Giant waves crossing the boat
7 August 2025 · 9 min · 6K views · Cape Horn
What this video covers
On 31 January, while sailing solo in the Pacific Ocean at 52 degrees south, the sailor encounters a severe storm with wind gusts reaching 50 knots.6:28 Attempting to reef the genoa results in the sail tearing significantly, forcing the vessel into a bare poles configuration, or "capa seca."6:48 The sea state is described as chaotic, with waves approaching from multiple directions due to shifting winds from the north-west and south-west.5:31 The sailor reports this as the most dangerous storm encountered during a 120-day solo circumnavigation attempt.8:12 Previous conditions on 22 January involved 30 to 35 knots of wind from the south-west, handled with two reefs in the mainsail and a full genoa.0:02 By 27 January, the vessel was sailing under genoa alone as it approached Cape Horn.2:58 The sailor emphasises the difficulty of monitoring the confused, breaking seas from the cockpit during these high-wind events.5:31
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