Project Brupegvideo
Punching Upwind to Cape Grenville - Project Brupeg Ep.448
28 May 2026 · 47 min · 14K views · Escape River
What this video covers
Brupeg, a 48-tonne converted fishing trawler drawing 2.1 metres, departs Escape River after a 10-day weather hold and pushes south toward Cape Grenville on Australia's Cape York Peninsula.Watch Exiting via the Turtle Head Island bar requires careful tide timing: the crew uses Turn Island as their tidal gauge rather than the local station, which underreads by about 1–1.5 metres, and calculates 1.7 metres under the keel at the shallowest crossing point.5:40 Tannin-dark river water from surrounding mangroves prevented watermaker use throughout the stay, drawing the 4-tonne freshwater supply down to roughly 2 tonnes.2:00 The passage runs southeast in light conditions with half-metre swells, stopping overnight at Bushy Island before the final leg to Cape Grenville's Margaret Bay.7:09 Throttle feathering into head seas is a recurring handling challenge, prompting extended discussion of a bow bulb retrofit: estimated cost is AUD $15,000–$20,000 for hydrodynamic design and fabrication, with the added benefit of housing a bow thruster motor inside the bulb to avoid routing it through fuel tanks.24:10 The engine at 330 hours post-rebuild shows minor issues — a weeping JIC fitting on the oil filter, a stern gland needing compression, and a rear main gearbox seal drip — all logged as routine maintenance.45:33 Stabilisers are noted as highly effective without measurable speed penalty.41:25
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