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Sailing Alone in Fog Without Losing Your Cool

14 June 2025 · 22 min · 5K views

What this video covers

A solo sailor navigating an 80-ft kevlar-hulled yacht through dense fog manages collision risk by implementing a strict one-minute watch interval.2:05 While motoring at five knots towards a boatyard, the sailor uses a handheld timer to limit time spent below deck, ensuring frequent visual checks for fishing pots and other vessels.2:00 The onboard AIS system is currently limited to a 10-mile transmission range due to damaged mast wiring, so the sailor supplements local data with PredictWind AIS overlays accessed via Starlink.5:21 Although the vessel lacks radar, the sailor relies on active navigation lights and the boat’s structural integrity to mitigate potential impacts with small fishing craft or submerged debris.7:55 The sailor emphasises that risk management in low-visibility conditions involves calculating the time to potential hazards—such as the two minutes required to reach a fishing buoy or the 20 minutes to reach the coast—and maintaining a disciplined, repetitive watch schedule to prevent fatigue-related errors or falls.12:02

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