Sailing Zephyr IV · video

What this video covers

Dave and Bill sail the Westerly Oceanquest 35 Zephyr IV from their home port to Brighton Marina, a coastal passage along the English south coast.Watch Departing with a 22-knot breeze and a favorable tide, they pass Spitbank Fort, No Man's Land Fort, and Horse Sands Fort before entering the Looe Channel, where tidal flow against wind builds a steep, confused chop.0:43 Conditions escalate steadily: the crew drops the mainsail and runs under jib alone, boat speed holds at 6.5–7 knots in 25–28 knots of apparent wind, but the motion turns violent enough that Dave is seasick for the first time in his life.4:05 The forecast had not predicted conditions this rough. Surfing down waves off Worthing with both crew hanging on, they push through to Brighton Marina and secure a pre-booked berth.5:59 The following morning the marina is flat calm.6:30 The passage illustrates how tidal acceleration through a confined channel — the Looe Channel in particular — can produce sea states far worse than wind strength alone suggests, and why a pre-booked berth matters when conditions deteriorate.

Boats in this video

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