Gratitude
A huge THANK YOU to our SUBSCRIBERS of our YouTube Channel and for allowing us to get to a wider audience.
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© Copyright 2009 - 2026 diycatamaran.com. All rights reserved.
This site documents a hands-on, real-world tweaks of a liveaboard cruising catamaran, with a focus on offshore reliability, self-sufficiency, and system redundancy. Every upgrade featured here is based on practical experience at sea. From electrical system redesigns and lithium battery integration to saildrive replacements, watermakers, and structural repairs.
Our two goals are simple:
1. Planning and executing remote location sailing, immersing in new cultures and photographing coral wonders.
2. Build a safer, comfortable, more reliable offshore cruising platform.
I am James and these are our tales. I am ably assisted by my wife Mary-Ann, children, and friends and have turned a hobby into a cruising passion, sharing what many will never see in a lifetime.
The content on this site is based on 20,000 nautical miles of offshore sailing and liveaboard operation.
Our upgrades have been tested in real conditions, including:
> Extended offshore passages
> Heavy weather sailing (up to 45 knots encountered conditions)
> Remote cruising locations with limited support
> Full-time liveaboard usage
Our refits are not done in isolation, they are evolving offshore systems refined through real-world use.
On the remote offshore cruising side, we live the adventures that many only dream about. This project combines real-world passagemaking, technical problem-solving, and liveaboard cruising into a continuously evolving offshore platform.
Core focus areas include:
> Planning and preparing for extended offshore adventures
> Executing safe and efficient ocean passages
> Documenting real-world challenges and practical solutions
> Managing sail configuration and rig optimisation for safe cruising
> Capturing vibrant coral and ocean photography along the way
> Making short 'no chat' videos for YouTube
> Immersing ourselves in new cultures and the cruising lifestyle
Each sailing season brings together a unique combination of exploration, technical refinement, offshore experience, and storytelling from life in the South Pacific.
Past projects have centred on a full systems-level refits of a Leopard 45 and Lagoon L400, with all major onboard systems upgraded or modified. Core focus areas include:
> Electrical system redesign and lithium energy storage
> Propulsion upgrades and saildrive replacement
> Watermaker installation and freshwater independence
> Sail and rigging optimisation for offshore performance
> Structural repairs and long-term durability improvements
Each system is designed to integrate with the others for offshore resilience and redundancy.
Your support throughout the years has been amazing, and we genuinely thank you. We have had over million views on our websites and over 1,700 Subscribers on our various channels.
To our Subscribers, we are very mindful of your viewing time and we thank you for choosing to look our channel way. This indirect support drives us to 'step up' and deliver more.
If you are yet to Subscribe to our YouTube channel, please consider it. It's FREE and helps us attract a wider like-minded audience. Subscribing feeds the google algorithms, which in turn allows Google to show you other channels similar to ours.
A huge THANK YOU to our SUBSCRIBERS of our YouTube Channel and for allowing us to get to a wider audience.
© Copyright 2009 - 2026 diycatamaran.com. All rights reserved.