Sailing SV Delos

Sailing SV Delos is a YouTube channel that chronicles the travels and adventures of video bloggers aboard the sailing vessel Delos. Delos has made several ocean crossings, sometimes through heavy weather conditions such as severe lightning storms, and once tackling a 50-knot gale en route to Madagascar.

Background Trautman grew up in Flagstaff, Arizona, with a love of the outdoors and worked as a diesel mechanic during his high school years, later earning a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Washington. What inspired him to think about crossing oceans in a boat was reading the book Three Years in a 12-Foot Boat by Stephen G. Ladd. A 2019 report in Yachting World magazine suggested that the crew made $14,000 for each video from paying donors and produced about four videos each month.

Boats Delos is a 53-foot long Amel Super Maramu, built in La Rochelle, France, purchased by Trautman in 2008. It sleeps six people comfortably. From 2008 to 2021, Trautman and crew sailed Delos more than 70,000 miles. As a former electrical engineer, Trautman used his knowledge to make various improvements to the boat installing lithium-iron-phosphate batteries with a battery management system to power the electronics on the vessel, including an induction cooktop. The crew has taken numerous steps to make Delos environmentally friendly.

Delos 2.0 is currently being built by Stradbroke Yachts with the assistance of Brian and Karin at Redland City Marina in Thornlands QLD 4164, just outside of Brisbane, Australia. Delos 2.0 is a customized 16m (52'-6") welded aluminum sailing catamaran designed by naval architect David De Villiers of New Zealand. Brian and his family moved to Australia to help build Delos 2.0. Brian has learned to weld aluminum, and he works alongside the Stradbroke crew daily to build their future home. Delos 2.0 is built like an aluminum aircraft fuselage, the structure is made up of frames, longitudinal stringers, and hull plates. Delos 2.0 has a diesel/electric hybrid drive for motoring in and out of port and when winds are too light for sailing. Delos 2.0 is a variant of the De Villiers Model 525 which is unique with an inside weather-proof helm. A door beside the helm goes forward to the outside cockpit where all the lines and winches reside for the sails. The model 525 has a beam of 7.70m (25'-3"), giving a length/ beam ratio of 2.08, 2.1 is considered by many experts to be the perfect L/B ratio for stability and comfort when sailing. Delos 2.0 has been strengthened for exploring anywhere on the globe, 6mm hull plates were used which is a 20% increase over the standard. The skegs are extra thick and protect the propellers and rudders from damage. The catamaran has rugged mini keels vs daggerboard which along with the heavy skegs make beaching the boat possible without damage. Delos 2.0 weighs in at 17,640kg (38,890 lbs) full displacement load. The catamaran has water catchment on the roof of the saloon and will have a large solar array for battery charging. One of the customizations on Delos 2.0 is the rearward extension of the saloon roof over their outdoor barbeque/kitchen/diving space which will add significant area for water catchment and solar panels. Their build journey can be followed on their YouTube channel ‘Sailing SV Delos’.

Philanthropy The crew engaged in numerous philanthropic endeavors, such as contributing to restoration efforts on the island of Dominica, which was ravaged by Hurricane Maria in 2017. In 2019, they donated US$50,000 to various charities, such as the Surfrider Foundation, which seeks to protect the world's oceans.