Distant Shores TVvideo
Transatlantic Crossing Part 2 | Ep 262
21 June 2025 · 15 min · 57K views
What this video covers
Paul and Sheryl Shard, aboard their new Orion 50, tackle a compounding engine and gearbox failure during the second week of a 2,200-mile east-to-west transatlantic crossing from Cape Verde to Antigua, with crew Stefan and Keith. Halfway across, the hybrid-electric combi system stops charging because the diesel engine won't engage forward gear reliably; a separate fault emerges when the starter battery drains too low to crank the engine. Remote troubleshooting via Starlink video calls with builder Marco van Ankelsen and Super B Batteries leads to a mid-ocean battery swap — pulling a 12V battery from the ship's bank to replace the failed starter battery. The gearbox shift linkage proves workable but stiff, ultimately requiring a galley spatula to coax it into gear. With more than 600 miles remaining and battery reserves tight, the crew cuts power consumption to essentials. Sailing wing-and-wing under twin headsails held out by Selden carbon downwind poles, the boat makes steady miles in consistent trade winds without a sail adjustment for over a week. A fin or minke whale escorts the boat for roughly 30 minutes. The episode confirms that first-generation hybrid systems require real-world offshore testing to expose faults that dockside commissioning cannot replicate.
Boats in this video
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