Epic Navigator · video

What this video covers

Mediterranean mooring in 40-knot winds at Antiparos, Greece, aboard a Bavaria 51 goes wrong when a crew communication failure causes a near-collision with a neighboring boat.1:29 Alexandros Retsinas executes a stern-to mooring with anchor set from the bow, working in a crowded marina with no bollards — requiring lines run to the quay instead.0:07 On the first approach, the anchor drops too close to the water's edge, leaving insufficient scope; the boat ends up out of position and the maneuver must be repeated.5:36 On the second attempt, crew member Nigel, stationed at the bow, cannot hear commands clearly over the 40-knot wind noise and pays out roughly 4 meters of excess chain at the critical moment.9:13 The bow swings toward an adjacent vessel, and crew member Andreas applies hard counter-thrust to arrest the drift.9:38 A bow thruster and last-second engine work recover the situation.11:05 The third and final approach uses 70 meters of chain, no reverse thrust during the run-in, and a deliberate last-minute engine-ahead burst to position the stern precisely — both stern lines secured cleanly.12:15 The key lesson: in strong wind, use similar-sounding commands like "up" and "stop" with extreme care, have a contingency plan for a bad position, and place fenders before attempting any recovery rather than forcing a panicked full-throttle maneuver.11:24

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