Our LIVES Are About To Change COMPLETELY 🤯 Sailing Vessel Delos Ep. 452

The cat is out of the bag! MASSIVE changes are on the horizon for us, and we are so excited to take you all along on the journey with us! We've been getting so many amazing questions about Delos 2.0 and our upcoming plans, so we decided to do a LIVESTREAM Q&A for our Patrons Saturday March 23rd. If you want all the inside scoop on Delos 2.0, lots of other exclusive bonus content, early & ad free access to all our videos, direct messaging with us, and lots more, consider joining our Inner Tribe on Patreon. Learn more at patreon.com/svdelos

We've never met, and while I know it's weird, I've come to think of you as friends over the years. I'm very excited for you, and really looking forward to watching you build what looks like it will be a spectacular exploration/cruising vessel! Im sure it feels a bit overwhelming right now, (I've been sailing all my life and working in the boat business for some of it, and I'd certainly be feeling overwhelmed!), but having watched you for years take an even, analytical approach to investigating and solving all sorts of problems on Delos, I can think of nobody whose ability to learn and implement new information and new skills I would have more confidence in than you guys. I'm also excited for Sierra. She's clearly a bright, loving, and cheerful child, and it's been great fun watching you two introduce her to the adventure in your own lives and the natural wonderland you all have the privilege of being immersed in, but I have to admit that in addition to admiring your ability to make her feel cared for, engage her in your travels, and show her how to be adaptable and appreciative, as the parent of a grown daughter, I've sometimes wondered a little bit about how much she might miss the socialization of going to school and living with a steady group of other children. It seems like your decision to take on this project couldn't come at a better time for her, and hopefully she'll gain a group of new friends, get introduced to life ashore and either learn to appreciate at much greater depth the life she's had up 'til now, or gain the tools to take a different path if she chooses to. Bravo Mama & Papa, and best of luck with your new adventure - can't wait to see how it goes!!!

If you need further reinforcement of your decision to do an aluminum build in a warm place, go to a cold climate aluminum shop and look at the size of the gas main needed for the heating to keep the metal at an appropriate temperature for good welding practice!

Oh jeez, this is going to be the ultimate boat work series. Boat work is my fav.

I would like to say go for a 65-75 foot boat. Just to incorporate a workshop and additional bunk space. Although it is small now, your family will grow (look for min 4 cabins and a kitchen). The longer length can make the pontoons wider and more space for bunking and wash-places and storage; while still getting some speed from the hulls. The hull looks very narrow in the video, get something 3-4 feet wider. Have to remember that 4 -6 inches will be insulation. (check out nauti-styles boat build in turkey, who have a great video on the inside construction and isolated bulkhead to prevent noise from cabins). The greater the underwater volume of your 2 hulls the better your (Center of gravity, and MG) which can make the boat more stable. For water tanks think at least 1.5m3 or 2 m3 tanks. For fuel tanks think double of Delos is now. Black water system (toilets) with a holding and treatment tank. Grey water tank (dishwasher, showers, sinks), with holding tanks. Black water and grey water tanks help in marine restricted places. Double your freezer space and fridge space. Compartmentalize your AC spaces. Best AC goes into the bedrooms (lowest temp), next your inside rooms (not as low as your bedrooms). You don't always have to run ac down to 20C, you can sleep at 22 to 24 AC, if the weather outside is over 30C. Whatever your design plan for 2-3 days at anchor for a battery bank, meaning you might need to put alot of batteries onboard for your electrical load. Put all the luxury items in too (freezers, fridges, ice makers and AC units, shop equipment or anything else). Look at the hulls being 1/3 height for tanks (water, waste tanks black, grey, fuel). The other 2/3 heights is for bedrooms etc. Look at 8Ft for bedroom height and 8.5-9 feet for the big cabin. If you can get higher head room in the interior. The biggest mistake most people make is cutting cost by limiting the expansion factor. If you want to add things in the future ;you must leave space and put in the electrical, when the boat is constructed. If you are finding the space cramped, make it bigger. That keel length looks very small, maybe go 15-20 feet keel. Also ask about a winged keel, which could give you more lift the faster you go in the water. Watertight compartments- As a rule you might look at no holes in the watertight bulkheads below the water line (or waterline +1 foot). For piping the piping can be welded. Cabling is harder to make watertight, you need to check into that. At least 4 -5 WT compartment per hull depending on the length of boat. For instance at the front of hull one bulkhead at 7-10 feet (storage locker), the second one at 14-20 feet (workshop or dive locker with dive compressor/backup diesel generator). Thicker aluminum at the front for reinforced bow for ice/logs etc. Biggest concern is that you need to sail a fwd helm and see how you like it (with minimum help), especially in inclement weather. Is there a area to dry off when you go out side and how do you tie on for safety in large waves/seas.

My favorite thing about sailing youtube is the videos oscillate from 90% sailing 10% DIY to 10% sailing and 90% diy every few years then back again, and we're finally at the stage in that cycle and I'm excited to see it documented from the delos family view.

Brian and Kazza, congratulations your recent decision to hand build Delo 2.0 yourselves. I'm a boilermaker located not far from Dan's workshop. I've being watching you guys for over 10 years now, every Friday or Saturday, waiting eagerly for the next svdelos upload. You guys inspire me so much, to keep pushing on, trying to keep dreams alive. Even when Brian replies to a question or comment I've made, lifts me for days afterwards. I would like to offer my labour and skillset voluntarily should the boat be built nearby between Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Hit me up. So excited for you guys

Can I suggest that you take a look at the precision involved in building a quality alloy boat on the “sailing into freedom” channel. Peter is an Australian Engineer who is building a similar vessel in Vietnam. The labour costs are much lower there than in Australia but a lot of them have been trained in the big Australian shipyards which build Aluminium Ferries that run between Tasmania and Victoria. Anyhow if look past Peter’s over the top larrikins style you will see just how high quality the work is coming out of this yard. All the shell panels are English wheel rolled to get perfect hull profiles. All the buttons welds are continuous (they use scrap material to continue welds 3 inches past the end of the panels to prevent future cracking) If you were to use a yard like this with your design it would be done in 3 months and you probably won’t spend any more.

An aluminum cat seems spectacular to me! I also admire the attitude towards the idea of ​​building it yourselves. The statistics on YT for these types of projects are sickeningly huge BTW, but more importantly, these guys are following their hearts towards a path that will definitely leave a deep footprint on the world's sailing community, and even more so in the invaluable legacy of additional experiences and beautiful life lessons for the Little Nugget and all the other “littles” who are virtual witnesses today and tomorrow. 👍💪👌

What a fantastically designed vessel. As catamaran owners (Antares 44), we can appreciate the “upgrade” this vessel provides, from the forward cockpit and solid hulls to the running gear. AND you get to build exactly what you want. You’ll know the boat and systems inside and out. I really hope the size and scope of this project won’t overwhelm you. We simply wouldn’t have the patience or bandwidth to undertake something like this, despite the overwhelming sense of accomplishment once crossing the finish line. Good for you! Wishing you luck, and we look forward to following your progress over the years to come.

Be aware from a voice of experience on such a project. You cannot see or imagine how slow things will go when you start getting into systems, wiring, interior details. You must be prepared for it to take much longer than you anticipate. I advise looking into hiring as much help as you can possibly afford to help with the stuff that goes so slow. It can get very frustrating when you spend weeks and weeks of hard labor but cannot really see much in the way of progress. It takes a high degree of patience and determination. Good luck with it as it sure looks like an exciting project! Try to get up off the floor when ever you can!

There are many, many great sailing channels out there, but this one always, always goes that extra mile and makes everything about it unique. What a brilliant idea.

I hate making long comments, so I'll keep it simple. My thoughts on the whole plan would be to JUST DO IT! I mean, I watched you all for years and went back and watched all the other videos from the past leaning along the way (my next step BTW would be to get on a boat and do it with IRL training) . I think it would be a great show, kind of like the old show "This old house" where we can watch you build and learn things along the way. We already saw so much sailing knowledge, maybe it would be a great change. You could also always go out and sail for a week or two if things get dry. Patrons could have a bigger list of things to watch and interact with as well. And really important, the family can get land life back in, including Sierra growing up and going to school etc... Good luck! I as a viewer am happy to be along this new journey. I know for one it's going to be a little different not watching the relaxing sails, but we all need to do new things and not be stuck in the past.

Design, fabrication, build and finish out - interested in watching all of it. Very excited for your family.

As a South African living on the Gold Coast and sailing and boating on Moreton Bay I was taken aback by hearing a South African accent and then a sail over to Moreton Island. Particularly as we'll be camping on Moreton Island in 2 weeks time. Be great to see the build progress if you do build here.

We looked at doing exactly this. And my husband is a welder fabricator with all the tools and know how. Still we were put off by the magnitude, cost and time required. So kudos for having the drive and enthusiasm to Start such a project. It takes a special kind.

So Excited to watch this build!!! Wow, that is an awesome undertaking and the design just blows me away. I have been following MJ Sailing for a couple years and I just love watching their progress building their fiberglass "kit" Cat. I have to say, the idea of building an Aluminum Explorer Cat is way more appealing to me. When I first moved to Fairbanks, Alaska in 1992...there was a couple building an aluminum Cat in their backyard along the Chena River. Their plan (and they did it) was to launch it into the Chena River when complete and make their way to the Bearing Sea and then sail around the world. I have no idea where they are now...but back then it was the most amazing project I had seen anyone doing.

I've built several small boats and there is truly nothing quite like launching and sailing/driving/paddling something you made with your own blood sweat and tears. This is fantastic news and OMG what a huge undertaking, super stoked for y'all. Following in the footsteps of Salt & Tar, RAN, Emerald Steel and so many more; given your documentary skills this is going to be epic.

From one old welder to a couple of up-and-coming welders, you got this! You'll be golden arms in no time! Looking forward to watching your progress!

Congratulations on Delos 2.0, awesome news. Just remember that if you've never made a mistake, you've never made much! The rewards for getting in there and getting your hands dirty are beyond value. I look forward to watching progress. There is no such thing as a big job, just a big collection of little jobs. You got this!