Sailing Gentlyvideo
SAILING IN THE PANDEMIC?
24 March 2024 · 58 min · 3K views · English Channel
What this video covers
A solo sailor delivers a newly purchased Beneteau 323 clipper, Golden Haze, from Lymington, Hampshire to Boulogne, France in early March 2020 as COVID-19 lockdowns tighten across Europe.0:15 The passage unfolds in stages — Lymington to Portsmouth, Portsmouth to Brighton, Brighton to Eastbourne, Eastbourne to Dover, Dover to Boulogne — each leg roughly 20–45 miles, with persistent easterly winds of 10–17 knots, shallow and lumpy water, and near-freezing temperatures making conditions uncomfortable throughout.13:17 The autopilot was inoperative for most of the trip; it was repaired at Eastbourne, providing significant relief on the final Dover leg.29:55 A newly installed Raymarine ES78 7-inch hybrid touch multifunction display with AIS and radar was fitted before departure.4:50 The skipper sailed primarily on the furling headsail and engine, avoiding the in-boom sail-container mainsail reefing system after finding the reefing line badly stretched.3:25 Entering Sovereign Harbour Eastbourne required careful navigation of a dredged two-metre channel; Dover required clearance from Dover Port Control before both entry and exit.26:01 Supermarket shelves in Brighton were stripped bare.20:44 Boulogne admitted the boat, and the skipper received a written attestation permitting travel under French lockdown rules.55:16 A working autopilot transforms solo coastal passages in cold, lumpy conditions.38:27
Boats in this video
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