Sailing Avantivideo
Sailing from Tonga to Fiji - Wet passage EP78
17 August 2023 · 16 min · 893 views · Savu Savu
What this video covers
Avanti, a cruising yacht, completed a 420-nautical-mile passage from Tonga to Savu Savu, Fiji, in approximately three days.0:35 The crew sailed in company with a vessel experiencing rigging damage, maintaining a distance of one to two miles throughout the transit.3:12 Initial conditions involved 17–18 knots on a close reach, eventually shifting to light, downwind conditions in flat seas protected by Fiji’s outer reefs.1:55 The vessel’s aging battery bank failed to hold a charge, dropping to 11.2 volts after three hours and forcing the crew to limit consumption to 25 watts.6:38 To conserve power, the crew relied exclusively on a Gandalf wind vane for steering, avoiding the electric autopilot entirely.7:47 Upon arrival in Savu Savu, the crew cleared customs via officials who boarded the vessel, though they subsequently visited land-based offices to settle fees.8:54 The crew purchased four new Victron batteries to replace the failing system.9:52
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