Sailing Catalpa · video

What this video covers

The crew of the 220-nautical-mile passage from Barra de Navidad to Zihuatanejo, Mexico, aboard the sailboat Catalpa utilizes a spinnaker to maintain speed in light winds. During the two-day transit, the crew monitors nearby commercial traffic using radar after sustaining damage to their VHF antenna in a boatyard. The vessel lacks an AIS system, requiring manual observation of ship movements at night. Mechanical issues persist, including a singing propeller and a failing outboard motor on the dinghy, which the owner repairs on the beach by drilling and pinning the slipping spline. The crew provisions in Zihuatanejo before planning a southward departure toward El Salvador to clear the region before the onset of hurricane season. Despite light wind conditions and intermittent fishing success, the crew maintains a steady pace, occasionally motoring to ensure arrival before dark.

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