paikea at sunset in the marina
Paikea at sunset

Paikea’s Systems

This page documents the equipment and systems on Paikea as she is today — what we run, why we chose it, and where we’ve written about it in more detail. It’s a living document that gets updated as the boat evolves.

Navigation and Instruments

Paikea runs a hybrid navigation setup that combines dedicated marine electronics with tablet-based software for flexibility and redundancy.

Primary navigation is on a Raymarine E120W chartplotter backed up by an Android tablet running Navionics and PredictWind Offshore. Passage planning happens in qtVlm on laptop, which also handles polar analysis and routing. Real-time performance data displays on a Sailmon sailing display. AIS is a Raymarine AIS 500. VHF is a Garmin 100i. Autopilot — we call him Steve — is a Raymarine system controlled via Raymarine i70 multifunction display, with a secondary Raspberry Pi/Arduino autopilot as backup. Secondary GPS runs a 167-channel USB receiver.

Starlink — a genuine safety upgrade for offshore passage making. We crossed the Atlantic with Starlink and it changes everything — fast weather updates, real-time routing, and reliable communications that make the Iridium GO effectively obsolete for anything within Starlink coverage. For ocean passages we still carry the Iridium GO as backup, but Starlink is now our primary offshore communications system.

Anchor alarm runs on the Raymarine system and Anchor Lite on Android as backup. Navily and Google Maps supplement the above for anchorage research and provisioning.

Weather routing runs on PredictWind — we use it for daily forecasts and passage planning. Join via our affiliate link.

Performance Tools

Shayne analyses Paikea’s performance against theoretical polars and uses the data to tune the rig and sail trim.

Live polar analysis and routing runs in qtVlm, which handles both navigation and real-time performance monitoring. Polar diagrams are built in OpenCPN. Sail shape analysis and inventory optimisation uses Sailpack Vision. Data analysis and refit project tracking runs in Excel and LibreOffice Calc.

Design and Engineering Tools

Every custom component on Paikea gets modelled before it gets built. Shayne uses XFLR5 for foil and rig aerodynamic analysis, NanoCAD for 2D drafting and fabrication templates, Solid Edge for 3D structural modelling, and MaxSurf for naval architecture and hydrostatics.

We also carry a Bambu Lab X1 3D printer aboard — it prints carbon-filled nylon and PLA for structural cores, custom hardware, and precision mounting brackets. It weighs 23kg and has earned its place.

Power

Paikea’s electrical system is built for offshore independence — enough solar to run refrigeration, electronics, and tools without a generator, backed by a robust lithium bank.

Solar capacity is 1,100 watts on a frame overhanging the dinghy, with a further 620 watts planned for the aft dodger — 1,720 watts total. The battery bank is LiFePO4, 360Ah at 24 volts, giving 8,640 watt-hours of usable storage. The system runs at 24 volts, which we chose deliberately for efficiency at our power consumption levels. A Simarine PICO monitor gives real-time visibility into consumption, tank levels, and historical data across both 24V and 12V systems.

Windows and Hatches

Paikea’s windows are the original curved Catana acrylic — impractical and expensive to replace, so the approach has been fixing rather than replacing. The main fix so far has been resealing with a marine-grade MS sealant after years of squeaking and leaking. The boat’s composite hatches are a separate, purpose-built system — see the full build story for those below.

Water

Freshwater comes from a Spectra watermaker fed through flush skin fittings — the flush mount eliminates the turbulence and aeration that affects watermaker performance at speed. The tank is 500 litres stainless steel. Water pump is a Marco UP2/E, filtered through Purone filters. Hot water is a 50-litre Raritan heater. Drainage runs through Seaflo 750 GPH sump pumps. Bilge pumps are Seaflo 1100 GPH 12V electric.

Sail Inventory

Almost every sail on Paikea has a previous life.Most of Paikea’s sails have a previous life in grand prix racing — we recycle where we can and buy new when we have to.

  • Mainsail — Hydranet (Spectra) 2-metre square top, recut from a Mini Maxi 72ft race delivery main. How we recut a superyacht mainsail.
  • J1 jib — Carbon 3DI, recut from a Mini Maxi 72ft race headsail.
  • Masthead asymmetric spinnaker (Big A) — Recut from an RC44 spinnaker. Wind range to 10 knots true; TWA 80–180 degrees, AWA 60–170 degrees.
  • Fractional asymmetric spinnaker (Frankie) — Recut from an RC44 spinnaker. Wind range 10–25 knots true; TWA 80–180 degrees, AWA 60–170 degrees.
  • Code 0 — Recut from an America’s Cup spinnaker staysail. How we built the Code 0.
  • Storm jib — Carbon 3DI, recut from a Carkeek 47.

For Paikea’s full sail inventory, wind ranges, and the story behind our recycled grand prix sails, visit Paikea’s Sails which is our free resource. Members content on sail selection and build stories is in development — discussion is live in the technical forum now.

Deck Hardware

Primary jib furler is a KZ Marine 2T inshore furler — our first choice for furler reliability. Contact Element Systems Mallorca for availability. Inner forestay uses a Facnor halyard lock. Spinnaker handling uses Antal snap hooks throughout. Running rigging uses Dynex soft shackles at the bow, mainsheet system, and other high-load points in place of metal shackles — Tylite soft shackles on halyards. Jib furler is a Nemo.

Steering

Two McGonaghy carbon fibre steering wheels — modified ex-America’s Cup 2007 trim tab wheels. Vetus hydraulic steering rams, original with the boat. Rudders are custom composite with carbon fibre stock from C-Tech New Zealand — first generation taken from a mould of a 2007 America’s Cup rudder, second generation designed by Shayne.

Engines

Two Volvo Penta 28hp engines, original with the boat.

Behind the Scenes: Members Content

The free pages cover the build story. In the members library you’ll find the behind the scenes footage and technical detail that doesn’t make it into the public videos — the carbon mast build diary, rudder ventilation diagnosis and second generation design, composite stanchion load testing with real pull test data, and ongoing interior refit documentation. Join here.

Scroll to Top