Sailing Florence · video

What this video covers

After an eight-month refit, the 37-foot sailboat Florence completed a 120-mile, 24-hour shakedown sail from Portsmouth Harbour to Ramsgate, UK.10:10 The crew installed three new Rolly Tasker sails—a genoa, a staysail on a new inner-stay furler, and a storm jib—to improve performance for a planned circumnavigation of the British Isles.1:01 During the initial coastal transit, the crew navigated night watches, wind farms, and shipping lanes before encountering 40-knot northerly gusts near Goodwin Sands, which necessitated a stop in Ramsgate.10:49 Due to delays in securing Arctic permits and insurance, the crew postponed their planned Arctic Circle expedition until next season, opting to sail the British Isles anti-clockwise instead.11:19 The voyage continued north across the Thames Estuary toward Lowestoft, where the crew managed tidal gates and wind shifts while testing the new sail configuration.16:26 The shakedown confirmed the vessel's readiness for coastal cruising, highlighting the utility of flexible stopovers compared to long-distance ocean passages.

Boats in this video

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