Breaking Waves · video

What this video covers

A couple sailing a 1980s-era sailboat, Kiana, from Mexico to French Polynesia encounters intense squalls while crossing the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ).0:14 During a night passage, the crew experiences sustained 25-knot winds with 35-knot gusts, forcing them to hand-steer when the autopilot overloads.4:12 They manage the conditions by keeping the vessel heavily reefed and maintaining a specific point of sail to avoid an accidental jibe.4:49 Throughout the passage, the crew troubleshoots a new Code D sail and bowsprit, which required multiple adjustments to the furler and control lines to resolve twists and binding.13:50 Maintenance tasks include replacing a cracked, 40-year-old pressurized hot water hose that caused a significant leak in the bilge.17:44 To manage sleep deprivation and noise, the crew utilizes noise-canceling earbuds and wedges themselves against surfboards stored in their berth.2:38 They transition from using Starlink for connectivity to Iridium for weather updates and tracking as they approach the equator.11:32

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