Sailing Magic Carpetvideo
We Rebuilt an Old Boat. Was it Worth It? FAQs.
October 17, 2025 · 34 min · 79K views
What this video covers
Maya and Aladino bought their current boat — a Cape George — sight unseen during COVID for $11,000 USD while in France; the boat was in Washington State and they couldn't inspect it for a year due to travel restrictions.1:48 They then spent five years in a ground-up rebuild, drawing on lessons from Magic Carpet 1, a coastal cruiser Aladino had previously rebuilt after it fell 20 feet from a crane onto concrete.2:35 The Q&A covers what worked and what didn't. Successes include the cutter rig's sail plan (with a tacking technique using a backwinded staysail to slide the Yankee over cleanly), sails ordered from ZoomSails using self-measured dimensions, a modern anchor replacing an older CQR-style that had dragged, a large galley sink that outperforms the small marine standard, Sirocco 2 fans by Caframo for humidity and mold control, and balsa hull insulation that reduced noise and condensation — though they regret not replacing all the rotten balsa with foam when they had the interior apart.5:58 The Pelagic heavy-duty autopilot has been the biggest frustration, intermittently failing to hold course, possibly due to compass interference from nearby metal.20:49 The diesel heater runs well but needs better fresh-air intake to burn cleanly without the internal fan.20:45 Starlink proved essential sailing outside Europe.19:05 A heavier offshore-built hull made multi-day passages dramatically more comfortable than Magic Carpet 1 had been.3:06
More from Sailing Magic Carpet
From Sailing Magic Carpet — 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.