Sailing Yabávideo
Our First Sail of the Year Nearly Went Wrong — Sailing Yabá
11 January 2026 · 30 min · 51K views · Departing Paraty, Brazil, heading south along the coast
Sailboat Yabá tacks under cloudy sky with crew at helm
What this video covers
A couple sailing a boat along the Brazilian coast from Paraty to Ubatuba encountered a rigging failure while performing a 360-degree turn to avoid an accidental gybe in 19-knot winds.▶ 20:31 During the manoeuvre, the topping lift snagged in the backstay pulley, preventing the boom from swinging freely.▶ 21:14 To resolve the tension and prevent injury, the crew dropped the mainsail and secured the line only after removing all load from the topping lift.▶ 26:46 The crew opted to bypass a planned stop at the nature reserve Ilha dos Covis due to strict dog-access regulations and a desire to maintain their favourable sailing speed of 6 to 7 knots.▶ 15:45 They successfully reached a sheltered anchorage in Ubatuba to wait for a reduction in swell before continuing their transit.▶ 24:07 The incident highlighted the risks of old rigging and the importance of prioritising safety by dropping sails when lines become fouled under tension.
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