48° North contributors Matt Steverson and Janneke Petersen have been busy with their racer-to-cruiser refit of the Open 60 Duracell, most recently focusing on a clever modification to the existing water ballast tanks.

We love following along as Matt and Janne continue their massive project re-imagining the famous ocean racer Duracell on their YouTube Channel. Their three most recent videos begin and advance the modification of Duracell’s water ballast tanks. This is a big part of the refit, as it will create room for a more spacious and cozily furnished interior, while also providing them with the dual purpose of a freshwater tank solution that still retains some water ballast functionality. Their approach to this is of particular interest to anyone who is a fan of water ballast to augment and enhance righting moment. The old tanks could hold up to 900 (!) gallons, but given Matt and Janne’s shift in purpose and design, they won’t need that much extra ballast going forward and are reducing the tankage totals.

As always, with the Duracell Project videos, there’s a great deal of empowerment in seeing Matt take a saw to his beloved boat, and then put it back together better than ever. Yes, he’s skilled, talented, and experienced. However, it is a worthwhile reminder that boats aren’t necessarily precious, and their builds and materials are stronger and more customizable than the average sailor might think.

Enjoy the window into this cool modification, fellow boat geeks!