Sailing Nahoavideo
The Night We Nearly Ended Up on the Reef
12 July 2026 · 30 min · 52K views · Cloudbreak
Silhouette scans dark sea with flashlight from boat
What this video covers
The crew of the 40-ft catamaran Nahoa experienced a near-grounding at the Roro Reef near Fiji’s Cloud Break surf break after a nighttime wind reversal pushed the vessel toward the coral.7:55 A 180-degree shift in wind direction created a land breeze that forced the boat onto the reef, while a failing starboard sail drive transmission prevented the crew from using reverse thrust to hold their position.8:54 The crew successfully deployed an aluminum Danforth stern anchor to keep the boat off the reef until they could safely maneuver to Port Denerau.10:31 Following the incident, the owner performed a clutch cone repair on the sail drive, which involved removing a left-hand threaded nut and grinding down worn components to restore reverse gear functionality.21:49 The repair also included replacing a cracked hose and servicing the kiteboarding gear.15:14 After multiple attempts to leave the marina for remote cruising, the crew successfully departed Fiji’s main island with a functional drivetrain.27:36
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