XTRIP SAILING · video

What this video covers

Micha, the owner of a sailing vessel, begins his season in mid-April in Iceland, departing from the East Harbour to test boat systems after a six-month winter layup. During the initial transit, he discovers a faulty 120Ah battery dedicated to the anchor windlass, which drops to 7 volts under load; he temporarily bridges the windlass to the service battery to maintain functionality. While navigating under autopilot, he inadvertently strikes a navigation buoy, though the rudder remains operational. He notes that the rudder, which features one original profile and one repaired, thinner section, shows no vibration under power but requires monitoring. The passage involves sailing through fjords near Ísafjörður, where he encounters 12-knot winds and manages 6 knots of boat speed with a single reef in the mainsail. He monitors energy consumption, noting that the autopilot draws significant power, likely due to increased friction in the newly replaced upper rudder bearings. The trip concludes with a period of motoring through a calm fjord to reach an anchorage, where he plans to test the engine and prepare for potential freezing temperatures.

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