Man Living Off-Grid on a DIY Solar Powered Sailboat - 100% Fossil Fuel Free

Simon has transformed this derelict sailboat into an epic off-grid solar-powered and fossil-fuel free cruising catamaran. He's been living aboard and renovating the boat for the past 3.5 years We're excited to show you the transformation as well as how he plans to propel the boat without the use of diesel or fossil fuels!

You can follow Finding Simon’s inspiring boat building and liveaboard adventures here:

'Old Dog' is a 1976 Wharram Oro 47, which is a Polynesian canoe cat-style boat. Simon purchased it for $5000 CAD after it had been sitting in the same spot for 12 years (looking back he probably wouldn't have paid that much for it!).

To transform the boat to a fully electric sailboat, Simon removed the diesel engine and replaced it with an HP EV AC 12 kW engine, and installed 16 x 330 Watt solar panels (5280 Watts total), and nearly 20 kW hours of lithium battery power. He also plans to add an equivalent amount of wind turbines on the boat for days and seasons when there's less sun. And of course, he'll eventually have some sails and a couple of telescoping masts.

The living space inside the boat includes 4 berths, a mechanical room, a head bathroom with a washing machine, a massive galley, two cockpits (yet to be built), and a settee lounge area. Outside there's a great back deck and eventually there will be a space to lounge up front as well.

You can follow Finding Simon’s inspiring boat building and liveaboard adventures here:

Thanks for watching!

Mat & Danielle

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COMMENTS
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CREDITS
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Music & Song Credits:
All music in this video was composed, performed, and recorded by Mat of Exploring Alternatives.

Editing Credits:
Mat and Danielle of Exploring Alternatives

Filming Credits:
Mat and Danielle of Exploring Alternatives

Build Footage:
Provided by Simon Stiles from Finding Simon

#catamaran #fossilfuelfree #livingonaboat

[ExploringAlternatives]

Thanks for watching! You can follow Finding Simon here:

[TheRealJerseyJoe]

I love this guy, he does exactly what he wants to and doesn't give a toss about what anyone else thinks about his decisions. A lot of people in the comments and elsewhere have doubted him and said that he'd never succeed and yet he continues to prove them all wrong. Good on you Simon.... carry on !

[allankay]

I recently became disabled and had to make some major life changes. I canceled my DirecTV for $140 a month and now just watch lots of youtube and this is why I came across your channel. I love it! I'm going to binge watch many of your videos. Thanks

[anthonyman]

I wish I could have one friend that wanted to do things like this.

[dangler]

This guy is my spirit animal, I'm super jealous of the way he disconnected from the grind of gas, cars, property taxes, mortgage, etc.

[GEAUXFRUGAL]

I met Simon at the RTR he is a very tall slim man that's just the most polite chill guy you would like to meet. He is one hell of a cook. Enjoyed his cooking videos he used simple black iron skillet.

[michaelosmon]

I love your story. But you have convinced me to build a wood stove. Never even considered it and you barely mentioned it but now I'm obsessed. Thank you for planting that seed. I appreciate you

[Noukz]

SImon is such a brave, hard-working, multi-skilled and most of all chill dude! The catamaran looks great!

[DanielCardei]

You can`t understand the satisfaction you have when you want solar and you get them and see everything powered by it.
That independence satisfaction its priceless.

[GearHeadBoris]

I've been thinking of something like this for years ..
The roof on a houseboat is plenty of room for solar panels.
This is an awesome project.

[matthewwhite]

this is awesome! Well done Simon. I think most people would be stoked to live on that boat

[aquious]

As a fellow liveaboard living in the same area as Simon, I thoroughly enjoy his channel. Outstanding job on his cat.

[fishmut]

Man I totally love your boat you built, I’m inspired, I have built small boats but nothing like yours, wow you did an awesome job on that, well done love it.

[carlsails]

Wow. I’m finally watching a DIY restoration that’s NOT ten years old! Great job.

[oceandrew]

Glad to see Simon's happier on his barge than he ever was in his van though I did enjoy his travels with his dog and whoever had joined him for company.

[colemcleod]

Simon, I'm blown away by what you have done, not just with this catamaran, but with the way you live your life. If you ever swing by the Spanish banks in Vancouver where I park my '87 Class-C Motorhome alot of the summer, look me up! I'm bursting with questions on the solar kit you have built, not to mention your water maker.
My camper is really just a step toward my dream of a boat, and I even pretend its a boat. Lord knows it drives like one.

[outdoorenthusiast]

NIce! I have been following Simon since 2014. I am so happy to see his progress from van life to boat life. : )

[aaronocelot]

This is the best boat video I've seen on Youtube so far. I lived off-grid on a self-built solar rig for 8 years, so I have some basics, and I'm interested in Wharram designs and catamarans in general, and I'm simplicity-oriented, but I also appreciate your calculations and real-world example of just how many panels needed, given electric propulsion, etc... and I DOUBLE appreciate that this is not some consumer-boatshow-oriented $$$$ vaporware that we may "one day see" out of our price range. I can begin calculating some things, thanks to your video.

[debolsen]

I have been following Simon for years and have always enjoyed his channel!

[nikolasmaclean]

Yay Simon! Been watching his project for about three years now. Hope this vid gives him a big subscription bump. Nicely put together!