Australian "nutty professor" Jacob Strickling and his daughter Mikalah, 11, have built a solar-powered catamaran from recycled items.

The two used two fibreglass kayaks that they had bought for $50 each, an aluminium frame from a previous project, random bits of wood, a cheap electric outboard, some discarded solar panels and a battery from a mobility scooter they built Mikalah a boat.

Mikalah did the measuring, glueing, drilling and inserted the screws.

Her father did the cutting, holding and advising.

When finished, Mikalah took her little brother Samuel, 9, on a boat trip, across the lagoon, under the bridge and to the beach.


Mikalah has a swim at the beach before motoring back with the little brother.

Mikalah loves inventing and doing building projects with the help from her dad.

Dad Strickling is a science teacher and runs the popular YouTube channel Make Science Fun.

The video was filmed on March 3 in Terrigal, a one-hour drive north of Sydney.

Australian father Jacob Strickling and his awesome daughter Mikalah (aged 11) constructed a wonderful solar powered catamaran from repurposed items they had been collecting.
Using two fibreglass kayaks they had bought for $50 each, an aluminium frame from an old project, bits of wood, a cheap electric outboard, some discarded solar panels and a battery from a mobility scooter they built Mikalah a boat.
Mikalah did the measuring, glueing, drilling and inserted the screws. Her father did the cutting, holding and advising.
When finished, Mikalah took her little brother Samuel (aged 9) on a boat trip, across the lagoon, under the bridge and to the beach.
Mikalah has a swim at the beach before motoring back with the little brother.
Mikalah loves inventing and doing building projects with the help from her dad Jacob. Strickling is a Science Teacher and popular YouTuber (Make Science Fun). They live in a beautiful place called Terrigal, 1 hour drive North of Sydney Australia.