Sailing NVvideo

No Spare Parts? No Problem. Windlass Rebuild in Remote Borneo | S2 Ep 81

30 November 2025 · 19 min · 5K views · Gaia Island, Kota Kinabalu

What this video covers

The owners of an Open 66 sailboat, currently anchored off Gaia Island near Kota Kinabalu, Borneo, perform a complete rebuild of their 1,200-watt anchor windlass after the motor burns out.0:12 The repair requires sourcing and fabricating multiple components in the city’s industrial district. A local automotive electrical shop rewinds the motor and replaces damaged internal insulation.8:53 A separate engineering firm machines a new stainless steel shaft key and fabricates a custom bearing seat from high-density fiber, as nylon alternatives are prone to moisture absorption and swelling.6:04 The crew sources a replacement oil seal and a new bearing from a specialized local supplier, along with a 120-ampere fuse and a heavy-duty electrical switch.12:39 After reassembling the motor with the new parts, the unit passes a 50-amp load test.11:06 The repair restores the vessel's ability to anchor in deep water, which is necessary for navigating the local seabed topography.18:58

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