While Vela is on land, we get the perfect opportunity to show you everything beneath the waterline! Let's take a closer look: ? The Rudder: A spade rudder gives us excellent steering capabilities, but its design makes it more sensitive to impacts compared to a skeg rudder. ?? The Propeller: Our Max Prop automatic feathering propeller adjusts itself when we sail, reducing drag and letting us glide faster through the water. ? The Keel: Weighing 3100 kg, it is a fin keel with a bulb at the bottom. The keel ensures we stay upright by counteracting the wind in the sails. It also minimizes sideways drift while sailing.' ? The Bow Thruster: This little helper makes docking and maneuvering in tight spots easier by pushing the bow to either side - but it's not much help in strong winds! ? Thru hulls and Drains: Did you know we have 18 holes below the waterline? 16 are thru hulls for water intakes, discharges, and transducers, while 2 are for cockpit drainage. Since the old fittings were 20 years old, we replaced them all to ensure Vela stays leak-free. Every detail below the surface has been carefully designed and maintained to keep us safe and efficient on the water. Could you imagine replacing 18 fittings under your boat? Let us know in the comments! ? Music by Sergio Prosvirini from Pixabay #YouTubeShorts #Explore #TravelVlog #Vloggers #DailyLife #ChristmasCalendar #Vlogmas #ChristmasOnBoard #Beneteau44cc #Sailing #Liveaboard #LifeAtSea

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Day 17 of our Christmas calendar dives into something BIG: our new electrical system! ?? This year, we upgraded to a setup that lets us live off-grid for months at a time. Here's what powers Vela: ? 800Ah lithium batteries feeding our Lynx distribution panel. ?? Powers essentials like the 12V DC system, electric winch, anchor windlass, and oil heater. ? MPPT solar charger harnessing energy from the sun. ? 3kW inverter/charger providing AC power wherever we are. ? Future-ready: Plans to add a new engine generator for even more charging efficiency. ?? Fischer Panda genset (8kW) for backup AC power when needed. This system gives us the freedom to run big gadgets like a watermaker, induction cooktop, and maybe even a washing machine (coming soon in the new year!). Check out our animation to see how everything works together! ? Got questions about living off-grid or boat electrical systems? Drop them in the comments! ? ? Join us tomorrow for another peek into life aboard Vela! ? Music by Sergio Prosvirini from Pixabay #YouTubeShorts #Explore #TravelVlog #Vloggers #DailyLife #ChristmasCalendar #Vlogmas #ChristmasOnBoard #Beneteau44cc #Sailing #Liveaboard #LifeAtSea

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Day 18 of our Christmas calendar is all about navigation! ? With our 20-year-old system in need of a major upgrade, we pulled out every single wire and installed a state-of-the-art B&G network. Here's how it works: ?? The Backbone: Our NMEA2000 network runs the length of the boat, connecting all key components: ?? Wind sensor: Real-time wind speed and direction. ? Speed & depth transducer: Critical for safe navigation. ?? Chartplotters: Zeus S 7" at the nav station & Zeus S 12" in the cockpit. ? VHF & AIS: Keeping us connected and safe. ? Victron Ekrano integration: Displays electrical monitoring on our nav instruments. ? Ethernet Network: Some advanced systems connect via Ethernet for seamless updates and integration: ?? HALO Radar & Forward Looking Sonar: For precise situational awareness. ? Internet-connected chartplotters for real-time updates. ? Smart Navigation: From the Precision 9 gyro compass and autopilot computer to the rudder feedback unit, every single component works together for smooth sailing. This setup gives us full control and visibility, ensuring we're ready for any adventure. What's the most exciting feature of this system to you? Let us know in the comments! ? ? Tomorrow, we explore even more of Vela's features-stay tuned! ? Music by Sergio Prosvirini from Pixabay #YouTubeShorts #Explore #TravelVlog #Vloggers #DailyLife #ChristmasCalendar #Vlogmas #ChristmasOnBoard #Beneteau44cc #Sailing #Liveaboard #LifeAtSea

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