Wind Hippie Sailingvideo

Rough Entry into Indonesia WHSE168

18 August 2025 · 27 min · 59K views · Savu Sea

What this video covers

A 38-ft sailboat, *Gekko*, completes a passage from Darwin, Australia, to Kupang, Indonesia, navigating a challenging tide rip during the final approach. The crew encounters steep, breaking waves and strong currents while entering a pass near the destination, forcing them to hand-steer and reef the sails to maintain control in 20 knots of wind.15:46 After navigating around a poorly marked pearl farm at night, the vessel drops anchor in an exposed area near the harbor to begin the customs clearance process.24:47 The owner plans to document the DIY clearance procedure to avoid the $250 USD fee typically charged by local agents.2:53 Throughout the passage, the crew utilizes a new Rolly Tasker headsail, which performed reliably in winds ranging from 5 to 25 knots.8:45 The experience highlights the necessity of timing arrivals to avoid adverse tidal conditions in narrow channels and the utility of having a second crew member for watch-keeping and sail handling during high-stress maneuvers.

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Boats in this video

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