Building the Heart of Our Boat | 24V & 48V Power System Refit

After nearly a year of planning and waiting, we finally begin building out the heart of our onboard electrical system ⚡⛵ In this episode, we tackle a major refit milestone by designing and installing the core power infrastructure for our catamaran. We’re building a native 24V and 48V electrical system, and the first big decision was relocating critical power equipment out of a deck locker that posed a serious water intrusion risk. Instead, we converted the forward captain’s berth/office into a dedicated utility room — safer, drier, and far more serviceable. To support the electrical gear, we built a custom structural wall using 1-inch Coosa board laminated with 1/4-inch fiberglass for strength and rigidity. As we mocked up the layout, we discovered that not everything would fit as planned — the large inverters had to be moved to an adjacent wall, forcing a rethink of the design before final installation. With the wall bonded in place using bolts and Sikaflex, we mounted a significant portion of our power system, including: Victron inverter and transformer Two battery chargers DC/DC charger 24V and 48V DC bus bars AC electrical panel(s) This Victron equipment has been stored away for nearly a year while other refit priorities took precedence, so finally getting everything mounted and positioned feels like a huge win. The system is coming together, and the next major step will be wiring and commissioning the power plant. If you’re interested in catamaran refits, marine electrical systems, Victron installations, or large-scale sailboat upgrades, this episode is a big step forward in our long refit journey. Thanks for following along — progress is finally visible, and it feels great. 00:00 Teaser clips 00:18 Channel Intro 00:36 Intro to project 01:06 Layout power wall 09:22 Support ledge 11:42 Create aluminum backing plates 15:30 Epoxy in backing plates 17:31 Drill and tap for mounting hardware 17:55 Cut outs for Aircon vents 18:14 Dry fit 19:22 Prep wall to support Multiplus inverters 20:26 Glue and screw wall into place 24:06 Mount Victron gear 29:34 Like and subscribe 29:58 End card #SailingLife #BoatRefit #SailboatMaintenance #CruisingLife #powerplant #DIYBoatProjects #SailingCouple #SailboatRestoration #liveaboardlife #victron #victronenergy © Sailing Roam 2025