Aluminium-Sailboat | Sailing Blog - Technical Hints and Tips - Sailing Television

Ask Us Anything

This time on Distant Shores we answer your questions about our new custom aluminum Enksail Orion 49 sailboat while visiting the shipyard in the Netherlands. Questions such as "When is the expected launch date?" to "Is there insulation?" to "Why is the cabinetry being built out of the hull?" are addressed and more...

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Boatbuilding Update & Annapolis

Join us as we make the trip to the 2023 Annapolis Sailboat Show where we learn more about hybrid electric power for sailboats, check out interesting marine equipment, talk to a charter expert about the requirements for bareboat chartering and meet up with some of your favourite sailing YouTubers. We then take you to the Netherlands for an update on the build of our custom aluminum Enksail Orion 49 sailboat.

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ALUMINUM Sailboat Deep Dive

This week we do a deep dive on the hull interior of our new aluminum Enksail Orion 49 sailboat with an informative tour by the yacht manufacturer discussing the bow thruster installation, wiring and conduits, foam insulation, water and fuel tanks, bilge pumps, welded through hulls, lithium batteries, air conditioning and the paint system.

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Safe Lithium Batteries for Sailboat

This time on Distant Shores we go into depth on Lithium batteries, planning out the boat's energy storage system, and touring the Super-B Battery factory where we learn how marine lithium batteries are manufactured and tested for safety.

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Boat Tour! ALUMINUM Sailboat INTERIOR Layout Enksail Orion 49 | LEWMAR Factory Tour

This time on Distant Shores we give you a full tour of the interior of our custom aluminum Enksail Orion 49 sailboat as she is being assembled in the shop using an interesting build method outside the hull. We also make a visit to the Lewmar factory in England as we research equipment for our new boat, Distant Shores IV.

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Aluminum Sailboat Interior Plywood

This time on Distant Shores, we take you to the Netherlands, to Enksail Yachts, to show you the interesting method being used to construct the interior of our new Orion 49 sailboat. We need to come to a decision on the wood finish for our cabinetry - we're divided on whether it should be cherry or mahogany! A tour of a wood veneer manufacturing facility helps us make a decision and we learn how veneered plywood for yachts is constructed. What wood do we choose and why? Stay tuned to find out…

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Aluminum Sailboat Corrosion and Survey

We've been getting lots of questions about corrosion on aluminum boats and how quality yachts deal with this issue. Today we look at some of the methods used to address this on our new aluminium Enksail Orion 49 sailboat. We also talk a surveyor who comes to see the new boat while in build to certify she meets CE specifications.

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Aluminum Boat moved & Keel Welded on

This time on Distant Shores we visit the build just as the aluminum hull is completed. She moves out of the build shed and down the road to have the keel put on.

The boat is lifted up so the keel casing assembly can be lifted up and welded into place. Finally we get a look at the completed hull and deck and interior with almost all details in place.

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Aluminum construction finished?

We fly to the Netherlands to see the progress on our new Enksail Orion 49 sailboat, Distant Shores IV. She is nearly finished hull construction. We get a tour of all the progress and an overview of the remaining jobs. Next stop is Germany where we check out the world's largest indoor boat show, Boot Düssseldorf.

Thanks to our sponsor for this episode - Athletic Greens nutritional drink. If you want to give it a try click on the link for 1 year free supply of vitamin D3+K2 and 10 travel packs.

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Ready for the Arctic?

Paul makes a trip to the Netherlands to see the progress on the build of Distant Shores IV, our new custom aluminum Enksail Orion 49 cruising sailboat. While he is there, Paul attends METStrade, the annual Marine Equipment Trade Show in Amsterdam, to speak to suppliers and learn more about the options we are considering for the boat.

At the show, he meets up with a group of other sailing YouTubers, who are either experienced Arctic sailors or metal boat owners or both. Later, this fun-loving group drive up to the Gebroeders van Enkhuizen Shipyard in Makkum to give their thoughts on whether Distant Shores IV will be a good Arctic cruising boat or not, based on their experiences. Lots of good info here!

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HYBRID Power Sailboat - Will it Work for Long Distance Cruising?

This time on Distant Shores we're planning out the energy requirements of our new Enksail Orion 49 custom aluminum sailboat. Will a hybrid power system allow us to achieve the passages we're planning from Europe to the Arctic Circle as well as long ocean passages around the world? We examine our power usage from past voyages made on previous boats and talk to the crew of S/V Delos about their experiences with electric cooking.

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Hybrid Power on a Sailboat – Offshore Livestream using Starlink!

This time on Distant Shores we discuss the pros and cons of using a hybrid drive on a sailboat with former SpaceX engineer and sailor, Casey Schilling. We record a video conference with him while he’s 50 miles offshore using Starlink! Check out the results and learn how hybrid drives work too.

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Building an Aluminum Sailboat Pt 6- Q&A

This time on Distant Shores we update you on the build of our 49 foot aluminum expedition sailboat - and answer some of the questions we've had about the project.

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Building an Aluminum Sailboat Part 5 - Turning the Hull

This time on Distant Shores we reach a literal turning point in the build of our new Enksail Orion 49 aluminum sailboat - the hull is turned over to upright position so interior welding can begin! We make the first trip down below where we learn how a proper aluminum weld is made and what is required of welders to meet safety standards. We are then shown how the metal work is inspected so the highest quality construction is achieved.

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Building an Aluminum Sailboat Part 4 - How the Hull Plates are Shaped

This time on Distant Shores we get our first look at the boat welded together…
We also dive deep into how flat aluminum plates are shaped into the smooth curved pieces needed to make a fast and strong sailboat hull. Then we take the opportunity to climb right inside our new boat and learn more about how the welds are made.

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Building an Aluminum Sailboat Part 3 - Raising the Hull to Weld Frames & Bulkheads

This is our third video in the series on building our new Enksail Orion 49 aluminum expedition sailboat! We look into how plates are positioned and welded into the perfect shape according to the drawings and plans.

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First Welds - Building an Aluminum Sailboat Part 2

Construction begins on our new 49-foot aluminum sailboat - starting with the very first welds, which Paul is given the honour of doing!! We explain how MIG welding works and show the process of assembling and welding frames and bulkheads for our Orion 49 sailboat through the use of regular and time-lapse video, animations and interviews at the factory in Makkum in the Netherlands. In this video, construction on our Orion 49 sailboat, Distant Shores IV, moves full steam ahead! Makkum is also a centre for traditional Dutch sailboats and we take you to the waterfront to Makkum Beach to see these lovely historic sailboats on the IJsselmeer (IJssel Lake).

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