Sam Holmes Sailingvideo

Langkawi to Thailand - 40kt Squalls! Let's test the boat!

2 August 2025 · 26 min · 167K views · Thailand

What this video covers

A catamaran sailing from Langkawi to Thailand navigates the rainy season, encountering frequent squalls with wind speeds reaching 40 knots.18:55 The crew manages the vessel through upwind conditions, utilising reefing techniques and an electric winch to handle the mainsail during rapid wind shifts.21:13 To improve sail handling, they install lazy jacks using scrap rope and pad eyes, though they note the need for further adjustments to the topping lift.5:55 The boat’s electronics, including the chart plotter and radar, require troubleshooting and network resets to function reliably.0:54 While navigating, the crew identifies uncharted rocks and shallow hazards not clearly marked on the chart plotter.21:47 They also perform maintenance by pickling the watermaker to preserve the membrane during the rainy season and successfully rig a light-wind headsail, identified as a Code Zero or drifter, to the prodder.24:19 The crew finds that while the catamaran offers more comfort than a monohull, the rainy season conditions and frequent squalls present significant challenges for coastal passage-making.12:08

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