A Mistake A New Cruiser Can Make with Their Boom [Ep 60]
June 28, 2026 · 29 min · 2K views · Bahía Tortugas
What this video covers
A couple sailing the Pacific coast of Baja California from Bahia Tortugas to Asuncion encountered 25-knot winds and 10-foot swells that caused their boom to slam violently across the cockpit.▶ 18:09 The crew of the Mystic, a cruising sailboat, struggled to control the mainsail as the autopilot failed to manage the boat's heading in the confused sea state.▶ 20:02 After failing to drop the sail from the cockpit, the host turned the boat into the wind to manually pull the sail slides down the mast.▶ 21:21 The motion caused significant damage below deck, including spilled acetone and unsecured gear being thrown from lockers.▶ 23:34 The crew concluded that they should have reefed earlier and identified the need for a preventer to secure the boom during heavy weather.▶ 19:21 They successfully anchored at Asuncion after navigating around the island in high winds.▶ 26:30 The experience highlighted the necessity of using a preventer to manage boom movement in large swells and the importance of reefing before conditions deteriorate.
More from Sailing Into the Mystic
From Sailing Into the Mystic — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analyzed video.