Delos Expedition 53
Go Anywhere. Aluminum Construction. Hybrid Drive.
For the past 15 years we’ve sailed the worlds oceans, dedicated to capturing and sharing the amazing beauty of this small marble we call home. Over 85,000 nautical miles of sailing we learned a lot about ourselves, about what works, and what doesn’t work at sea! As we circumnavigated a dream was born to design Delos 2.0, an Aluminum Expeditionary Catamaran capable of traversing all corners of the globe in safety and comfort. A sailboat built by cruisers, for cruisers.
Delos 2.0 emphasizes a gigantic solar array, hybrid-electric propulsion, proven and reliable systems, low maintenance exterior, and is designed from the ground up to be the ultimate cruising platform. She is engineered to surpass ISO CE Class A Requirements with watertight bulkheads, protected propellors and rudders, fully insulated, and a unique outside galley with integrated dinghy storage.
1) Hybrid Electric Propulsion
The propulsion system is based upon a Parallel Electric Hybrid drive. One hull will contain a Nanni N4.80 diesel engine with a belt driven 25KW electric motor. The other hull will be purely electric with a 25KW electric motor. This configuration, along with a unique mechanical clutch will allow us to run under diesel power for long range, diesel power + electric power (hybrid arrangement), or pure electric power. In addition both electric motors can act as regeneration units to replenish the batteries under sail. The clutch system allows us to disengage the propellor shaft and run the diesel engine coupled to the electric motor as a giant DC generator at anchor.
2) Aft Platform
Instead of standard purpose built davits for the dinghy this design incorporates a unique walk around platform. The platform serves as a rock-solid mount for the dinghy at sea. At anchor the dinghy chocks can slide out of the way giving you a large space to relax, fish, or set up your gear for the next dive. Integrated dive compressor, tanks, and an abundance of storage in the aft lockers make life at anchor absolute bliss!
3) Rudder Skeg
Instead of the traditional sail-drive and spade rudder combination found on most production catamarans this design incorporates a shaft driver propellor and rudder skeg. This protects both the rudder and propellor from debris strikes and groundings. The shaft driver propellor is a well proven and reliable design without any of the delicate intricacies introduced by a sail drive. This, along with the mini-keels, allow the design to be beached without worrying about damage to the running hear.
4) Outside Galley
Inspired by years of cooking and entertaining in the sweltering tropics we have incorporated an outside galley complete with refrigerator, sink, grill/stove, and a fish filet and prep station all conveniently located with walk around bar like access from the aft platform.
5) Insulated Hull
Fabricated entirely out of 5083 aluminum alloy and fully insulated this vessel is meant to be comfortable in both the tropics and higher latitudes. The 6mm hull thickness below the waterline gives you extra strength and confidence for venturing well off the grid.
6) Watertight Bulkheads
Watertight compartments located in the forward crash compartments, forepeaks, amid ships, and engine rooms give you an extra sense of security should the worst imaginable occur.
7) Sailing Cockpit
The forward sailing cockpit provides a centrally located place for all the sheets, halyards, and winches. This leads to very efficient line handling and makes short handed sailing a snap. The protected helm position located in the cabin will keep you warm and dry even in the worst of conditions, and the forward door provides an incredible amount of ventilation.
8) Massive Solar Array
The gigantic space on the roof will allow for nearly 4KW of solar power, providing for even the most power hungry vessels.
9) Extended Roof
If you are cruising for an extended period of time staying out of the elements becomes a major concern. Large shaded areas giving protection from the sun, wind, and rain are a must. For this design we carried the roof all the way back to the end of the transoms. This gives us an incredibly large area for solar, rain water collection, and protects the entire aft lounge, aft galley, and platform from the elements. It also has the side effect of giving us a strong point to lift the dinghy from which means we can save space and weight by not having traditional davits.
To build this incredible sailing machine we’ve partnered with De Villiers Marine Design and Stradbroke Yachts. If you’re interested in the ultimate cruising boat please let us know below!