Sailing Catalpa · video

What this video covers

The crew of the 40-ft vessel Catalpa performs several repairs and community outreach tasks while anchored in the Marquesas, French Polynesia. After noticing AIS signal failures, the owner identifies a broken solder joint inside the Raymarine GPS antenna unit; re-soldering the connection restores satellite reception.15:50 The crew also repairs tears in the mainsail caused by the furling boom’s design, reinforcing the batten pockets with webbing until a professional sailmaker can perform a permanent fix.10:38 While anchored in Hanamoananoa, the crew cleans the hull, noting that the TotalBoat Spartan bottom paint remains effective after a few months of service.9:12 The crew sails to Fatu Hiva to deliver grinding and sanding discs to local artisans, a favor requested by another cruiser who previously received help from the villagers.16:26 The locals reciprocate with large quantities of fresh fruit, which the crew stocks for their upcoming four-day passage to the Tuamotus.26:37 Simple soldering repairs can resolve common GPS and AIS connectivity issues.

More from Sailing Catalpa

one of the most remote islands on the planetSep 202629 days sailing Panama to French Polynesia the whole passageAug 2026what did we learn from a month at seaAug 2026at sea no land sailing across the pacific oceanAug 2026

From Sailing Catalpa — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analyzed video.

The Sailing Directory Newsletter

One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.