Sailing Triteiavideo
A Broken Tiller in 45 Knots of Wind On The South Island of New Zealand
March 22, 2024 · 30 min · 43K views · Mottie Bay, Marlborough Sounds
What this video covers
A 1965 Alberg 30 sloop, *Triteia*, suffered a tiller failure while rounding Cape Jackson into Queen Charlotte Sound, New Zealand.0:25 During a passage from Mottie Bay, wind speeds unexpectedly increased from a forecasted 13–15 knots to an estimated 45 knots, creating steep, chaotic seas.19:18 The tiller broke under the pressure of a 35-knot gust, leaving the vessel momentarily unsteerable near the shoreline.10:55 The crew deployed the Hydrovane rudder to regain steering control and navigated the final six miles to Ship's Cove.17:17 Upon arrival, the crew rafted to a local fishing boat to secure the vessel before installing a spare tiller.21:35 The repair involved drilling and bolting heavy-duty tangs onto the original tiller handle to replace the damaged unit.29:01 The incident highlights the necessity of having a secondary steering system, such as a windvane, ready for immediate deployment in coastal waters.29:33
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