Paikea’s Systems & Refit

Welcome to the central log of Paikea’s transformation. This is more than an inventory list; it’s the story of our ongoing project to refit and optimize our Catana 42 for performance cruising. Below, you’ll find every major system and upgrade, with links to detailed blog posts and videos where we dive into the “how,” “why,” and lessons learned. Explore the categories below or scroll through our complete equipment list.

Featured Project Categories

  • Hull & Deck Projects: Transom extension, hardtop, carbon fiber front beam and longeron.
  • Navigation & Systems: Electronics, autopilots, and power management.
  • Sail & Rigging: Sail inventory, carbon fibre rotating wing mast, deck hardware, and steering upgrades.
  • The Complete Gear List: Our full equipment inventory.

Hull & Deck Projects

Carbon Fibre Rotating Wing Mast

  • This was the pinnacle of Paikea’s performance transformation: designing and building a custom carbon fibre rotating wing mast. This wasn’t just a replacement; it was a fundamental re-engineering of the boat’s entire sailing profile.
  • Read About Our Carbon Fiber Rotating Wing Mast

Transom Modification

  • By extending the top of the step to meet the hull line, we were able to create a comfortable lower platform and improve access from the transoms.
  • Read about Transforming Paikea’s Transom

Carbon/Nomex Solid Hardtop with Sunroof

  • Constructed using solid carbon super yacht spreaders and the forward deck of the old Spanish 2007 America’s Cup yacht.

New Carbon Longeron & Bow Pole

New Carbon Front Beam & Seagull Striker

  • The Seagull Striker and Martingale are a critical structural part of the forward beam on the vast majority of catamarans. They strengthen the front beam between the two bows and take the load from the forestay which is usually either attached to the beam or the longeron. In our case, we will make the forestay attachment on the longeron just behind the seagull striker. We also would like to improve our sailing range by adding an attachment for a storm sail.
Composite Stanchion Sockets & Dyneema Lifelines
  • Replacing the original hardware with custom composite sockets and high-tech lifelines. A successful upgrade to a critical safety system requires understanding not just how to build it, but why you choose specific materials and processes. The goal is a solution that is stronger, cleaner, and fails in a predictable, safe manner.

Navigation & Systems

Navigation Suite

Power Systems & Solar

Water Systems

Autopilots: Primary & Secondary

  • Raymarine autopilot (“Steve”) and a custom Raspberry Pi/Arduino backup pilot.

Sails & Rigging

Sail Inventory

Deck Hardware

Steering Upgrades

  • McGonaghy carbon wheels (ex-America’s Cup), Vetus hydraulic rams, composite rudders with carbon stocks.
  • Designing & Building Composite Rudders: Rudder Build Part One

The Complete Paikea Gear List

Navigation and Instruments

  • Weather Routing and daily forecast – Predict Wind. Click to join via our affiliate link
  • Sailmon sailing display
  • AIS – RaymarineAIS 500
  • Radar – Raymarine
  • VHF – Garmin 100i
  • Chartplotter – Raymarine E120W ,
  • Navigation on Android tablet Navionics and PredictWind Offshore App
  • Navigation on Laptop qtVlm
  • Polar builder Open CPN
  • Autopilot – (We call him Steve) Raymarine multifunction display control unit Raymarine i70
  • Iridium GO with external antenna
  • Secondary autopilot – Raspberry Pi /arduino Pi pilot
  • Anchor alarm – we use the Raymarine anchor alarm but also have Anchor Lite (free version installed on our Android mobile phones)
  • Navily and Google Maps provide good information in addition to the above for places to anchor and resupply with gas, fuel and provisions.
  • Secondary GPS 167 Channels USB GPS Receiver 

Analysis Tools

Performance Tools

Design Tools

3D Printer

Power

Water

External Upgrades

  • Transom extension
  • Carbon/nomex solid hardtop for cockpit. Constructed using solid carbon super yacht spreaders and the forward deck of the old Spanish 2007 America’s Cup yacht. Complete with a sunroof which was the old spinnaker launching hatch
  • New steering consoles manufactured to fit into new hardtop arrangement
  • New carbon longeron and bow pole. Made using America’s Cup mast section. Bow pole extends a metre out from the boat and allows us the ability to fly a Code 0 and asymmetric mast head and fractional spinnakers. We now also have a fitting placement for the inner forestay and storm sail.
  • New carbon front beam. This was made from 2 smaller sections of America’s Cup mast we salvaged. It inserts the bows and is joined to the hull at both the inboard and outboard sides of the bow. This configuration has strengthened and stiffened the entire front of the boat
  • Carbon Seagul Striker was repurposed from a carbon spreader and we made the carbon Martingale strap
  • New Dynex trampoline and raised placement of netting. Trampoline netting sourced from Netsystems
  • Carbon fibre chainplates and new bulkhead inserts to replace rotten bulkhead and stainless steel chainplates
  • Composite stanchion sockets with stainless steel stanchions and dyneema lifelines
  • Anchor Spade enables us to anchor with confidence
  • Composite flush fitting hatches – more info and videos to come

Sail Inventory

  • Main – Hydranet (spectra) 2 metre square top mainsail recut from mini maxi 72ft race boat delivery main
  • J1 (jib)- Carbon 3DI jib recut from mini maxi 72 ft race boat headsail
  • Masthead asymmetric spinnaker aka Big A – recut from RC 44 spinnaker. The range in which we run this sail below is VERY weather dependent. In light airs we can go higher than in heavier winds.
    • Wind range up to 10 kts true wind.
    • TWA range approx 180 – 80 degrees
    • AWA range approx 170 – 60 degrees
  • Fractional asymmetric spinnaker – AKA Frankie recut from RC 44 spinnaker. The range in which we run this sail below is VERY weather dependent. In light airs we can go higher than in heavier winds.
    • Wind range 10 – 25kts true
    • TWA range approx 180 – 80 degrees
    • AWA range approx 170 – 60 degrees
  • Code 0 – recut from America’s Cup spinnaker staysail
  • Storm sail – Carbon 3DI jib recut from Carkeek 47

Deck Hardware

Steering

  • McGonaghy carbon fibre steering wheels x 2 which are actually modified ex- America’s Cup 2007 trim tab wheels
  • Vetus hydraulic steering rams – original with the boat.
  • New composite rudders with carbon fibre stock from C-tech New Zealand 1st gengeration made from taking a mould from an 2007 America’s Cup rudder and second generation rudders designed by Shayne

Engines

  • Volvo Penta 28 hp x 2 original with boat

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