Sam Holmes Sailing · video

What this video covers

A solo sailor navigates to Nazaré, Portugal, using a symmetrical spinnaker to maintain speed in light winds and 10-to-12-foot swells.7:11 To manage the spinnaker, the sailor adjusts the pole angle relative to the wind—keeping it forward for beam reaches and toward the shrouds for downwind runs—and uses a downhaul to stabilize the pole.6:42 During the passage, the sailor encounters thunderstorms that kill the wind, causing the spinnaker to collapse and tangle, requiring manual untangling on deck.12:36 Upon arrival, the marina fee for one night is 23 euros.15:45 The sailor then meets Andre and Gemma to explore the town and practice ridge soaring with paragliders at a local coastal site.16:37 The sailor compares their own aging glider to a high-performance Ozone Swift wing, noting that the latter offers better lift and handling.20:05 The trip concludes with multiple paragliding flights to regain proficiency before traveling to the Alps.19:59

More from Sam Holmes Sailing

Hundreds of miles of rough sailing only to be turned away from our dream destinationOct 2026Making big miles offshore sailing through IndonesiaSept 2026Orca sighting! we repair one daggerboard only to break another oneSept 2026Sailing to Maratua, a rarely visited Indonesian island Sept 2026

From Sam Holmes Sailing — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analysed video.

The Sailing Directory Newsletter

One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.