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Sailing to the Bahamas with our electric sailboat — Sailing Uma [Step 43]

September 8, 2016 · 12 min · 202K views · Berry Islands

What this video covers

Dan and Kika depart Miami for the Bahamas aboard their electric sailboat, Uma, after stowing their hurricane anchor and dinghy motor.0:55 The crossing of the Gulf Stream takes longer than expected, as a fouled hull covered in barnacles reduces boat speed by approximately two knots.4:32 The crew attributes the heavy growth to six weeks of anchorage in Miami’s Biscayne Bay, noting that even the anchor chain and swim ladder accumulated significant barnacles.9:26 Upon reaching a calm anchorage on the north side of Berry Island, the crew scrapes and sands the hull to remove the growth.7:39 They evaluate a DIY bottom paint consisting of epoxy mixed with copper powder, which they applied 10 months prior.8:41 While the mixture performed well during the first six months, the crew observes that sanding the surface appears to reactivate the copper’s anti-fouling properties.10:03 They plan to continue monitoring the hull’s performance throughout their Caribbean transit.10:32

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