Kestrel is a 2008 Catalina 42 mkII, hull #1004. From the factory with a standard fin keel, in-mast furling, a furling genoa, and the two-cabin pullman version of the interior. Both of our new primary sails are made from Hydra Net by Ballard Sails. We’re kept comfortable and sheltered in the cockpit via a full enclosure built by Iverson’s Designs for which we’ve got both windowed panels as well as sun shade/bug screen panels.

With over 1200W of hard solar panels on custom mounts made by Ballard Marine Fabricators and a 12.6kWh house battery bank, she’s able to keep us going off-grid using as little fuel as possible. All this power keeps many sensors and gadgets running: we’re our own micro weather station, can make our own fresh water with a Schenker Zen50 watermaker, and can keep tabs on all this data using SignalK.

To keep ourselves comfortable, we’ve got a Purple Plus mattress that was customized to fit the pullman berth by Artisans Mattress, and a BougeRV portable air conditioner mounted on a shelf above the bed, efficient enough that in the summer we can run it all day and night off-grid to keep the cabin we sleep in cool with the solar panels easily keeping pace. With an 11 gallon hot water tank and a separate, stand-in shower in the bow, we can also stay nice and clean!