Couple spend 10 months rebuilding abandoned superyacht into hybrid-electric boat that can run forever so they can live on it full time
Published on Nov 13, 2026 at 5:24 AM (UTC-5)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Nov 13, 2026 at 5:24 AM (UTC-5)
Edited by
Mason Jones
This couple has spent 10 months trying to rebuild an abandoned superyacht into a hybrid-electric boat that they can not only run forever, but live on full-time.
Blaine and Janis are working on Tangaroa, a 78-foot aluminum boat that is becoming their own hybrid-electric home on the water.
They have an excellent YouTube channel that has charted the build, and things really seem to be shifting up a gear now.
The latest video sees them chart the rebuilding of the yacht as it goes back together, and with more people working on it, things are moving at a rapid rate.
A project ten years in the making
Amazingly, this abandoned superyacht project has been 10 years in the making.
The abandoned 78-foot superyacht was found underneath a tarp in Alaska, and that gave them an idea.
Why not rebuild it into a hybrid-electric yacht that they could live on full-time?
Well, that is exactly what the couple are doing.
It has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars to get to this point, and a lot of hard work from Blaine and Janis.
The yacht was in a bad way when they found it in Alaska, rusting away, but it was still salvageable.
They have now spent the past year or so documenting the work on the yacht and how they have got on with it so far.
The superyacht spent ten months in the boatyard
The superyacht has spent 10 months sitting in the boatyard while they have tried to convert the boat into a hybrid-electric vessel.
“While we’ve made a lot of progress, there is still an incredible amount of work ahead of us,” said Janis at the start of the video.
But they now have more hands on deck to help them get the project over the line.
That means the custom diesel tanks and hydraulic systems are coming together, as is its new powertrain.
“After 10 months, it feels like we’ve shifted into high gear,” added Janis.
Part of that has included the assembly of the new powertrain that will power the superyacht across the water.
What the couple has managed to assemble is incredibly impressive.
Why go electric?
The simple fact of the matter is that electrical power is more sustainable long-term than just using a regular engine in the superyacht.
Not to mention the cost of things such as diesel now, with prices seemingly always going up.
A lot of components make up the new powertrain inside the superyacht.
DC-to-DC converters, DC-to-AC inverters, and a dedicated battery cooling system are some of the components.
In terms of major hybrid components, Tangaroa has massive generators and two 100kW Danfoss electric motors ready to go.
These form the backbone of its new propulsion system.
The boat will also have a 750V electric system flowing through it.
The project really has stepped up a gear in recent times.
Hopefully it won’t be too long before the couple can enjoy the fruits of their labor.
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Henry joined the Supercar Blondie team in February 2025, and since then has covered a wide array of topics ranging from EVs, American barn finds, and the odd Cold War jet. He’s combined his passion for cars with his keen interest in motorsport and his side hustle as a volunteer steam locomotive fireman at a heritage steam railway.
