what about the Turtle, a submersible built in 1775?

[@64nine]

You just need a table/circ saw to take 1/2 the material so when you melt the persapecs you get a clean line 👌

[@YTMegiddo]

Of all the hundreds of examples of epoxy mixing it'd be a great video just how to mix it. Just one video to view for mixing.

[@sailingmotherearth]

Amazing!

[@petrospapapanagiotou]

Great presentation by Ava and good to be back in DIYing mode. One question though... Why opening the drainage holes bigger if the bottom of the ladder ends up in 1" tube? Wouldn't this just "relocate" the clogging point? Wasn't it possible for the stainless guy to fit a tube of the same diameter as the visible one???

[@KeithRowell]

While you are in Charleston... best restaurant FIG. We almost moved to Charleston before finally choosing Madeira PT.

[@mk1photography61]

Super spiffy sunday viewing definitely interesting

[@douglasrobbie9998]

Surprised you didn't set up some type of fan/low wattage heater to help dry out the inside of the keel faster/more completely.

[@helgaschmiedtmarcelofalcao2246]

or let it under the Sun light.

[@SteifWood]

Make sure always use [a lil more expensive] *cast acrylic,* extruded is impossible to saw/route/drill without it burns/melt/fuss.

[@danandyong6653]

Just use an outdoor electrical outlet box, has a clear cover, and simply swings open... cheap and easy

[@robinbennett5994]

I think the trick for getting equal bends in plastic is to shield the area either side of the bend with a piece of plywood or metal. That way you only heat a narrow strip, and the bend is confined to that strip.

[@jeffvoight6586]

Hey, for bending, check out This Old Tony. He has a video about determining where to place the bends (in metal) so that they land in the right place in the final product. Something about k-factor?

[@webheadusa9377]

Mads, your shirt is plain! It must be new - there is no silk-screened message! Oh Glorious Jack of All Trades - Master of Them All! :¬) Webhead USA

[@lkm5462]

I think the brakes assembly you covered should have, at the least, rubber paint on the bare leads

[@journeymanadventure]

Gday Mad's if you place a length of fiber cement sheet either side of your intended bend the heat gun won't heat where it's shielded that makes a more accurate bend easier 🏴‍☠️🍺

[@jaseastroboy9240]

A clear project box with a finger sized hole drilled in the side or bottom would probably have worked as well. When I have used plastic, it isn't the bending or careful drilling that usually causes cracking but rather the final quarter turn as you tighten the screws. 😒

[@mikeskelly2356]

That 'exposed' connector on top of that breaker seems unsafe. Even though it's 'low' voltage, that size conductor implies heavy amperage. The cover could start out as a 'T' shape, with the top leg protecting the lug from contact, and a hole drilled directly over the breaker button would make actuation simple...🤔

[@grantmyers7593]

was thinking a thermostat cover might work too.

[@aaronallen4647]

“And what nuts!” LoL

[@henriksteamroller]

Instead of using plexiglass, you could 3d print a cover for the breaker

[@SailLife]

Henrik! Good buddy! :D I've been flirting with the idea of having a 3D printer aboard Athena but there just is not enough room. I hope all is well in Denmark :)

[@robinbennett5994]

I keep hoping for Ava to butt in at the end and remind us to 'leave a like' 🙂

[@SailingWithVampires]

Simulated water! Just spiffy for that simulated thirst!

[@mortenjrgensen4630]

See you👍🏽🥰

[@HAHAFUNNY4]

Great video, question what epoxy products did you use and how did you get that consistency.

[@patrickwiklund2039]

👍

[@XArthieX]

How would one prevent the ladder from clogging up at the base? Since the ladder tubing diameter is larger than the added base. Can't imagine it's easy to clean.