Explore the work

Projects

Projects follow specific things built, developed, tested, modified, repaired, or undertaken.

Project

CCS Expedition

A six-week research expedition aboard Seeker, including ocean research, weather delays, passage planning, and the schedule conflict that ultimately ended the expedition.

3 related videos · 4 evidence records

Research tool

NURD

Developing the Nanoplastics Underwater Retrieval Device, from early ideas through underwater testing and its use collecting suspended nanoplastics for research.

Failed / abandoned after surface trials

Submarine Seeker

Doug’s first submarine project: an ambitious experimental submarine that progressed through design and surface trials before being abandoned, leaving lessons that influenced later projects.

Project

Origami Construction

Building steel boats by cutting, folding, and welding large plates into hull shapes, from models and structural design through Seeker’s origami hull construction.

19 related videos · 20 evidence records

Project

Nanoplastics Expedition

Seeker’s nanoplastics research expeditions with Sail and Explore, using proven methods and developing new ones, along with the equipment for collecting and studying microscopic plastics in the ocean.

18 related videos · 19 evidence records

Project

Ballast

15 tons of melted down wheel weights become Seeker’s ballast. We collect, process, and finally pour molten lead into Seeker's twin keels.

21 related videos · 22 evidence records

Project

Argonaut Jr

Recreating Simon Lake’s wooden Argonaut Jr. submarine, from construction and systems through successful diving and the lessons carried forward from earlier submarine work.

38 related videos · 39 evidence records

Project

Hydraulics

Building and evolving Seeker's muscle for raising anchors, sails, and boats, running pumps, lifting cargo, and steering her with the autopilot.

76 related videos · 77 evidence records

Project

Helm & Rudder

Seeker’s steering system, from rudder construction and helm controls to hydraulic steering, our autopilot "Bob", repairs, modifications, and lessons learned underway.

0 related videos · 0 evidence records

Active / evolving

Navigation & Electronics

The electronics used to navigate and operate Seeker, including radar, AIS, chartplotters, autopilot, communications, weather information, and passage-planning tools.

Project

Love Me Tender

Designing, building, testing, and improving Seeker’s diesel-powered jet tender, Love Me Tender.

35 related videos · 36 evidence records

Project

Propeller

Designing and building Seeker’s bronze propellers, including patterns, molds, casting, machining, balancing, installation, testing, failures, and improvements.

40 related videos · 43 evidence records

Active / evolving

Electrical System

Seeker’s electrical system from wiring and distribution to batteries, charging, solar power, inverters, monitoring, troubleshooting, and upgrades.

6 related videos · 410 evidence records

Project

Watermaker

Building, operating, testing, repairing, and improving Seeker’s DIY reverse-osmosis watermaker, including pumps, membranes, pressure vessels, plumbing, controls, and lessons useful to other boats.

10 related videos · 11 evidence records

Project

Drive Train

The complete propulsion journey from the Cummins diesel and Allison transmission through transfer cases, the Hundested variable-pitch system, shaft, and propeller.

85 related videos · 85 evidence records

Active / evolving

Junk Rig

Building and developing Seeker’s three-masted junk rig, including masts, sails, battens, yards, rigging, reefing, sail handling, and lessons learned at sea.

Operational / evolving

Anchoring & Ground Tackle

Seeker’s anchoring systems, including anchors, hydraulic winches, chain, handling gear, anchoring techniques, repairs, upgrades, and the lessons learned.

Completed capability / recurring use

Foundry & Casting

Casting parts for Seeker and other projects, including furnaces, burners, patterns, molds, aluminum and bronze casting, lost-foam and lost-wax work, machining, and lessons from failed castings.

Project

Building and developing remotely operated underwater vehicles, from early simple ROV experiments to Seeker’s larger underwater drone, including cameras, thrusters, controls, and tether systems. And next: programming and testing.

58 related videos · 59 evidence records

Project

Fabrication & Tools

The fabrication tools and skills used to build Seeker and other projects, including welding, machining, CNC milling and routing, plasma cutting, lathe work, grinding, 3D printing, CAD/CAM, and shop-built tooling.

Project

Hundested

Rebuilding, installing, testing, repairing, and learning the Hundested variable-pitch propeller system that controls Seeker’s propeller pitch.

12 related videos · 13 evidence records

Completed / maintained

Hull Construction

Building Seeker’s steel hull and structure, including framing, plating, welding, bulkheads, tanks, decks, and the many systems incorporated into the hull.