Our boat refit that includes a conversion to all electric needs a lot of solar panels. We are fitting four Victron 175watt panels to the guardrails (2 per side). So we have designed and built custom support arms that attach to our carbon fibre guardrails allowing the panels to swivel. All made with low cost materials. We are now living aboard full-time and want to get off-grid as soon as possible so we don't have to pay for boatyard electricity. We have a frequently updated blog at https://sustainablesailing.net with membership options and a weekly newsletter at £2 per month for Early Bird Supporters. Our free Sustainable Sailing book is at: https://sustainablesailing.codeberg.p... Or visit our shop at https://sustainablesailing.teemill.com/ for great hoodies, t-shirts and bags. When we bought Vida in August 2019 she was in a very tired and damp condition with all original equipment and fittings (much of it not working). We have removed all the gas, diesel and paraffin equipment, and are installing all-electric (motor, cooking etc). More details on our blog at https://sustainablesailing.net/ Socials: Facebook: / sustainsailing Mastodon: https://mas.to/@SustainableSailing #diy #boatrefit #solar #electricyacht

We had a mad rush to stretch our Dyneema on the special apparatus we had built in the garden. We had to finish before we left Manchester, and the shrouds were not finished until less than a week before we moved. These shrouds and stays were both much longer and thicker than we have done before, that meant big challenges for our garden rig. We are now living aboard full-time and this work had to be done if we are going to be able to get our main mast up. We have a frequently updated blog at https://sustainablesailing.net with membership options and a weekly newsletter at £2 per month for Early Bird Supporters. Our free Sustainable Sailing book is at: https://sustainablesailing.codeberg.p... Or visit our shop at https://sustainablesailing.teemill.com/ for great hoodies, t-shirts and bags. When we bought Vida in August 2019 she was in a very tired and damp condition with all original equipment and fittings (much of it not working). We have removed all the gas, diesel and paraffin equipment, and are installing all-electric (motor, cooking etc). More details on our blog at https://sustainablesailing.net/ Socials: Facebook: / sustainsailing Mastodon: https://mas.to/@SustainableSailing #diy #boatrefit #dyneema #chainplate #rigging

This is a catch-up video of a couple of weekends when we tried to prepare to fit a couple of knees to take the loads from the main mast starboard cap shroud and it's dyneema chainplate. We broke tools and it took far too long. We have a frequently updated blog at https://sustainablesailing.net with membership options and a weekly newsletter at £2 per month for Early Bird Supporters. Our free Sustainable Sailing book is at: https://sustainablesailing.codeberg.page/ Or visit our shop at https://sustainablesailing.teemill.com/ for great hoodies, t-shirts and bags. When we bought Vida in August 2019 she was in a very tired and damp condition with all original equipment and fittings (much of it not working). We have removed all the gas, diesel and paraffin equipment, and are installing all-electric (motor, cooking etc). More details on our blog at https://sustainablesailing.net/ Socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SustainSailing/ Mastodon: https://mas.to/@SustainableSailing #diy #boatrefit #dyneema #chainplate #knees #liveaboard

We are now living aboard full-time as we prepare to launch our electric-powered 1977 Rival 38 Centre Cockpit Ketch. This is a specialised video as Jane gives practical tips on locking brummel eye splices in 12mm Dyneema. Our mizzen mast has been up for 8 months with all DIY 9mm Dyneema rigging. We have now made and stretched all the 12mm dyneema rigging for our main mast (2 backstay, 2 cap shrouds, 4 lower shrouds, 1 forestay). We found the technique that worked for 9mm dyneema did not work for 12mm and so have had to adapt. We have a frequently updated blog at https://sustainablesailing.net with membership options and a weekly newsletter at £2 per month for Early Bird Supporters. Our free Sustainable Sailing book is at: https://sustainablesailing.codeberg.page/ Or visit our shop at https://sustainablesailing.teemill.com/ for great hoodies, t-shirts and bags. When we bought Vida in August 2019 she was in a very tired and damp condition with all original equipment and fittings (much of it not working). We have removed all the gas, diesel and paraffin equipment, and are installing all-electric (motor, cooking etc). More details on our blog at https://sustainablesailing.net/ Socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SustainSailing/ Mastodon: https://mas.to/@SustainableSailing #diy #boatrefit #dyneema #splicing #liveaboard

We are now living aboard full-time as we prepare to launch our electric-powered 1977 Rival 38 Centre Cockpit Ketch. To get up-to-date, here is a tour of how things are at the moment. We have overhauled our blog at https://sustainablesailing.net with membership options and a weekly newsletter at £2 per month for Early Bird Supporters. Our free Sustainable Sailing book is at: https://sustainablesailing.codeberg.page/ Or visit our shop at https://sustainablesailing.teemill.com/ for great hoodies, t-shirts and bags. We have been refitting a 1977 Rival 38 for a Sustainable Sailing retirement, that has just started :-) When we bought Vida in August 2019 she was in a very tired and damp condition with all original equipment and fittings (much of it not working). We have removed all the gas, diesel and paraffin equipment, and are installing all-electric (motor, cooking etc). More details on our blog at https://sustainablesailing.net/ Socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SustainSailing/ Mastodon: https://mas.to/@SustainableSailing #diy #boatrefit #electricboat #liveaboard

If you like our videos, you can always drop a tip in our coffee jar (or become a member) on Ko-Fi! at https://ko-fi.com/sustainablesailing/ At last, after 5 years, our mizzen mast is back up!! The first test of all our DIY work: - DIY mast painted - DIY mast support rebuilt - DIY acetal tangs - DIY Dyneema Shrouds - DIY Chainplate backing plates - DIY Dyneema Chainplates - DIY Lashings to tension the shrouds Our free Sustainable Sailing book is at: https://sustainablesailing.codeberg.page/ Or visit our shop at https://sustainablesailing.teemill.com/ for great hoodies, t-shirts and bags. We are refitting a 1977 Rival 38 for a Sustainable Sailing retirement starting in Summer 2025. When we bought Vida in August 2019 she was in a very tired and damp condition with all original equipment and fittings (much of it not working). We have removed all the gas, diesel and paraffin equipment, and are installing all-electric (motor, cooking etc). More details on our blog at https://sustainablesailing.net/ Socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SustainSailing/ Mastodon: https://mas.to/@SustainableSailing #diy #boatrefit #mizzen #safety #chainplates #dyneema #mizzen mast #dyneema #tangs

If you like our videos, you can always drop a tip in our coffee jar (or become a member) on Ko-Fi! at https://ko-fi.com/sustainablesailing/ Our mizzen mast is now ready to go up. Plus we've sorted out our poop :-) And an invitation to paint our boat ;-) Our free Sustainable Sailing book is at: https://sustainablesailing.codeberg.page/ Or visit our shop at https://sustainablesailing.teemill.com/ for great hoodies, t-shirts and bags. We are refitting a 1977 Rival 38 for a Sustainable Sailing retirement starting in Summer 2025. When we bought Vida in August 2019 she was in a very tired and damp condition with all original equipment and fittings (much of it not working). We have removed all the gas, diesel and paraffin equipment, and are installing all-electric (motor, cooking etc). More details on our blog at https://sustainablesailing.net/ Socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SustainSailing/ Mastodon: https://mas.to/@SustainableSailing #diy #boatrefit #mizzen #safety #chainplates #dyneema #mizzen mast #dyneema #tangs #compost #toilet #composting toilet

If you like our videos, you can always drop a tip in our coffee jar (or become a member) on Ko-Fi! at https://ko-fi.com/sustainablesailing/ Our DIY Dyneema Chainplates are now finished and the deckhead prepared for the mizzen mast to be put up Also done, the Chafe protection for the cap shrouds passing the Spreaders. Our free Sustainable Sailing book is at: https://sustainablesailing.codeberg.page/ Or visit our shop at https://sustainablesailing.teemill.com/ for great hoodies, t-shirts and bags. We are refitting a 1977 Rival 38 for a Sustainable Sailing retirement starting in Summer 2025. When we bought Vida in August 2019 she was in a very tired and damp condition with all original equipment and fittings (much of it not working). We have removed all the gas, diesel and paraffin equipment, and are installing all-electric (motor, cooking etc). More details on our blog at https://sustainablesailing.net/ Socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SustainSailing/ Mastodon: https://mas.to/@SustainableSailing #diy #boatrefit #mizzen #safety #chainplates #dyneema #mizzen mast #dyneema #tangs

If you like our videos, you can always drop a tip in our coffee jar (or become a member) on Ko-Fi! at https://ko-fi.com/sustainablesailing/ Our DIY mizzen mast tangs are finished and fitted (see "New! Version 3 of DIY Mast tangs for Dyneema shrouds: Synthetic standing rigging Episode 9" https://youtu.be/MqhnHqkaoGI?si=Ku5BxwIlWcFWj9zz ) We fitted the Spreaders and Mast top as well. Our free Sustainable Sailing book is at: https://sustainablesailing.codeberg.page/ Or visit our shop at https://sustainablesailing.teemill.com/ for great hoodies, t-shirts and bags. We are refitting a 1977 Rival 38 for a Sustainable Sailing retirement starting in Summer 2025. When we bought Vida in August 2019 she was in a very tired and damp condition with all original equipment and fittings (much of it not working). We have removed all the gas, diesel and paraffin equipment, and are installing all-electric (motor, cooking etc). More details on our blog at https://sustainablesailing.net/ Socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SustainSailing/ Mastodon: https://mas.to/@SustainableSailing #diy #boatrefit #mizzen #safety #mizzen mast #dyneema #tangs

At last, we have fitted the DIY mast tangs (see "New! Version 3 of DIY Mast tangs for Dyneema shrouds: Synthetic standing rigging Episode 9" https://youtu.be/MqhnHqkaoGI?si=Ku5BxwIlWcFWj9zz ) We refitted the mast foot too! Also refitted the reinforcement plates for the mast tang bolts. And we finished painting the mizzen mast, it's spreaders, boom and the main mast spreaders. Our free Sustainable Sailing book is at: https://sustainablesailing.codeberg.page/ We have memberships and welcome donations on Ko-Fi! at https://ko-fi.com/sustainablesailing/ Or visit our shop at https://sustainablesailing.teemill.com/ for great hoodies, t-shirts and bags. We are refitting a 1977 Rival 38 for a Sustainable Sailing retirement starting in Summer 2025. When we bought Vida in August 2019 she was in a very tired and damp condition with all original equipment and fittings (much of it not working). We have removed all the gas, diesel and paraffin equipment, and are installing all-electric (motor, cooking etc). More details on our blog at https://sustainablesailing.net/ Socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SustainSailing/ Mastodon: https://mas.to/@SustainableSailing #diy #boatrefit #mizzen #safety #mizzen mast #dyneema #tangs

During the plenty of bad weather times last week we removed the old single port knee and fitted two new knees for our main mast cap shroud, the dyneema chainplate knot will fit between them. Our free Sustainable Sailing book is at: https://sustainablesailing.codeberg.page/ We have memberships and welcome donations on Ko-Fi! at https://ko-fi.com/sustainablesailing/ Or visit our shop at https://sustainablesailing.teemill.com/ for great hoodies, t-shirts and bags. We are refitting a 1977 Rival 38 for a Sustainable Sailing retirement starting in Summer 2025. When we bought Vida in August 2019 she was in a very tired and damp condition with all original equipment and fittings (much of it not working). We have removed all the gas, diesel and paraffin equipment, and are installing all-electric (motor, cooking etc). More details on our blog at https://sustainablesailing.net/ Socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SustainSailing/ Mastodon: https://mas.to/@SustainableSailing #diy #boatrefit #knees #chainplate #dyneema #safety #cap shroud

We talk about Sustainability and what it means for us in financial, mental, physical and environmental ways. It's just about possible that we are pretty controversial. What do you think? Our free Sustainable Sailing book is at: https://sustainablesailing.codeberg.page/ We have memberships and welcome donations on Ko-Fi! at https://ko-fi.com/sustainablesailing/ Or visit our shop at https://sustainablesailing.teemill.com/ for great hoodies, t-shirts and bags. We are refitting a 1977 Rival 38 for a Sustainable Sailing retirement starting in Summer 2025. When we bought Vida in August 2019 she was in a very tired and damp condition with all original equipment and fittings (much of it not working). We have removed all the gas, diesel and paraffin equipment, and are installing all-electric (motor, cooking etc). More details on our blog at https://sustainablesailing.net/ Socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SustainSailing/ Mastodon: https://mas.to/@SustainableSailing #sustainability #christianity #mentalhealth #physicalhealth #financialhealth #controversialviews

We were feeling a little paranoid after a comment ages ago that our work in the aft cabin was making the boat dangerously weak. What do you think? Is our support for the mizzen mast strong enough? Our free Sustainable Sailing book is at: https://sustainablesailing.codeberg.page/ We have memberships and welcome donations on Ko-Fi! at https://ko-fi.com/sustainablesailing/ Or visit our shop at https://sustainablesailing.teemill.com/ for great hoodies, t-shirts and bags. We are refitting a 1977 Rival 38 for a Sustainable Sailing retirement starting in Summer 2025. When we bought Vida in August 2019 she was in a very tired and damp condition with all original equipment and fittings (much of it not working). We have removed all the gas, diesel and paraffin equipment, and are installing all-electric (motor, cooking etc). More details on our blog at https://sustainablesailing.net/ Socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SustainSailing/ Mastodon: https://mas.to/@SustainableSailing #diy #boatrefit #mizzen #safety #mizzen mast

How we make our dyneema chainplates. Our free Sustainable Sailing book is at: https://sustainablesailing.codeberg.page/ If you would like to support us we have memberships or donations on Ko-Fi! at https://ko-fi.com/sustainablesailing/ (apart from a small card processing % we get all your support which is much better value than Patreon who take a large percentage). Or visit our shop at https://sustainablesailing.teemill.com/ for great hoodies, t-shirts and bags. We are refitting a 1977 Rival 38 for a Sustainable Sailing retirement starting in Summer 2025. When we bought Vida in August 2019 she was in a very tired and damp condition with all original equipment and fittings (much of it not working). We have removed all the gas, diesel and paraffin equipment, and are installing all-electric (motor, cooking etc). More details on our blog at https://sustainablesailing.net/ Socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SustainSailing/ Mastodon: https://mas.to/@SustainableSailing #diy #boatrefit #chainplates #mizzen #dyneema

We have finished splicing all 6 mizzen shrouds (technically 4 plus 2 forestays) plus the 2 running backstays as well as all 8 chainplate loops. Now all the shrouds & stays need to be stretched to tighten the splices where the weave was opened when creating them. The chainplate loops have both splices and the knot to be tightened. We do all this in our back garden where we built a timber runway for the task of stretching our dyneema stuff. We use a crane scale to measure how much we tension the dyneema and another to measure the pull we are applying. Our free Sustainable Sailing book is at: https://sustainablesailing.codeberg.page/ If you would like to support us then we have memberships or donations on Ko-Fi! at https://ko-fi.com/sustainablesailing/ (apart from a small card processing % we get all your support which is much better value than Patreon who take a large percentage). Or visit our shop at https://sustainablesailing.teemill.com/ for great hoodies, t-shirts and bags. We are refitting a 1977 Rival 38 for a Sustainable Sailing retirement starting in Summer 2025. When we bought Vida in August 2019 she was in a very tired and damp condition with all original equipment and fittings (much of it not working). We have removed all the gas, diesel and paraffin equipment, and are installing all-electric (motor, cooking etc). More detail on our blog at https://sustainablesailing.net/ Socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SustainSailing/ Mastodon: https://mas.to/@SustainableSailing #diy #boatrefit #sailing #mizzen #dyneema

Our next big task, one we need to do before winter, is to get our Mizzen mast up. We haven't touched it for a long while, so couldn't remember quite where we had got to and where everything was. Several years ago we pretty comprehensively stripped the mast of fittings and primed, undercoated and top coated it with International Perfection. We had got partway through wiring it for AIS and WiFi, then someone damaged it. Now it is repaired it is time to get ready to put it up. The rigging is going to be all new and all DIY - Acetal Tangs, Dyneema Shrouds, Dyneema Chainplates, FR4 backing plates etc. Our free Sustainable Sailing book is at: https://sustainablesailing.codeberg.page/ If you would like to support us then we have memberships or donations on Ko-Fi! at https://ko-fi.com/sustainablesailing/ (apart from a small card processing % we get all your support which is much better value than Patreon who take a large percentage). Or visit our shop at https://sustainablesailing.teemill.com/ for great hoodies, t-shirts and bags. We are refitting a 1977 Rival 38 for a Sustainable Sailing retirement starting in Summer 2025. When we bought Vida in August 2019 she was in a very tired and damp condition with all original equipment and fittings (much of it not working). We have removed all the gas, diesel and paraffin equipment, and are installing all-electric (motor, cooking etc). More detail on our blog at https://sustainablesailing.net/ Socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SustainSailing/ Mastodon: https://mas.to/@SustainableSailing #diy #boatrefit #sailing #mizzen #dyneema

We have been fitting new carbon fibre stanchions with carbon fibre top rails where we are putting solar panels (4 x 175watt). Here we build prototype adjustable supports so that the panels can be dropped for docking, tilted to follow the sun or to avoid waves when heeling. Shout out to @SV-Nicandi our near neighbours Our free Sustainable Sailing book is at: https://sustainablesailing.codeberg.page/ If you would like to support us then we have memberships or donations on Ko-Fi! at https://ko-fi.com/sustainablesailing/ (apart from a small card processing % we get all your support which is much better value than Patreon who take 20%). Or visit our shop at https://sustainablesailing.teemill.com/ for great hoodies, t-shirts and bags. We are refitting a 1977 Rival 38 for a Sustainable Sailing retirement starting in Summer 2025. When we bought Vida in August 2019 she was in a very tired and damp condition with all original equipment and fittings (much of it not working). We have removed all the gas, diesel and paraffin equipment, and are installing all-electric (motor, cooking etc). More detail on our blog at https://sustainablesailing.net/ Socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SustainSailing/ Mastodon: https://mas.to/@SustainableSailing #diy #boatrefit #sailing #solar #guardrails

We have a lot of videos and Blog posts about our Dyneema Rigging. Here we discuss the ketch sail plan and the evolution from the original 1977 sail plan, through the worn out sails that were on Vida when we bought her, to what we are implementing now and in the future. Not only have we changed the sail plan, we also have new Crusader sails, new furlers and more. Our free Sustainable Sailing book is at: https://sustainablesailing.codeberg.page/ If you would like to support us then we have memberships or donations on Ko-Fi! at https://ko-fi.com/sustainablesailing/ (apart from a small card processing % we get all your support which is much better value than Patreon who take 20%). Or visit our shop at https://sustainablesailing.teemill.com/ for great hoodies, t-shirts and bags. We are refitting a 1977 Rival 38 for a Sustainable Sailing retirement starting in Summer 2025. When we bought Vida in August 2019 she was in a very tired and damp condition with all original equipment and fittings (much of it not working). We have removed all the gas, diesel and paraffin equipment, and are installing all-electric (motor, cooking etc). More detail on our blog at https://sustainablesailing.net/ Socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SustainSailing/ Mastodon: https://mas.to/@SustainableSailing #diy #boatrefit #sailing #ketch #sail plan

We have always found inspiration from Kika and Dan of @SailingUma but we never thought we would copy "The Nook". But now we have "The Nook++" Our free Sustainable Sailing book is at: https://sustainablesailing.codeberg.page/ If you would like to support us then we have memberships or donations on Ko-Fi! at https://ko-fi.com/sustainablesailing/ (apart from a small card processing % we get all your support which is much better value than Patreon who take 20%). Or visit our shop at https://sustainablesailing.teemill.com/ for great hoodies, t-shirts and bags. We are refitting a 1977 Rival 38 for a Sustainable Sailing retirement starting in Summer 2025. When we bought Vida in August 2019 she was in a very tired and damp condition with all original equipment and fittings (much of it not working). We have removed all the gas, diesel and paraffin equipment, and are installing all-electric (motor, cooking etc). More detail on our blog at https://sustainablesailing.net/ Socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SustainSailing/ Mastodon: https://mas.to/@SustainableSailing #diy #boatrefit #sailing

Now that we have all our carbon fibre stanchions fitted we can make more progress on the carbon fibre rails (and their supports) for the side solar panels as well as more galley building and painting. Our free Sustainable Sailing book is at: https://sustainablesailing.codeberg.page/ If you would like to support us then we have memberships or donations on Ko-Fi! at https://ko-fi.com/sustainablesailing/ (apart from a small card processing % we get all your support which is much better value than Patreon who take 20%). Or visit our shop at https://sustainablesailing.teemill.com/ for great hoodies, t-shirts and bags. We are refitting a 1977 Rival 38 for a Sustainable Sailing retirement starting in Summer 2025. When we bought Vida in August 2019 she was in a very tired and damp condition with all original equipment and fittings (much of it not working). We have removed all the gas, diesel and paraffin equipment, and are installing all-electric (motor, cooking etc). More detail on our blog at https://sustainablesailing.net/ Socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SustainSailing/ Mastodon: https://mas.to/@SustainableSailing #Stanchions #boatrefit #sailing #solar