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My Catamaran Split in Half 100 Miles Offshore. Here’s How We Survived.
23 May 2025 · 21 min · 1.4M views
What this video covers
A seven-ton catamaran suffered a structural failure 100 miles off Kona, Hawaii, during a 1,500-mile passage from Fanning Island in December 2019.Watch While sailing upwind in 35-knot winds and 25-foot seas, the vessel encountered katabatic winds and confused, towering waves that caused the deck to separate from the starboard hull.5:03 To prevent the boat from capsizing, the crew used lines to lash the hull to the main structure, initially using standard sheets and later switching to Dyneema to withstand the structural load.9:13 The crew protected these lines from chafe using plastic tubing, though the hull continued to suffer damage from the movement.16:55 A sea anchor was deployed to stabilize the vessel's heading, though it repeatedly collapsed in the heavy conditions.17:22 After drifting for 20 hours, the crew successfully restarted the engine once solar panels charged the batteries, allowing them to motor into the lee of the Big Island before a Coast Guard cutter arrived.19:12
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