Erik Aanderaa · video

What this video covers

A solo sailor completes a 200-nautical-mile winter passage from Norway to Lerwick, Shetland, to attend the Up Helly Aa Viking Festival.Watch The transit takes 36 hours, with the vessel motor-sailing initially before wind shifts allow for sailing.2:58 The sailor uses a new mainsail slider system to reef in 25-degree heeling conditions and employs a Hydrovane self-steering system for the final approach.11:53 Upon arrival at Victoria Pier, the boat sustains hull damage from a protruding steel fixture on the dock during a 60-to-70-knot storm.23:19 The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) provides additional fenders to mitigate further damage while the boat remains moored.25:24 The passage concludes with the sailor reaching the festival just before the storm hits, though the return trip to Norway involves 50-knot winds and a 19.7-knot surf in heavy seas.26:21

More from Erik Aanderaa

I'm sailing ALONE towards the North Pole! - Chapter 1Sept 2026Sailing Towards the North Pole - TrailerSept 2026This sail is a GAMECHANGER onboard Tessie!Jun 2026This boat is CRAZY! Will Silje SURVIVE?May 2026

From Erik Aanderaa — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analysed video.

The Sailing Directory Newsletter

One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.