Sailing Yacht Ulavideo
Sailing Malta to Sicily - 2026 The journey west continues
June 14, 2026 · 14 min · 156 views · Malta
Sailboat at sunrise with Malta skyline in distance
What this video covers
A complete rigging replacement on Ula in Malta precedes a passage to Sicily, with rigger Alex spending over a week replacing the backstay, inner shrouds, outer shrouds, and baby stay, plus reassembling the furler.3:22 New solar panels were also fitted before departure.6:42 Ula left Malta at 0600 on approximately 4 May under flat calm, motoring until wind filled in.6:22 The first Sicilian anchorage proved too rolly in swell, prompting a stern anchor deployment by dinghy to stabilize the boat overnight.7:47 Deteriorating conditions on the west coast — poor anchorages, bad swell, headwinds — forced a course change: rather than continuing up Sicily's west coast, the crew turned back south to Porto Palo (roughly 30 nautical miles) and then northeast to Syracuse on the east coast, planning to transit the Messina Straits and round Sicily's north.8:58 The day's sail to Porto Palo averaged 9–15 knots of wind with a favorable current pushing boat speed to 6–6.5 knots.9:55 The 6 May run from Porto Palo to Syracuse in 8–10 knots with a following swell produced 4–5 knots boat speed in near-ideal conditions.10:29 Wind died at the Syracuse lighthouse; Ula anchored in the bay ahead of forecast strong winds the following day.11:50
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