Sailing Zataravideo

HECTIC!! Fighting Sails & Dodging Night Squalls 🌊

June 11, 2026 · 28 min · 127K views · Pacific Ocean

Crew battles stormy seas, furling sail on catamaran at sunset

What this video covers

The crew of a cruising catamaran manages sail configurations and equipment failures during a Pacific passage toward French Polynesia. The vessel’s Profurl endless furler for the Genoa sheared its internal gears due to repeated furling under high load, forcing the crew to manually douse the sail.5:56 To maintain speed in light winds, the crew frequently deploys an asymmetrical spinnaker, but they must douse it nightly or during squalls to prevent damage from wind gusts exceeding 21 knots.11:50 During one night shift, a squall brought 26-knot gusts, necessitating a rapid, manual takedown of the asymmetrical sail.11:40 The crew emphasizes the importance of wearing life jackets during nighttime sail changes and discusses the risks of operating in squally conditions with limited visibility.13:56 They monitor fuel consumption, noting 32 gallons used over 10 days for generator power, and utilize eSIM data plans for communication and navigation upon arrival.1:31 The crew prioritizes sleep and stress reduction over maximizing daily mileage.18:37

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