Madison Boatworksvideo
16 | Crossing the Central Pacific on a wooden boat
3 December 2023 · 24 min · 291K views · Central Pacific Ocean
What this video covers
Jonathan and Whitney sail their wooden boat, Julia, on an 1800-mile passage from Tahaa, French Polynesia, to Savusavu, Fiji.0:56 To avoid heavy weather in the "Dangerous Middle," they steer a northerly course, staying north of the Rum Line and passing north of Niui and south of Samoa.14:46 During the 15-day transit, they encounter three-metre beam swells and frequent squalls, necessitating heavy reefing at night and sail adjustments during the day.2:37 They primarily use a double-reefed mainsail and jib, though they occasionally drift or motor when winds die.5:45 Near the end of the voyage, the top block of the jib explodes, forcing the crew to rig a staysail to maintain a wing-on-wing configuration for the final approach.19:51 They navigate past the Tonga group before making landfall at Vanuolevu and securing a mooring in Savusavu to clear customs.14:53 Maintaining a consistent speed above five knots helps the crew navigate between weather systems and avoid extended periods of calm.6:16
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