The Sailing Brothersvideo
Rough Overnight Sail Between Tongan Islands Ep 139
26 November 2023 · 25 min · 16K views · Tonga
What this video covers
A 78.5-mile overnight passage from Ni'afu, Tonga, to Pangaea on the island of Lifuka requires careful navigation through shallow, reef-strewn waters that are unsafe to transit at night.1:49 The crew completes the 18-to-20-hour trip in 10-to-15-knot easterly winds, though they encounter 20-to-23-knot gusts and choppy seas that necessitate a double-reefed mainsail.2:51 Upon arrival, the crew anchors in seven meters of water over sand, avoiding nearby bombies.14:32 During the passage, the vessel experiences significant electrical issues caused by two-year-old house batteries failing in parallel.14:04 One battery exhibits a dead cell, dropping system voltage to 12 volts overnight despite minimal power consumption.21:32 To mitigate the risk of total power loss during an upcoming 1,200-mile passage to New Zealand, the crew purchases a 60-to-70 amp-hour replacement battery in Pangaea for approximately 140 USD.23:14 The crew confirms that failing batteries in a parallel bank can degrade healthy units by forcing them to constantly attempt a recharge.22:31
Boats in this video
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