Building a boat from scratch is a challenge few sailors ever undertake, but for YouTube creators Matt and Jessica of MJ Sailing, it's the culmination of years spent cruising, refitting and learning what truly matters offshore. Having sailed tens of thousands of miles around the world, they're now applying every lesson to create a custom performance cruising catamaran designed for life at sea. We caught up with the duo to hear how the project is progressing, the biggest lessons they've learned along the way, and why VETUS systems are helping bring their vision to life.
Building the dream
What inspired you to take on your biggest project yet, a custom-built, fibreglass catamaran?
After years of living aboard and cruising, we had a very clear idea of what worked for us, and what did not. We wanted a boat designed around the way we actually live and sail, rather than adapting ourselves to someone else’s layout or priorities.
Building from scratch gave us the opportunity to think through everything from storage and ventilation to maintenance access and weight distribution. It is a much longer and more demanding path than buying an existing boat, but the result will be a boat that reflects our experience and the kind of cruising we hope to do in the future.
What has been the single biggest challenge so far?
Patience. There have definitely been some technically difficult jobs along the way, but the biggest challenge has been the mental side of it. Building a boat like this is a constant cycle of measuring, building, checking, sanding, fixing little mistakes, and every once in a while realizing you need to redo something that took days—or even weeks—to complete.
The hard part is that there isn’t a manual to follow. With a one-off build like ours, you’re figuring things out as you go. Sometimes you’re solving problems that nobody has documented before, and you don’t always know if you’ve made the right decision until several steps later. That can be frustrating, but it’s also part of what makes this project so rewarding when everything finally comes together.
That said, we’ve also been incredibly fortunate to have Max Cruise in our corner throughout this entire process. They’ve been unbelievably generous with their time, answering what must feel like our millionth question, looking over our plans, and helping us think through problems before they become expensive mistakes. At the end of the day, we’re still the ones doing the work and making the decisions, but having that kind of experience to lean on has been invaluable. I honestly can’t imagine tackling a project like this without that level of support.
Lessons from years at sea
How has sailing more than 35,000 miles influenced the way you’re designing your new boat?
Our years of cruising have influenced nearly every part of the design. When you live aboard full-time, small inconveniences become much more noticeable. You quickly learn the value of proper ventilation, practical storage, secure handholds, good access to systems, and equipment that can withstand constant exposure to saltwater and movement.
We have also learned that a boat needs to be maintainable. It is not enough for a system to fit into a space, it also needs to be accessible when something eventually requires inspection, repair, or replacement.
Were there any frustrations on previous boats that you’re determined to eliminate this time?
One thing we learned over years of cruising is that little annoyances become big annoyances when you live with them every day. Leaky hatches were one of those. Our previous boat had hatches from several manufacturers, and the VETUS hatch was the one that consistently stayed dry. That experience is what first put VETUS on our radar, long before we ever discussed working together.
But beyond keeping the water out, we’ve put a lot of thought into making this boat a comfortable place to live. Most people picture sailing as the adventure, but in reality, only a small percentage of our time is actually spent underway. The vast majority of our lives are spent cooking, working, reading, sleeping, and simply living aboard. We wanted a boat that felt open, bright, well ventilated, and easy to use every single day.
That philosophy has influenced almost every decision we’ve made, from improving access to systems and simplifying maintenance to choosing equipment we trust and designing spaces that make life aboard more enjoyable. If we’re going to call this boat home, we want it to be a place we’re happy to live in for years to come.
What’s one feature you wouldn’t compromise on after years of long-distance cruising?
Reliability. When you’re crossing an ocean, convenience is nice, but reliability is everything. If something fails offshore, you become the repair technician.
That’s why we spend so much time researching equipment. We’d rather install something once than replace it later. There’s real value in knowing a component is going to do its job year after year without constantly needing attention. Every time you don’t have to troubleshoot, repair, or replace something is more time you get to spend actually enjoying life on the water.
For us, the best marine equipment is the kind you almost forget is there because it just works.
Choosing VETUS
You chose VETUS early in the project, what gave you confidence in that decision?
The decision began with our previous aluminum sailboat. It had a mismatched collection of hatches from several manufacturers, but the VETUS hatch consistently proved to be our favorite. It was dependable, easy to use, and most importantly – it kept us dry.
After years of living aboard and sailing everywhere from the Caribbean to the Arctic, that hatch never gave us a reason to doubt it. When we began planning the new catamaran, we remembered that experience and reached out to VETUS.
The more we got to know the company, the more confident we became in that decision. Visiting their U.S. headquarters gave us the opportunity to see their products in person, talk with their team, and learn more about the engineering behind them. It reinforced what we’d already experienced firsthand—that they build quality equipment backed by people who genuinely know their products and want to help you choose the right solution for your boat.
Which previous experiences with VETUS products influenced your choice?
Initially it was the hatch from our aluminum boat as well as the wide catalog that initially brought us to VETUS, but then it became so much more.
Visiting the VETUS U.S. headquarters in Maryland gave us the opportunity to see the available hatch designs and sizes in person rather than making every decision from a catalog.
What really stood out, though, was seeing the full range of products VETUS offers and being able to examine their quality firsthand. It’s one thing to browse specifications online, but it’s completely different to handle the equipment, see how it’s constructed, and understand the thought that’s gone into the engineering behind each product.
We were also incredibly impressed by the people. Everyone who showed us around knew their products inside and out. No matter what we asked, they could explain not just what a product did, but why it had been designed that way and how it would perform in the real world. That level of knowledge gave us a lot of confidence that we’d be supported long after the equipment was installed.
As we continued planning our build, their team was generous with their time, helping us select the right equipment for our boat instead of simply trying to sell us products. Having that kind of technical guidance throughout the process made choosing VETUS an easy decision.
How important was having one supplier for multiple onboard systems?
It was something we appreciated more as the project went on. When you’re building a boat from scratch, there are already thousands of decisions to make. Being able to source several major systems from one company meant we weren’t constantly trying to figure out whether products from different manufacturers would work well together.
It also gave us confidence knowing that if we ever have questions down the road, there’s one team that’s familiar with a large portion of our boat instead of having to chase answers from several different companies. When you’re cruising full-time, having that kind of support and consistency can make a big difference.
What qualities do you look for when selecting equipment that will take you offshore?
Reliability is always at the top of the list, but we’ve also learned to look at how a product fits into the bigger picture. We ask ourselves questions like: How easy will this be to install? Can we reach it if it ever needs servicing? Are replacement parts available in other parts of the world? Has the company been around long enough that they’ll still be supporting this product years from now?
Building a boat from scratch has also made us appreciate thoughtful engineering. You can usually tell when a product has been designed by people who actually spend time on the water. The little details, whether something is intuitive to install, easy to maintain, or simply works the way you expect can make a huge difference over years of cruising.
Systems and Installation
Which VETUS systems have made the biggest difference during the build so far?
So far, the VETUS hatches have probably had the biggest impact on the build. We decided early on that we wanted flush deck hatches rather than the surface-mounted hatches the boat was originally designed for. That meant modifying the deck by molding in gutters and drains, along with additional finish work below, so the installation became much more involved than simply dropping in a hatch.
Even though they’re not permanently installed yet, fitting them has been a huge milestone. Seeing them in place completely changed the look of the boat and made it start feeling less like a construction project and more like the home we’ve been working toward for the past six years.
We’re actually keeping them safely stored until just before launch. We still have exterior painting ahead of us, and we’d hate to risk overspray or damage to the acrylic while we’re finishing the boat. It takes a little more patience, but we’d rather install them once, at the very end, and know they’ll stay looking new.
Has integrating multiple systems from one manufacturer simplified installation?
Yes, and I think it’s simplified the decision-making process just as much as the installation itself. When you’re building a boat from scratch, every decision seems to affect three others. Having several major systems come from one manufacturer gave us confidence that the products were designed with the same engineering philosophy in mind, instead of us trying to piece together solutions from a dozen different companies.
It also meant we had one knowledgeable team we could turn to whenever we had questions. Throughout the build, VETUS has been great about helping us choose the right equipment for our boat and making sure all the pieces worked together. That guidance has been incredibly valuable, especially since this is our first time building a boat from the ground up.
Were there any installations that proved easier than expected?
The water tank inspection port was probably the biggest surprise. We expected it to be another one of those jobs that would require piecing together a bunch of different parts, but VETUS has done a really nice job of designing it as a complete system. Everything works together, whether you simply want a large inspection opening for cleaning the tank or plan to add fittings and tank level sensors later on.
As boat builders, we really appreciated that kind of thoughtful design. Instead of spending time trying to adapt parts from different manufacturers, we could install it knowing it was engineered to work as a complete package. It turned what we expected to be a fiddly installation into a pretty straightforward one.
Which system are you most excited to use once you’re finally cruising?
Probably the hybrid propulsion system. It’s evolved a lot since we first started the project. What began as a much simpler propulsion plan has grown into a fully integrated hybrid system, and we’re excited to finally see how the diesel engine, electric motors, regeneration, batteries, and charging systems all work together in real-world cruising.
More than anything, we’re looking forward to having the flexibility it offers. Being able to maneuver quietly under electric power, generate energy while sailing, and still have the confidence of a diesel when we need it feels like the best of both worlds.
After spending years designing and installing every piece of that system ourselves, it’ll be incredibly rewarding to finally cast off the dock lines and see it all doing exactly what it was designed to do.
DIY advice
What have been your biggest lessons for anyone considering building their own boat?
Be realistic about the time commitment. Everything takes longer than you expect, and that’s okay. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, whether it’s reaching out to the designer, a manufacturer, or someone who’s done it before. There’s no prize for figuring everything out on your own, and we’ve learned that most people are surprisingly generous with their knowledge.
Remember that mistakes aren’t failures, they’re part of the education. We’ve learned more from fixing things than we ever would have by getting everything right the first time.
I’d also say that some of the most productive days on a build don’t involve picking up a single tool. Sometimes the best thing you can do is stop, think through the next five steps, and make sure today’s decision won’t create tomorrow’s problem. A little extra planning can save days or even weeks of rework.
What skills have you learned during this project that you never expected to master?
We’ve become proficient in a lot of skills we never imagined we’d be tackling. Fiberglass work, fairing, precision alignment, plumbing, electrical systems, painting…the list just keeps growing.
But I don’t think either of us would say we’ve mastered any of them. Boat building has a funny way of reminding you that there’s always another technique to learn or a better way to do something. The more we’ve learned, the more we’ve realized how much there still is to know.
More than any technical skill, the biggest thing this project has taught us is patience and a willingness to keep learning. Building a custom boat means solving problems you’ve never seen before, asking lots of questions, listening to people with more experience, and not being afraid to admit when you don’t know the answer.
Looking ahead
Which onboard system are you most looking forward to testing at sea?
There are quite a few systems we’re looking forward to using, but the hybrid propulsion and electrical system is probably at the top of the list. It’s the heart of the boat, and we’ve spent years researching, designing, and installing it. We’re excited to experience what day-to-day cruising will actually feel like, maneuvering quietly in and out of anchorages under electric power, seeing how much energy we can recover through regeneration while sailing, and learning how the entire energy system performs over longer passages.
Beyond that, we’re looking forward to finally using all of the little systems that make life aboard comfortable. Things like the ventilation, water systems, lighting, and everything else that we’ve spent thousands of hours installing but have never actually been able to enjoy.
At the moment, every system is something we’re building or testing individually. It’ll be incredibly satisfying to finally experience them all working together as a complete boat instead of a construction project.
What are your expectations for the boat’s first sea trials?
We don’t expect perfection, and we don’t plan to throw the boat straight into an offshore passage. The first few months will be spent close to home along the U.S. East Coast, or over in the Abacos of the Bahamas. The Abacos are a great place to get to know a new boat because they’re protected from large ocean swells, but still offer consistent trade winds that let you really learn how the boat sails.
Sea trials are all about learning. We expect to make adjustments, fine-tune systems, and discover things we’d never find while the boat was sitting on the hard. That’s just part of commissioning a custom-built boat.
Based on what we’ve seen from other Max Cruise catamarans that have launched before us, we’re expecting excellent light-air performance, the ability to point well upwind, and the opportunity to do a surprising amount of our day-to-day cruising using solar power, regeneration, and electric propulsion. If the boat performs the way we believe she will, and all of the major systems do what we’ve designed them to do, we’ll consider those first sea trials a huge success.
Once she’s launched, where will the first major adventure take you?
The Mediterranean has been our dream destination since 2014, but somehow life has always taken us somewhere else.
On our first boat, we crossed the Atlantic to the Azores with every intention of continuing into the Med, but instead turned around to chase the Arctic before returning home to rebuild our next boat. Then, after taking that boat all the way to the Arctic, we were finally preparing to head south when COVID changed everyone’s plans. Looking back, that unexpected pause became the opportunity to build the boat we’d always wanted.
Now, we’re more excited than ever to experience the history, cultures, and anchorages of the Mediterranean. This boat was designed with those waters in mind—light enough to keep sailing in the region’s gentle breezes, yet capable of taking care of us when the stronger winds arrive. It feels like this is finally the boat that’s going to get us there.
Follow MJ Sailing’s progress here.
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