Sailing Yabávideo

Our Engine Broke… Right Before the Hardest Goodbye — Sailing Yabá 275

20 July 2025 · 40 min · 86K views

What this video covers

The crew of the 40-foot sailboat Yabá performs emergency engine repairs and final maintenance tasks four days before a scheduled departure. After discovering a compromised heat exchanger cap, the owner removes the unit, including the turbocharger, to have a new threaded stainless steel fitting welded onto the aluminum housing. The repair requires careful sealing with rubber gaskets to prevent saltwater intrusion into the engine's freshwater cooling system. During the reassembly, the crew reroutes the engine's cooling hoses through a hybrid boiler to provide hot water for showers while underway. Additional pre-departure maintenance includes an oil change for the Mercedes 352 engine using 17 liters of 15W40 oil, tensioning the rudder cables with turnbuckles, and inspecting the hull and propeller for fouling. The crew also installs a new library storage unit and clears out excess gear to prepare the cabin for long-term living. The vessel is readied for sea despite the emotional difficulty of departing from family.

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