The Mariner · video

What this video covers

Chris completes a 30-day solo transatlantic passage from Cherbourg, arriving at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia on 1 May with no working engine — the MaxProp shed its blades — and navigates the final miles through dense fog under a small J5 headsail.▶ 2:37 The approach requires passing Cross Island, where Atlantic swell breaks audibly on the rocks and where a Volvo 60 Chris once skippered for 40,000 miles was later wrecked.▶ 1:47 With the anchor rigged for emergency deployment over the safety wires onto a 20,000-lb-breaking-strain warp, Chris uses the autopilot to hold course, monitors progress by watching fishing-pot buoys drift past, and plans to anchor inside Lunenburg outer harbour before kedging or sailing directly onto the dock if wind holds.▶ 11:05 The passage covered roughly 3,400 miles direct but closer to 4,300 sailed, bringing the cumulative total for the boat to approximately 9,000 miles including the Fastnet race and earlier Channel work.▶ 8:18 The voyage qualifies Chris and the boat for the Global Solo Challenge Around the World Yacht Race starting December 2027.▶ 3:21 Planned upgrades include new standing rigging, an inner forestay, and a full headsail inventory from J1 through asymmetric kites.▶ 3:42 Fog entry under sail with no engine demands a pre-rigged anchor, a known anchorage, and a tidal/wind forecast that provides a fallback if momentum fails.

More from The Mariner

Taking a Look Around the Waterfront in Lunenburg, Nova ScotiaJun 2026Solo Docking an 80ft Yacht Without Use Of The Auxillary EngineMay 2026The Flat Earth Debate Debunked in 10 Minutes by a Real Offshore NavigatorMay 2026Repairing a Hydraulically Locked Engine at Sea — But Does She Run?Apr 2026

From The Mariner — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analyzed video.