Velero Reginavideo
Atlantic Crossing (Azores-Mainland). Serious problem
July 22, 2026 · 5 min · 2K views · North Atlantic Ocean
What this video covers
Javi, sailing the boat Regina from the Azores to the Iberian Peninsula, reports a mechanical failure of the Autohelm 7000 autopilot on the fifth day of the passage.▶ 0:53 The unit’s internal plastic gears within the rudder actuator failed under the stress of heavy seas, rendering the system inoperable.▶ 1:37 Lacking spare parts for the legacy unit, the crew transitioned to hand-steering for the final two days of the voyage to Cabo de San Vicente.▶ 2:15 Earlier in the passage, the vessel experienced severe, erratic motion caused by a cross-sea condition where a swell originating from a low-pressure system near Galicia conflicted with the local wind direction.▶ 2:36 This misalignment created violent rolling, which subsided once the wind and wave directions synchronized.▶ 3:38 The crew expects to complete the transit in approximately six days, anticipating increased wind and wave heights upon arrival at the coast.▶ 3:41
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