Giant waves crossing the boat
August 7, 2025 · 9 min · 5K views · Cape Horn
What this video covers
On January 31, while sailing solo in the Pacific Ocean at 52 degrees south, the sailor encounters a severe storm with wind gusts reaching 50 knots.▶ 6:31 Attempting to reef the genoa results in the sail tearing significantly, forcing the vessel into a bare poles configuration, or "capa seca."▶ 6:48 The sea state is described as chaotic, with waves approaching from multiple directions due to shifting winds from the northwest and southwest.▶ 5:31 The sailor reports this as the most dangerous storm encountered during a 120-day solo circumnavigation attempt.▶ 8:15 Previous conditions on January 22 involved 30 to 35 knots of wind from the southwest, handled with two reefs in the mainsail and a full genoa.▶ 0:00 By January 27, the vessel was sailing under genoa alone as it approached Cape Horn.▶ 3:05 The sailor emphasizes the difficulty of monitoring the confused, breaking seas from the cockpit during these high-wind events.▶ 5:31
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