100%, to have your “Captain” / owner/builder be so well versed in all aspects of his catamaran home would be so comforting especially when something went wrong at sea. I am nothing but impressed with him and his vision and knowledge of sailing and being 1 with his beautiful cat.
@@TheOKellys Ive watch these Top Secret episodes several times...it struck me from the start...how yanks are stuck in the past...imperial meassures, gallons!...120v networks...amps :-?...a kilowatt...IS a measure of energy used OR created in...here it is...one hour...THERES NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A KILOWATT and a kilowatt hour...whats the point of a kilowatt hour...stuck in "amp hour" thinking...amps ONLY apply for determining your cable size!. Do LOVE your channel though...youre a thinker! with bloody good sense...cheers from littleol NZ...home if THE cup
@@Errol.C-nz Actually, there is a difference: a kilowatt is a thousand Watts (a.k.a. Joules per second), and it is used to measure POWER which is the rate of doing work, or density of energy per unit of time. Kilowatt-hour or kWh is a unit of total ENERGY consumed or produced (also measured in Joules), at least in classical mechanics and physics - from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watt
Nicely done. Top Secret is awesome for allowing you to “interview” them with the tour. This 2 part series will go viral amongst us trying to learn about cats and electric motors! Thanks for sharing your experiences in your build and Very, VERY nice build Top Secret!
You think? Well, I was sure inspired by the boat (and by Rean) when we first met them last year. It's still unbelievable to me that he got all that done in two years. Amazing.
Nick, you did an amazing job on this two part interview! You asked all the right questions and everything was top notch! Rean is an intelligent man and has an absolutely beautiful home on the water. His design ideas and changes are done showing usefulness, energy efficient, and almost off the grid not to mention that yacht is a work of art! Well done Rean and Nick!
This guy!!! I cannot tell you how much I’ve enjoyed these videos. Thanks so much for a fresh and informative look. If it works for you guys, please keep making your great videos! They are so refreshing in a ‘sea’ of not a lot of info. Thanks so much!
Thanks Reagan. Appreciate that. We will try to keep the vids informative, but also weave in a bit of day-to-day vlog-ish sort of stuff too. Hopefully keep a good balance.
Nick! In terms of “content”, I think this is the best TH-cam video I have ever watched! Congratulations and thank you for sharing this with us!! Seriously! Top Secret captain, I truly admire your work, humbleness in the communicating all the data and dedication! Awesome!
So, I’m in home isolation and watching sailing videos….for several days now. Very inspiring. This guy seems to have solved every problem I have envisioned. If you had not already answered my questions, he did with impressive detail. Great video. I hope you can connect with him again. Thanks for providing this content.
Nick, your videos just get better and better. He should be your video partner full time, he is great to watch and you 2 have a great conversation. Thanks for sharing. Cheers from Canada
Steve L where in Canada? I’m in Sidney and agree with most of the setup other than safety, you need continuous power and would have a ......DC genset capable of giving me power to run from bad weather. Coastal cruising, no issue, unless you on the west coast of USA.
Some friends and I chartered Top Secret from Voyage many years ago. It was a great boat then, but now?... Wow, totally unrecognizable. What an incredible job they've done. Great video series on the refit! Thanks!
Depending on when, it could have been the same boat. I'm pretty sure he owned it the whole time. I don't think there is ANYTHING about that boat the resembles the original. Pretty amazing, eh?
Thanks so much for sharing what you've learned from the gentleman who was kind enough to spend the time he did describing his build, sharing advantages and disadvantages of his setup and how he would do things differently if he were to do it again. VERY INFORMATIVE. Thanks, Nick!!!
Nick, these two videos on Top Secret have been the best and most informative videos I've watched on the subject! I like this guy's honest and to the point information.
Nick, this is the third time I have watched this video. Rean is a very special person, skilled, intelligent, driven and very clever! Very inspiring as he has brought the future to the now - 'a viable electric / solar long range cruiser. Excellent video! Thanks Nick!!!
Thanks Chris, pretty much hit the nail on the head. Also just a real good dude. He definitely inspired me. I definitely want to try a solar-electric drive cat someday myself. Thanks for the note, Nick
these 2 videos are probably the most important and informative on the issue of electric vs. diesel drive systems. what an AMAZING boat!! the only thing that I saw that I would change are all the sharp corners. I cannot get over how beautifully built and laid out this vessel is. Amazing, simply amazing!!! thank you for bring this to our attention. Luv ya guys.
Unbelievably beautiful boat. This is the direction catamarans should be moving in and more like it should be available to purchase. Best sailing episode I’ve seen in ages, well done.
Thank you to both of you guys for bringing this overview and information to a public forum, your narration/interview style is great! The quality of the workmanship is beautiful, and I appreciate that inspecting the boat via TH-cam doesn’t give a true picture of what it is like in real life. I am planning a catamaran purchase, and you have definitely open my eyes to electric propulsion.
The two best videos I've seen on the subject(s). Smart guy and really, really pleasant. How great that he was happy to share all of that knowledge and experience. The info about electric propulsion and electric things, in general, as well as general philosophy about doing a refit, was invaluable. These are reference videos.
Wow, thank you. That's a very high compliment. Yeh, Rean is the real deal. Just started a new project....I'm going to have to catch up with him again and check it out!
Totally impressed .... wow! Not just the Cat either, which is stunning. The video (score, production, editing, questions etc) is better even than a lot of "professional" magazines. Fair winds for your northbound sail!
Wow! Thank you. When I get back to the States and good wifi, I'll put all these tracks on Soundcloud in case anyone else wants to use them. Appreciate the compliment! Nick
I love everything about the boat. One of the biggest pluses for me is no diesel exhaust fumes. The only negative is, it's so a cool and comfortable, everyone in the anchorage what's to be on it. 😂😂 I have to say, I really have been enjoying your channel. Every episode is a reminder of how much more I need to learn. Thanks guys! 👍👍👍
The learning never stops for me. That's what I like about this cruising lifestyle. Appreciate your kind words. We feel very fortunate to be able to do this and amazed that we can share it on TH-cam so easily. Thanks for the note!
That was absolutely the single best TH-cam video produced for modern day sailing, I am very impressed and thank you for such an in-depth look at electric sailing at its best, very inspiring and informative! VOTED NUNBER ONE VIDEO!!!
Nick, thanks to you, Rean and Mari for an awesome couple of episodes! I learned so much and it radically changed my views towards even house electrics on a cat.
Thanks Alan. I learn so much (what to do, what NOT to do) from talking to owners and being really observant on other people's boats. This was very generous of Rean to do.
Best interview and commentary I have seen yet on electric marine applications. The captain is super knowledgeable. Thanks for sharing. Great interview. Will have to rewatch.
Very impressive boat and a VERY impressive captain. He’s the guy you want as your best friend and advisor. I’ve been watching many many videos on the cruising lifestyle over the last few months as I contemplate a new era in my life and have seen some great presentations by some obviously very experienced and thoughtful folks, but I have to say that I learned more in this 2 part video than I did with many others. Rean’s knowledge, expertise, vision... and really... his self-awareness translated into an exceptional redesign and an amazingly livable cat. I have a feeling that I will return to this video many times over the next couple of years as I work toward realizing my vision. Thanks so much for taking the time to create this highly-detailed, informative, and entertaining video. The more I learn of the Cruiser community, the more I want to become part of it!
The captain's comprehensive and eloquent responses to your thoughtful questions was a pleasure to view. I have long thought a sailboat only needs at most a genset for range extension given modern lithium batteries (LiFePO4) and the flexibility of electric motors (ie. The GM Volt). Sailboats will become more and more floating batteries and not just floating canvas :). Also, the captain's admission of regretting not choosing 12v system all around and thereby not splitting his battery bank and the subsequent inefficiency of sharing power was amazing and very sensible. One of the most informative videos I've watched in a while. Thanks. "Any sail boat builder not looking into electric drives is not doing their homework" -- to paraphrase the Captain.
Converted my 30 foot Monohull to electric propulsion in 2008 and never looked back. Rean hits all the points of the advantages that I have found with EP over the ten years myself.
Rean is one mentally sharp designer and go-getter.....he could write an outstanding book on this interesting subject! Thank you Nick for all your work on this very informative video.....
Last week I started off watching cruise ships and now I'm telling my husband, we need a boat. And apparently I just made my husband very happy with my new discovey. Great channel 👍 love the all the information.
@@TheOKellys just out of curiosity, I believe in a previous video you mentioned your land home is in the Pacific Northwest. Do you moor your catamaran on the west coast or elsewhere?
We bought the boat in the Caribbean and have not taken her through the canal....yet. For now, we will keep the boat on the east coast in the hurricane season. But we are west coast sailors....seems like we might have to take the boat to SoCal perhaps in a couple years. Maybe. Who knows? Not us...
Both episodes were terrific. Really, really useful information, and Nick, you are a great interviewer. Given your background, not surprising. Rean was a super informative on-air talent as well. I really enjoy your videos. Keep them coming.
This guy is a natural and fully clued up ...he knows where things are going and the technology is going to go his way even more and faster..since this was made. 😎
What an amazing interview. I could have listened for so much longer. Felt like I was right there. Half expected his wife to call us for lunch or to bring drinks up. Thanks so much!!
Now that what l'm talking about...THAT IS BEAUTIFULL It reminded me of the passion & dedication needed when l built my 45ft cat back in the 90's...back then l wanted electric & 18 months ago finally did the conversion only l have prop shafts....l still love tinkering on her....what a beautiful job they've done thou...love the passion...cheers
Absolutely brilliant! Love the well thought out design and reasoning behind the decisions. Diesel-electric has been in use since at least the WWII era submarines and is also used in nearly all locomotives in the US; this is not at all crazy. As battery prices come down and storage capacity goes up, this will become the standard.
I worked for a world leading superyacht company for many years and we would have been proud to have launched a yacht like Top Secret. She’s a credit to her owner and the electrical innovation is outstanding. One thing that puzzled me though was the seemingly endless supply of energy being extracted from the solar panels and the regen capability and then......diesel generators, glad to see that practicality came into play. Loved the videos very professionally done ✅
Thank you very much for the kind words! On the question of gensets, I think it comes down to safety and backup. From memory I believe the propulsion bank is in the 24Kwh range, and those motors are each rated to12Kw continuous. So a situation such as a lee shore or adverse current or collision threat could arise requiring more continuous energy output than the bank could supply. Having the ready power available (with the redundancy of two sets) is likely peace of mind. Also, having guests aboard and running the A/C continuously could run the house down quickly. It's a good question though. They are enroute direct to the BVIs as we speak, but perhaps Rean can weigh in when he gets a moment.
Nick O'Kelly, actually I meant that having the genset was sensible from a practical point of view. There are some who totally rely on electrical energy alone which, in my view, leaves them vulnerable in exactly the situation you raised. I know boats of yesteryear sailed the world with no mechanical propulsion but look how many voyagers ended in disaster on lee shores. So, until battery and solar technology advances significantly then a blend of new and old is the way to go. Cheers and happy sailing.
Boats did often end up on lee shores in the old days, but that wasn’t only caused by lack of an engine. Old style rigs, hulls and keels were very poor when going to windward in a good blow. Modern boats are often not built well enough to handle heavy weather upwind, but in a well built and used modern boat, a lee shore should never be a problem in anything short of a severe storm, which should be planned before it arrives. Still, it’s probably good thinking to have a DC generator on any electric boat in the foreseeable future.
Wow, great interview. Terrific boat. Obviously a very experienced and enthusiastic yachtsman and a very intelligent person. Thanks for sharing his story.
Nope! The old guys still tell me it can't be done, electric and solar are some kind of Chinese conspiracy! (yes, that is sarcasm you hear) Well done vid, very well done boat, thanks for sharing!
TH-cam at it's best .Loved these 2 videos A very likeable and informative host, being asked pertinent and interesting questions,. The passion of both guys shone through. May the wind always be at your back.
Great video. I would go all electric. Just the feel of quiet operation even when under power, is just priceless. And running the diesel generator when necessary gives you all the range ,energy, everything. Great boat.
This video was fantastic in the way that it gave us so many details. A video of progress photos would be brilliant for anyone considering a build anything like this
Nick O'Kelly I actually think I am going to research a diesel electric system as a conversion. Lots to learn but a very interesting concept. Technology makes it all possible. Thanks again for opening my eyes!
They don't need to start any businesses. Rean retired a long long time ago. And the fact that he did it himself even though he didnt have to ..... how cool is that?
@@TheOKellys But that's what I mean! He did all that himself and it came out awesome. Imagine if he started a company that did that for other people who wanted it? Imagine the possibilities. All those Cats destroyed by hurricanes could be brought back to life for less than the cost of buying a new one. And it could be tailored to the owner's liking.
This is one of the most enjoyable and entertaining explanations of the technology of a sailboat/house I’m not a sailor but fascinated with sailing channels “TOP SECRET” Needs it’s own TH-cam channel and Kudos to the producer of this video great job I enjoy listening and learning 😎
First, why in the world did I want this information to go longer than it did?!? Second, this is the equivalent of gold... Thank you guys for the effort. Keep up the good work!
Both videos are excellent! I learned a lot from watching them! I saved both videos so I can watch them a couple more times! One of these days I hope to get my own catamaran. Once again, thank you very much for sharing! Take care.
Hey it is my privilege to be able to do this. I am really glad you liked the vids. I learned a lot from the boat and from Rean. Glad you did too. Fair winds, Nick
thanks to Rean and Mari for a wonderful look into your beautiful cat. Rean was very informative, Nick great shot and editing. very impressive boat!! i would think she would bear well over a mill on the market.
Nick, I really love your channel. Been checking you guys out for a bit now. Super informative and I reaaaally appreciated this little 2 part series. I'm not a sailor, but for sure looking to charter my first sailboat for my birthday next year! For now, I'm interested in the vanlife and look to the boat TH-camrs for inspiriation. This series was chock full of great ideas that would translate well in a van buildout. Thank you and thank you Captain Ryen of the Top Secret for all the geeky details!!
Thanks J. We’ve done the vanlife thing too, a bit. It’s the same sort of mentality really. A lot more time on maintenance of course on the boats. The sailing, the navigation....you pick that stuff up pretty quick.
Terrific video Nick on an amazing vessel! The map showing where you were was a nice touch. Thought the benefits of regen while surfing were really interesting too. Hope the knee feels better.
Wow there is so much I would love to ask Rene, I would need a whole day at a minimum to pick his brain about what he would do differently. Thank you so much for sharing Nick you did a great job.
This episode may have been the most informative one I've seen. Really good information. I learned so much. I'm very interested in the cardboard cabinet door creation, etc. Good stuff man! Thank you!
ABSOLUTELY the best episodes tech overviews on cruiser setup on the net!!...without going into details, this has been so enlightening...such an interesting boat/owner/setup & explainations...watched several times now & pickup different perspectives every time...thankyou Nick, t h a n k y o u ! !
Nick, that was an absolutely brilliant tour with terrific questions and sharp editing - thank you so much, I learnt heaps. Very kind of Rean to share his knowledge so freely, what an impressive rebuild in 2 years. What an amazing boat, & I agree with Rean that production cat companies should be looking into diesel DC gen / electric motors / large lithium-ion battery capacity, the trouble is they are very slow-moving and don't research, innovate or test much. They should be doing 1 daggerboard models too per Tim Weston's research 20+ years ago, but aren't. FWFS mate, great work here!
This captain is laudable, not for his boat or financial status, but for his intelligence, clarity of thought, earnestness and knowledge.
I didn't know what laudable meant. LOL but after looking it up I completely agree. Awesome and Very informative video!!
100%, to have your “Captain” / owner/builder be so well versed in all aspects of his catamaran home would be so comforting especially when something went wrong at sea. I am nothing but impressed with him and his vision and knowledge of sailing and being 1 with his beautiful cat.
Came here to say this. Wow.
This guy seems super smart - and I like his style. Fun to here him talk.
Yes, very smart guy, but also a very cool dude.
@@TheOKellys Ive watch these Top Secret episodes several times...it struck me from the start...how yanks are stuck in the past...imperial meassures, gallons!...120v networks...amps :-?...a kilowatt...IS a measure of energy used OR created in...here it is...one hour...THERES NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A KILOWATT and a kilowatt hour...whats the point of a kilowatt hour...stuck in "amp hour" thinking...amps ONLY apply for determining your cable size!.
Do LOVE your channel though...youre a thinker! with bloody good sense...cheers from littleol NZ...home if THE cup
@@Errol.C-nz Actually, there is a difference: a kilowatt is a thousand Watts (a.k.a. Joules per second), and it is used to measure POWER which is the rate of doing work, or density of energy per unit of time. Kilowatt-hour or kWh is a unit of total ENERGY consumed or produced (also measured in Joules), at least in classical mechanics and physics - from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watt
@@swooosh9 its not the rate of energy...you cant use a kw in a minute...its always a measure in an hour...1 kilowatt, is the same as 1 kilowatt hour
@@Errol.C-nz www.energylens.com/articles/kw-and-kwh
read a textbook, or at least Wikipedia. Although.... you may just be hopeless...
Conversation around 17:00 was amazing. The regen moderating the shock to the rig while surfing was something I wouldn’t have thought of on my own.
Nicely done. Top Secret is awesome for allowing you to “interview” them with the tour. This 2 part series will go viral amongst us trying to learn about cats and electric motors! Thanks for sharing your experiences in your build and Very, VERY nice build Top Secret!
You think? Well, I was sure inspired by the boat (and by Rean) when we first met them last year. It's still unbelievable to me that he got all that done in two years. Amazing.
This guy is amazing, I could listen to him for days talking about his boat. His experience and insight is incalculable.
Nick, you did an amazing job on this two part interview! You asked all the right questions and everything was top notch!
Rean is an intelligent man and has an absolutely beautiful home on the water. His design ideas and changes are done showing usefulness, energy efficient, and almost off the grid not to mention that yacht is a work of art! Well done Rean and Nick!
Appreciate that. Not only a brilliant guy, but also just a good dude. It’s an inspiring boat.
This guy!!! I cannot tell you how much I’ve enjoyed these videos.
Thanks so much for a fresh and informative look. If it works for you guys, please keep making your great videos! They are so refreshing in a ‘sea’ of not a lot of info. Thanks so much!
Thanks Reagan. Appreciate that. We will try to keep the vids informative, but also weave in a bit of day-to-day vlog-ish sort of stuff too. Hopefully keep a good balance.
Great guy and informative. I liked the fact he wasn’t shy about the various costs of boat.
Great series, 2 likeable, bright, enthusiastic people. A credit to youtube.
Thank you very much for that. Appreciate it. Nick
Nick! In terms of “content”, I think this is the best TH-cam video I have ever watched! Congratulations and thank you for sharing this with us!! Seriously! Top Secret captain, I truly admire your work, humbleness in the communicating all the data and dedication! Awesome!
Woah man! Thank you! Seriously! Rean's work and generosity with sharing it with us is what made this video good. Thanks Bruno!
Superb video, great content, informative, relevant and above all real in every respect - congrats on a brilliant edition
I tend to agree with those sentiments, I am not wowed by much and this one for me is A+
This series is the best I have ever seen on a modern refit.
So, I’m in home isolation and watching sailing videos….for several days now. Very inspiring. This guy seems to have solved every problem I have envisioned. If you had not already answered my questions, he did with impressive detail. Great video. I hope you can connect with him again. Thanks for providing this content.
Nick, your videos just get better and better.
He should be your video partner full time, he is great to watch and you 2 have a great conversation.
Thanks for sharing.
Cheers from Canada
Steve L where in Canada? I’m in Sidney and agree with most of the setup other than safety, you need continuous power and would have a ......DC genset capable of giving me power to run from bad weather. Coastal cruising, no issue, unless you on the west coast of USA.
Some friends and I chartered Top Secret from Voyage many years ago. It was a great boat then, but now?... Wow, totally unrecognizable. What an incredible job they've done. Great video series on the refit! Thanks!
Depending on when, it could have been the same boat. I'm pretty sure he owned it the whole time. I don't think there is ANYTHING about that boat the resembles the original. Pretty amazing, eh?
that is so cool.
totally agree with the comment on electric being the future, with diesel as backup ... boat manufacturers need to take this more seriously
They'll come around. I think the market is there, especially among real, dedicated sailors.
Thanks so much for sharing what you've learned from the gentleman who was kind enough to spend the time he did describing his build, sharing advantages and disadvantages of his setup and how he would do things differently if he were to do it again. VERY INFORMATIVE. Thanks, Nick!!!
I know. Rean is quite generous to have shared his knowledge with me/us. Thank you for the kind words. It is appreciated! Nick
@@TheOKellys South African hospitality ... 😄
Absolutely brilliant & informative. Thanks, Nick!
Thank you. Rean is a brilliant guy. Just had to (try to) point the camera in the right direction.
Nick, these two videos on Top Secret have been the best and most informative videos I've watched on the subject! I like this guy's honest and to the point information.
Thanks Stuart. Rean is a great guy. I learned a lot too! Appreciate the note!
Nick, this is the third time I have watched this video. Rean is a very special person, skilled, intelligent, driven and very clever! Very inspiring as he has brought the future to the now - 'a viable electric / solar long range cruiser. Excellent video! Thanks Nick!!!
Thanks Chris, pretty much hit the nail on the head. Also just a real good dude. He definitely inspired me. I definitely want to try a solar-electric drive cat someday myself. Thanks for the note, Nick
@@TheOKellysalso great how Rean used so many innovative lightweight materials that still function well and look beautiful :-)
What an engineering genius. Now I know you need a lot more knowledge than I thought to have an efficient boat.
these 2 videos are probably the most important and informative on the issue of electric vs. diesel drive systems. what an AMAZING boat!! the only thing that I saw that I would change are all the sharp corners. I cannot get over how beautifully built and laid out this vessel is. Amazing, simply amazing!!! thank you for bring this to our attention. Luv ya guys.
And now I know I want an elecrtic engine for my future cat. I hope it will be affordable in 5 years. Thaks A LOT, this was a very good serie.
Unbelievably beautiful boat. This is the direction catamarans should be moving in and more like it should be available to purchase. Best sailing episode I’ve seen in ages, well done.
Thank you to both of you guys for bringing this overview and information to a public forum, your narration/interview style is great!
The quality of the workmanship is beautiful, and I appreciate that inspecting the boat via TH-cam doesn’t give a true picture of what it is like in real life.
I am planning a catamaran purchase, and you have definitely open my eyes to electric propulsion.
Loved Raen's honesty and both your interview and tour style.
Thank you for part 1 and part 2
There is so much wisdom and knowledge in these two videos.
I know. I learned a lot too.
Thank you to both families for opening up for the tour. Love the tech and personal engineering. This adventure was pure magic. Many happy returns!
The two best videos I've seen on the subject(s). Smart guy and really, really pleasant. How great that he was happy to share all of that knowledge and experience. The info about electric propulsion and electric things, in general, as well as general philosophy about doing a refit, was invaluable. These are reference videos.
Wow, thank you. That's a very high compliment. Yeh, Rean is the real deal. Just started a new project....I'm going to have to catch up with him again and check it out!
Totally impressed .... wow! Not just the Cat either, which is stunning. The video (score, production, editing, questions etc) is better even than a lot of "professional" magazines. Fair winds for your northbound sail!
Wow! Thank you. When I get back to the States and good wifi, I'll put all these tracks on Soundcloud in case anyone else wants to use them. Appreciate the compliment! Nick
I love everything about the boat. One of the biggest pluses for me is no diesel exhaust fumes. The only negative is, it's so a cool and comfortable, everyone in the anchorage what's to be on it. 😂😂
I have to say, I really have been enjoying your channel. Every episode is a reminder of how much more I need to learn. Thanks guys! 👍👍👍
The learning never stops for me. That's what I like about this cruising lifestyle. Appreciate your kind words. We feel very fortunate to be able to do this and amazed that we can share it on TH-cam so easily. Thanks for the note!
That was absolutely the single best TH-cam video produced for modern day sailing, I am very impressed and thank you for such an in-depth look at electric sailing at its best, very inspiring and informative!
VOTED NUNBER ONE VIDEO!!!
Woah Keith, thank you! I am inspired by Rean and Top Secret as well. Really appreciate the glowing review. Best, Nick
Nick, thanks to you, Rean and Mari for an awesome couple of episodes! I learned so much and it radically changed my views towards even house electrics on a cat.
Thanks Alan. I learn so much (what to do, what NOT to do) from talking to owners and being really observant on other people's boats. This was very generous of Rean to do.
Best interview and commentary I have seen yet on electric marine applications. The captain is super knowledgeable. Thanks for sharing. Great interview. Will have to rewatch.
Very impressive boat and a VERY impressive captain. He’s the guy you want as your best friend and advisor. I’ve been watching many many videos on the cruising lifestyle over the last few months as I contemplate a new era in my life and have seen some great presentations by some obviously very experienced and thoughtful folks, but I have to say that I learned more in this 2 part video than I did with many others. Rean’s knowledge, expertise, vision... and really... his self-awareness translated into an exceptional redesign and an amazingly livable cat. I have a feeling that I will return to this video many times over the next couple of years as I work toward realizing my vision. Thanks so much for taking the time to create this highly-detailed, informative, and entertaining video. The more I learn of the Cruiser community, the more I want to become part of it!
The captain's comprehensive and eloquent responses to your thoughtful questions was a pleasure to view. I have long thought a sailboat only needs at most a genset for range extension given modern lithium batteries (LiFePO4) and the flexibility of electric motors (ie. The GM Volt). Sailboats will become more and more floating batteries and not just floating canvas :). Also, the captain's admission of regretting not choosing 12v system all around and thereby not splitting his battery bank and the subsequent inefficiency of sharing power was amazing and very sensible. One of the most informative videos I've watched in a while. Thanks.
"Any sail boat builder not looking into electric drives is not doing their homework" -- to paraphrase the Captain.
All electric, bidet, regenerative props... this man has all of my dream cat ideas already manifested.
I'm absolutely in love with this catamaran! Well done. It's simply amazing.
Pretty sweet, eh?
@@TheOKellys Sweet is an understatement! Thanks for sharing the boat tour. I learned quite a bit!
Converted my 30 foot Monohull to electric propulsion in 2008 and never looked back. Rean hits all the points of the advantages that I have found with EP over the ten years myself.
Right on! I'd like to go that direction with the next boat.
Rean is one mentally sharp designer and go-getter.....he could write an outstanding book on this interesting subject! Thank you Nick for all your work on this very informative video.....
He sure is. And a really nice guy too. Appreciate the kind words Ed. Nick
If Elon made a catamaran. 👍🏻😁. I absolutely loved this video. Really informative and inspiring. Cheers, Ted
I'm inspired too. Yeh, get Elan out on a boat....wait...when would he have time for that...? Lol Thanks for the kind note! Nick
This is hands down one of the nicest custom fabricated house that sails I’ve ever seen. Very cool he gave us the house tour! Thank you guys! Amazing
Last week I started off watching cruise ships and now I'm telling my husband, we need a boat. And apparently I just made my husband very happy with my new discovey. Great channel 👍 love the all the information.
@@TheOKellys just out of curiosity, I believe in a previous video you mentioned your land home is in the Pacific Northwest. Do you moor your catamaran on the west coast or elsewhere?
We bought the boat in the Caribbean and have not taken her through the canal....yet. For now, we will keep the boat on the east coast in the hurricane season. But we are west coast sailors....seems like we might have to take the boat to SoCal perhaps in a couple years. Maybe. Who knows? Not us...
I don't normally comment on Videos, but this one takes the cake. Thanks to the owner/builder & the interviewer. Wow....Amazing!!!!!
Agreed Nick, nothing better than when the diesel motor sound turns off and the silence of sailing kicks in.
Every. Single. Time...
I could listen to this guy talk about boats all day
Me too
Both episodes were terrific. Really, really useful information, and Nick, you are a great interviewer. Given your background, not surprising. Rean was a super informative on-air talent as well. I really enjoy your videos. Keep them coming.
Hey thank you. I'm just a curious person and Rean is just...a brilliant person. That makes it easy.
This gent is fantastic, so HAPPY. Please do more of these
This guy is a natural and fully clued up ...he knows where things are going and the technology is going to go his way even more and faster..since this was made.
😎
My new favorite hosts - and Top Secret - what an amazing sailing genius!!!! Thanks!!!
What an amazing interview. I could have listened for so much longer. Felt like I was right there. Half expected his wife to call us for lunch or to bring drinks up. Thanks so much!!
Now that what l'm talking about...THAT IS BEAUTIFULL
It reminded me of the passion & dedication needed when l built my 45ft cat back in the 90's...back then l wanted electric & 18 months ago finally did the conversion only l have prop shafts....l still love tinkering on her....what a beautiful job they've done thou...love the passion...cheers
I'm really interested in this right now. Peter, is there a place we can take a look at your boat?
Nick O'Kelly ,hello only if your in Adelaide ,South Australia....cheers Peter
lol. not yet! Snap some photos when you can and if you want. Would love to get the details.
Absolutely brilliant! Love the well thought out design and reasoning behind the decisions. Diesel-electric has been in use since at least the WWII era submarines and is also used in nearly all locomotives in the US; this is not at all crazy. As battery prices come down and storage capacity goes up, this will become the standard.
I worked for a world leading superyacht company for many years and we would have been proud to have launched a yacht like Top Secret. She’s a credit to her owner and the electrical innovation is outstanding. One thing that puzzled me though was the seemingly endless supply of energy being extracted from the solar panels and the regen capability and then......diesel generators, glad to see that practicality came into play. Loved the videos very professionally done ✅
Thank you very much for the kind words! On the question of gensets, I think it comes down to safety and backup. From memory I believe the propulsion bank is in the 24Kwh range, and those motors are each rated to12Kw continuous. So a situation such as a lee shore or adverse current or collision threat could arise requiring more continuous energy output than the bank could supply. Having the ready power available (with the redundancy of two sets) is likely peace of mind. Also, having guests aboard and running the A/C continuously could run the house down quickly. It's a good question though. They are enroute direct to the BVIs as we speak, but perhaps Rean can weigh in when he gets a moment.
Nick O'Kelly, actually I meant that having the genset was sensible from a practical point of view. There are some who totally rely on electrical energy alone which, in my view, leaves them vulnerable in exactly the situation you raised. I know boats of yesteryear sailed the world with no mechanical propulsion but look how many voyagers ended in disaster on lee shores. So, until battery and solar technology advances significantly then a blend of new and old is the way to go. Cheers and happy sailing.
Boats did often end up on lee shores in the old days, but that wasn’t only caused by lack of an engine. Old style rigs, hulls and keels were very poor when going to windward in a good blow. Modern boats are often not built well enough to handle heavy weather upwind, but in a well built and used modern boat, a lee shore should never be a problem in anything short of a severe storm, which should be planned before it arrives. Still, it’s probably good thinking to have a DC generator on any electric boat in the foreseeable future.
EXTREMELY informative! I didn't have a clue what you were talking about most of the time but it was still revelatory. Thanks.
Wow, great interview. Terrific boat. Obviously a very experienced and enthusiastic yachtsman and a very intelligent person. Thanks for sharing his story.
My pleasure. Yes, agree with you completely. Appreciate the note!
Nick, amazing interview and what an incredible job he did. I believe Rean’s in line of a genius with endless money, but very humble!
And just a plain good guy to boot!
That Guy is the man, awesome conversion, incredible catamaran, not only an eco boat but a real luxury home aswell. WOW
And a super nice guy too. Thanks for the comment!
Nope! The old guys still tell me it can't be done, electric and solar are some kind of Chinese conspiracy!
(yes, that is sarcasm you hear)
Well done vid, very well done boat, thanks for sharing!
Loads of useful information on the electric side especially! Thank you for this 2 part video to all concerned!!!
This is an awesome video. It is inspiring especially for future electric sailing.
Love it when one puts its mind to build something and gets it done, with quality.
Me too. It is inspiring.
Best looking boat I have ever seen! Impressive!
The best, I repeat the best videos yet. This is the future and extremely inspiring. Keep this coming.
Wow, thank you Stuart. It is the future. If my Yanmars weren't in such good shape... Appreciate the kind words. Nick
TH-cam at it's best .Loved these 2 videos A very likeable and informative host, being asked pertinent and interesting questions,. The passion of both guys shone through. May the wind always be at your back.
Thanks David. Much appreciated.
Great video. I would go all electric. Just the feel of quiet operation even when under power, is just priceless. And running the diesel generator when necessary gives you all the range ,energy, everything. Great boat.
Thanks, really is an amazing boat. The owners are even more amazing.
This video was fantastic in the way that it gave us so many details. A video of progress photos would be brilliant for anyone considering a build anything like this
Fascinating. This has me seriously thinking electric! Great interview.
Thanks. Yes I am inspired to try it too. Maybe on the next boat.
Nick O'Kelly I actually think I am going to research a diesel electric system as a conversion. Lots to learn but a very interesting concept. Technology makes it all possible. Thanks again for opening my eyes!
Wow. That boat is fantastic. Exactly what I would like to do. Very good two videos. Very in depth. Great job!
Thank you John. Very generous of Rean and Mari to show me around with a camera in their face.
This boat is off the chain. Thank you for the walkthrough, Nick. These owners could start a catamaran customizing business and make a killing.
They don't need to start any businesses. Rean retired a long long time ago. And the fact that he did it himself even though he didnt have to ..... how cool is that?
@@TheOKellys But that's what I mean! He did all that himself and it came out awesome. Imagine if he started a company that did that for other people who wanted it? Imagine the possibilities. All those Cats destroyed by hurricanes could be brought back to life for less than the cost of buying a new one. And it could be tailored to the owner's liking.
This is one of the most enjoyable and entertaining explanations of the technology of a sailboat/house I’m not a sailor but fascinated with sailing channels “TOP SECRET” Needs it’s own TH-cam channel and Kudos to the producer of this video great job I enjoy listening and learning 😎
Oh and I’m a subscriber now 👍🏻
Hands down my favorite catamaran I've seen. Would give anything to own this boat.
Rean is just now starting another similar project. I'm guessing he will keep one for himself. Stay tuned, you may have your chance at her!
love the channel - and this guy is super informative and really interesting interviewee. Thanks both for the time producing these!
Thanks Philip, we love having you along for the ride. I miss those guys already!
First, why in the world did I want this information to go longer than it did?!? Second, this is the equivalent of gold... Thank you guys for the effort. Keep up the good work!
Both videos are excellent! I learned a lot from watching them! I saved both videos so I can watch them a couple more times! One of these days I hope to get my own catamaran. Once again, thank you very much for sharing! Take care.
Hey it is my privilege to be able to do this. I am really glad you liked the vids. I learned a lot from the boat and from Rean. Glad you did too. Fair winds, Nick
You two are a killer combo! Great Job!
Many thanks!
thanks to Rean and Mari for a wonderful look into your beautiful cat. Rean was very informative, Nick great shot and editing. very impressive boat!! i would think she would bear well over a mill on the market.
Yeh I wonder. If someone knew what they were buying, I would think 1M would be a bargain.
Fantastic tour. Captain knows his stuff.
Nick, I really love your channel. Been checking you guys out for a bit now. Super informative and I reaaaally appreciated this little 2 part series. I'm not a sailor, but for sure looking to charter my first sailboat for my birthday next year! For now, I'm interested in the vanlife and look to the boat TH-camrs for inspiriation. This series was chock full of great ideas that would translate well in a van buildout. Thank you and thank you Captain Ryen of the Top Secret for all the geeky details!!
Thanks J. We’ve done the vanlife thing too, a bit. It’s the same sort of mentality really. A lot more time on maintenance of course on the boats. The sailing, the navigation....you pick that stuff up pretty quick.
I really enjoyed listening to this guy he is probably some one I could talk to for days and not be bored
Terrific video Nick on an amazing vessel! The map showing where you were was a nice touch. Thought the benefits of regen while surfing were really interesting too. Hope the knee feels better.
Appreciate it. Unbelievable how much juice he is getting from the regen, eh? Yeh knee is an issue I think....damn...getting old sucks!
Wow there is so much I would love to ask Rene, I would need a whole day at a minimum to pick his brain about what he would do differently. Thank you so much for sharing Nick you did a great job.
Thanks Warwick. Yeh we really enjoy hangin out with those guys. Mari isn't in much of the video, but she's very cool as well. Nick
Great interview. Super interesting. Well done and well worth watching. Congratulations!
Great video and content. Hope boats like this become more mainstream
Yeh me too. Thank you for the positive feedback!
This episode may have been the most informative one I've seen. Really good information. I learned so much. I'm very interested in the cardboard cabinet door creation, etc. Good stuff man! Thank you!
Wicked. All I’ve been doing is rewatching and taking notes.
Best cutting edge solar / electric motor video out there!
Really? Thank you. I owe it all to Rean.
Find another.... if you do pass it around! It’s a real system for real comfort without compromise or heavy environmental impact.
Great video! This type of refit has crossed my mind a number of times. Great to know it's possible... Thanks for sharing.
Possible. To this quality? Difficult. But seeing it up close gives me the bug as well.
And thank you for the note!
Thanks to you and Rean for these fascinating videos. The future appears to have arrived.
I hope so. If not, it is imminent.
Very inspiring and impressive achievement! Thank you for being so generous, honest and detailed when sharing informations.
really, my pleasure. Thanks Denis.
I thought part 1 was fantastic. Part 2 was "WOW". Outstanding!!!
Thank you!
ABSOLUTELY the best episodes tech overviews on cruiser setup on the net!!...without going into details, this has been so enlightening...such an interesting boat/owner/setup & explainations...watched several times now & pickup different perspectives every time...thankyou Nick, t h a n k y o u ! !
Gee men 2 sessions in 1 sitting, but I had to keep glued to the job. Hard work 4 a retired builder. Regards Kad.
know nothing about boats but like to look at them but could listen to this south African guy all day
So much useful information in these two episodes. Really enjoyed the owner's knowledge and insight.
Nick, that was an absolutely brilliant tour with terrific questions and sharp editing - thank you so much, I learnt heaps. Very kind of Rean to share his knowledge so freely, what an impressive rebuild in 2 years. What an amazing boat, & I agree with Rean that production cat companies should be looking into diesel DC gen / electric motors / large lithium-ion battery capacity, the trouble is they are very slow-moving and don't research, innovate or test much. They should be doing 1 daggerboard models too per Tim Weston's research 20+ years ago, but aren't. FWFS mate, great work here!
Rean is cool dude. I learned so much from him. Thanks for the note!
Such a vast amount of knowledge to know and so informative love listening to all this
Great videos and very informative....you guys are now our favourite sailing youtubers!
Wow, that is saying a lot! There are so many good youtubers out there! Appreciate the note immensely. We are really having fun with this. Nick
Great video, thanks for being so thoughtful in your videos Nick. You did in and ask the questions we want to hear.
Really? Nice. Just going with it and hoping for the best. Helps to have such a great subject. Glad you enjoyed. Appreciate the note.
What an amazing boat and refit. And lots of good ideas to ponder. Well done on the interview!
Thanks James. I certainly learned a lot. I am also amazed at just how fast he got the work done. Would have taken me a lot longer.
Great interview and tour. The guy is like James Bond. Thanks