Sailing Catalpavideo
We prepare for Hurricane Hilary | Ep 380
1 November 2023 · 15 min · 9K views · Puerto Peñasco
What this video covers
Hurricane Hilary tracked toward Puerto Peñasco (Bay of Porto Penasco) in late August, and the crew of Catalpa — Lee, Sarah, and their kids — hauled the boat at Cabela's Boat Yard and sheltered in an Airbnb while the storm passed.0:43 Forecasts called for 50–60 knots and a 5-metre swell; actual conditions peaked around 60-knot gusts with minimal rain, some downed trees, and a closed restaurant, but no serious damage.4:28 Catalpa came through unscathed, and the crew credited the boatyard team's preparation.6:14 With the storm gone, the family returned to a month-long refit: removing a blue bottom stripe, grinding surface osmosis pimples with a die grinder, sanding off antifoul, and planning to buff and seal the gelcoat before applying TotalBoat bottom paint once the hull dries out.7:28 After nearly a month in the Airbnb, they moved back aboard and drove to Phoenix, Arizona, to collect gear including a chest freezer ordered on Amazon.12:09 A hotel booking mix-up in Phoenix forced a last-minute switch after finding the original accommodation unsanitary.13:11 The storm's weakening over cooler Baja waters — it made landfall as a tropical storm after peaking at Category 4 — spared the boat and crew from the worst.3:55
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