Sailing Jibseavideo
CUTTING IT ALL DOWN! Getting our Boat Ready for BEYOND the Tropics - Ep 230
30 March 2025 · 21 min · 35K views · St. Martin
What this video covers
The owners of the custom 6.5-foot-draft aluminum sailboat *Jibsea* modify their bimini structure in St. Martin to accommodate a future full cockpit enclosure and prepare for higher-latitude sailing.3:37 To achieve a sleeker profile and reduce windage, they hire a welder to lower the bimini frame by one foot and integrate it with the existing hard dodger.8:40 The project requires navigating the shallow Sandy Ground Bridge and lagoon, where depths reach 11.5 feet at high tide.7:26 After securing a dock in the French side of the lagoon, the crew removes solar panels and electrical equipment to clear the workspace.7:56 The modification includes welding new support rails to the dodger and reinforcing the frame to support 120 pounds of solar panels.9:10 The owner also plans to shorten the boom by approximately seven inches to clear the new enclosure configuration.11:52 Despite initial concerns regarding fuel sheen in the water near the dock, the welding proceeds successfully.14:15 The structural changes increase the frame's stability and provide a mounting point for future cockpit curtains.19:07
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