Sailing Yabávideo
We Finally Installed the One Thing We Needed Most on This Boat — Sailing Yabá
June 28, 2026 · 30 min · 58K views · Brazilian coast
Man handles lines on Yabá at sunset, sails full.
What this video covers
Ben and MP install a CPT Autopilot wheel-drive system on Yabá, a large sailboat preparing for a passage north along the Brazilian coast.0:08 The existing steering system runs from a large wheel through a motorbike cog and chain, then 10mm Dyneema cable through pulleys to a quadrant — a layout that made retrofitting a wheel-mounted autopilot practical.9:16 Installation involves mounting the toothed wheel pulley over the existing steering wheel, attaching the motor box to a custom purpleheart and plywood backing plate for rigidity, and positioning the control box at least 60 centimeters from the chartplotter to avoid compass interference.10:49 MP handles the electrical wiring.14:16 Sea trials begin under power at 3.4–3.7 knots; initial rudder control set to 5 produces frequent small corrections, which Ben reduces by raising the setting to 6, producing slower, larger, less frequent adjustments suited to a heavy boat.23:11 After the first 10–15 minutes of zigzagging, the autopilot holds a straight heading for 0.3 miles continuously.24:42 The crew also purchases a 10-person offshore life raft and an EPIRB ahead of the ocean passage.16:27 A windlass installed during the shipyard period allows anchor deployment from the bow, though Ben notes a bow camera is still needed to monitor chain retrieval.27:37
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