48° North contributors Matt Steverson and Janneke Petersen have been busy with their racer-to-cruiser refit of the Open 60 Duracell, most recently cutting holes in the boat for the engine and systems compartment.

We love following along as Matt and Janne continue their massive project re-imagining the famous ocean racer Duracell on their YouTube Channel. As always, Matt gives a ton of details about the lamination process and why he’s doing certain steps along the way. With all of 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!