Sailing Florencevideo
Sailing through LIGHTNING STORMS Mid-Ocean | Crossing the Indian Ocean Ep.107
20 August 2021 · 23 min · 101K views · Indian Ocean
What this video covers
During a 3,000-mile Indian Ocean crossing, the crew of the 37-foot sailboat Florence encounters severe, persistent lightning storms and squalls while navigating the doldrums. The intense electrical activity forces the crew to store spare electronics in the oven to create a makeshift Faraday cage.9:07 Water intrusion through a cracked bezel causes the electric autopilot control panel to fail, requiring the crew to disassemble, dry, and reseal the unit with super glue and tape.11:15 Simultaneously, the masthead wind instruments stop functioning for 24 hours before spontaneously recovering.14:38 The crew manages constant sail changes, including frequent reefing and spinnaker handling, while dealing with extreme fatigue and inconsistent winds.7:19 They also perform a mid-passage repair on a chafed steering line for their wind vane.13:08 The crew eventually exits the doldrums and reaches the trade winds after sailing 200 miles further south than originally planned to avoid wind holes.22:28
Boats in this video
More from Sailing Florence
From Sailing Florence — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analysed video.
The Sailing Directory Newsletter
One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.