59° North Sailing · video

What this video covers

The Swan 48 S&S *Isbjørn* undergoes extensive winter maintenance in Bergen, Norway, to prepare for high-latitude sailing. A primary structural repair involved replacing a broken boom vang tang, which had failed due to metal fatigue; the crew removed the internal backing plate, had a new piece fabricated, and reinstalled it using an impact driver to remove seized stainless steel bolts from the aluminum boom.6:39 To prevent line snagging, the crew replaced damaged cowl vents with new mahogany versions featuring removable lids, allowing them to be stowed during offshore passages.11:57 Engine maintenance included servicing the Beta 60, cleaning the custom exhaust elbow, and replacing the raw water pump.14:55 The crew also installed a new latching system for the forward hatch using a double-tether cam design to ensure both watertight integrity and emergency egress.22:48 Navigation upgrades were deferred after the crew successfully tested an Orca marinized tablet, which outperformed previous iPad setups in cold, wet conditions.28:24 The boat is protected during the winter season by a full-length cover to prevent freeze-thaw damage to teak decks and hardware.13:30

Boats in this video

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