Sam Holmes Sailing · video

What this video covers

Departing Langkawi with over 100 gallons of fuel and 200 liters of water aboard, Sam Holmes heads north toward the Andaman Islands, India, with a planned fuel stop in Phuket — roughly 600 miles total.0:10 The heavy fuel load makes the boat pitch uncomfortably upwind.1:03 Progress is slow: two days of sailing cover only 20 nautical miles from Langkawi due to constant tacking, dying winds, and repeated squalls peaking at 32 knots apparent.11:21 The autopilot quits on day two after batteries drop too low overnight; running the DC-DC charger restores voltage and brings it back online.7:43 Engine alternator belts loosen and shed black dust every three to five hours, a recurring problem Sam attributes to an oversized aftermarket alternator.14:18 A more urgent breakdown — the port engine losing raw-water cooling — is traced to a worn impeller cover with deep gouges; Sam swaps the cover from a spare pump and restores cooling.19:42 AirPods prove effective for bow-to-stern anchoring communication over engine noise.15:21 Ashore, Sam completes a 13-mile solo hike in rain and snorkels at Koh Rok before anchoring at Koh Rock.5:42 Back aboard, he 3D-scans a hydrofoil connection, prints a three-piece mold, and lays up a solid carbon-fiber hydrofoil adapter to test the process for a future retrofit project.24:09

More from Sam Holmes Sailing

Kota Kinabalu Bound: Sailing, Survivor Island, Squalls, and Bugs, 3d printingJul 2026Sailing to Brunei, an unusual countryJul 2026Sailing Through an OIL RIG MAZE to Miri, BorneoJul 2026Becalmed & our engines keep breaking on 7 day passage to BorneoJun 2026

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