Vagabond Voyagesvideo
When the autopilot fails us in the middle of the crossing to Fiji | VLOG 109
16 January 2026 · 26 min · 6K views · Océan Pacifique
Sailboat rides open ocean under dramatic sunset clouds
What this video covers
Tom and Anissia depart Tonga aboard their 38-ft sailboat bound for Fiji on a four-day, roughly 500-nautical-mile passage with south-east winds of 15–20 knots and 2–2.5-metre swells.0:57 Three hours into the crossing, the autopilot fails with a continuous alarm; the cause is not diagnosed at sea, though Tom plans to try a replacement remote control after arrival.7:55 A Windpilot wind vane self-steering system — oversized for the boat, with its own independent rudder — takes over and steers the entire passage, including multiple gybes through the Lau island group.10:35 Without the autopilot, motoring in light air becomes impossible, making wind continuity critical.18:11 Wind drops on the third night force manual steering and repeated fine adjustments to the Windpilot.17:44 Anissia battles seasickness throughout, worsened by a Scopolamine patch that stops working; Tom also suffers a wrist injury that limits his ability to handle lines.12:28 The crew skips fishing despite passing through bird flocks.22:47 They abandon a planned stop at Vouda Marina after a dental appointment falls through and divert to Navi Marina instead.14:54 Tom's review of Tonga notes poor anchor holding — mostly rock with thin sand — and crowded anchorages in the Vava'u group during peak season.4:44 A wind vane is indispensable on offshore passages when the autopilot fails and motoring is not an option.8:21
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