Sailing Catalpavideo
Sailing, Surfing & Engine problems on passage Episode 486
12 April 2026 · 15 min · 10K views · Santa Catalina
What this video covers
The crew of the sailboat Catalpa, currently cruising the Pacific coast of Panama, prepares for an upcoming Pacific crossing by ordering a new mizzen sail and asymmetrical spinnaker from Precision Sails.1:36 While anchored near Santa Catalina, the crew manages fuel logistics by transporting diesel in jerrycans via dinghy to a local station.6:10 During a subsequent passage toward Vistamar Marina, the vessel encounters rough seas and a red tide.9:56 The engine cuts out in the Gulf of Panama, which the crew attributes to air entering the fuel lines from a low fuel tank during heavy pitching; the engine restarts after the crew bleeds the fuel system.11:39 Upon arrival at Vistamar Marina, the crew docks in 20-knot winds to renew expiring passports.12:49 The passage also involves an encounter with a swarm of bees that enters the boat, which the crew manages by motoring away from the swarm's origin.15:01
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