#01 /2 Emergency technical stop at 3000 miles - Autopilot - Vertical Hour
1 March 2026 · 1h 7m · 4K views · Antártida
Crew emerges from below deck on sailing vessel
What this video covers
The crew of a 12,000-mile Antarctic expedition vessel faces recurring autopilot failures caused by an overly aggressive hydraulic pump.Watch The high-pressure, continuous-flow pump delivers 5 liters per minute, causing mechanical shock to the steering system that repeatedly shears the mounting bracket.9:57 During a recent 10-hour repair at sea, a rogue wave soaked the crew and destroyed their only angle grinder, forcing them to finish the fabrication using hand files.7:57 The team is currently debating whether to continue their voyage, return 1,000 miles against prevailing weather to their departure point, or divert to South Africa for a professional machine-shop repair of the steering linkage.21:51 To mitigate future stress on the system, the crew plans to install a bypass valve to reduce hydraulic pressure and intends to implement mandatory manual steering shifts to build endurance and reduce reliance on the autopilot.16:18 The crew concluded that manual steering for the entire duration of the voyage is physically unsustainable with their current five-person watch schedule.19:35
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