Em & Nickvideo

We had 72 hours to fix our boat before our captain arrived (ep. 2)

March 29, 2026 · 24 min · 10K views

What this video covers

New owners of a 30-year-old sailboat attempt to troubleshoot three critical systems—propane, refrigeration, and freshwater—within 72 hours of their first offshore passage.1:29 A leaking freshwater clamp near the water maker causes water to pool under the couch, while a corroded propane solenoid valve requires replacement.6:50 The crew successfully restores the Frigaboat refrigeration system and propane stove after sourcing parts and performing repairs.18:35 During electrical testing, a faint reverse polarity light appears on the control board when high-draw appliances like the heater engage; the owners decide to rely on the inverter and lithium battery bank to avoid shore power issues.7:45 An inverter failure occurs during final system checks, forcing the crew to operate on 12-volt power for their initial trip.11:37 The owners conclude that boat ownership involves constant triage of aging systems and prioritize learning to manage these failures before departing Saint Petersburg with a captain for a 10-day passage toward the Florida Keys.22:29

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