Sailing Nahoavideo
BOAT LIFE in Bora Bora (not what you think)
5 October 2025 · 32 min · 113K views · Bora Bora
Catamaran sails through turquoise pass toward reef island.
What this video covers
Nahoa spends roughly a week in Bora Bora dealing with katabatic wind gusts of 30–35 knots funneling off the mountains, forcing a mooring move to the Bora Bora Yacht Club.1:52 Shore access is limited because most of the coastline is controlled by resorts.2:52 Ben climbs the mast in 30-knot conditions to replace a failed tri-light — a new unit costs $729 from a local chandlery — and notes that boat stores in French Polynesia stock only 12- and 24-volt equipment, making 48-volt systems difficult to repair offshore.7:48 A separate diesel problem on the starboard engine traces to a clogged fuel pickup caused by degraded aeronautical putty used by a Thai machinist when installing inspection ports; Ben replaces the gaskets with Buna rubber, which resists diesel.10:31 Clearing out of French Polynesia before fueling saves 24% in tax.18:29 The crew then departs for Maupiha, an outer atoll still in French Polynesia, navigating a narrow, reef-lined pass with standing waves and a bommie near the center channel on an outgoing tide.24:12 The passage runs at 8 knots under one reef in the mainsail, requiring a second reef to avoid arriving at 4 a.m. Sourcing parts in remote French Polynesia is slow and expensive; carrying correct gasket material from a well-supplied port saves significant time and cost.21:51
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