Flight Level Zerovideo
This is What Sailing Actually Looks Like
6 July 2026 · 13 min · 2K views · Los Angeles County, United States
What this video covers
A headsail furler on Vanishing Point, a sailboat crewed by Chris and Karmen, stops responding mid-passage to Two Harbors on Catalina Island during Summer Sailstice weekend.▶ 0:06 Sailing a close reach at 8.5 knots in 12 knots of wind, Chris furls the headsail slightly while the sail is still loaded and the furler loses power.▶ 1:17 He explains the manual backup options: remove a waterproof cap and either insert a continuous loop assembly or a winch handle to crank the sail in by hand.▶ 5:32 Before reaching the island, he unloads the sail and the furler resumes normal operation, so the manual procedure is never needed.▶ 5:04 Both sails come down without incident and Vanishing Point picks up a mooring on the outside line at Two Harbors, where the tall ship XC Johnson — used to take disadvantaged youth sailing in the L.A. area — is anchored nearby.▶ 6:33 A competing Alden 32 named Lorena, skippered by Captain Ron, sails the same passage.▶ 1:35 Furling a loaded headsail can stall an electric furler; unloading the sail first restores function and avoids a manual furl on a pitching foredeck.▶ 2:46
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