We’re back in the engine bays this week, continuing to prep both sides of the catamaran for our twin propulsion systems—an electric motor in the starboard hull and a diesel-electric hybrid in the port hull.
After receiving our full system from Hybrid Marine in the UK just a few weeks ago, we’ve been modifying and refining each engine bed to match its unique needs. On the hybrid side, Matt widened the stringers to accommodate the slightly larger diesel engine and glassed in the new structure. To get this area ready for gelcoat, I wiped down the polyester fairing compound with styrene to reduce tackiness, but even then, I spent days sanding it smooth.
Meanwhile, work in the owner’s hull has been a bit more straightforward. After smoothing the surface with TotalFair epoxy fairing compound, I rolled on the first three coats of Alexseal primer. As I worked through this space, I also touched up a few low spots with more epoxy fairing, and later primed the remainder of the sole to complete the base layer for our Alexseal topcoat paint.
From modifying structure to dialing in surface prep, it’s been a week of sanding, fairing, and priming—getting us one step closer to installing our propulsion systems.