First solo night sail — 3-day crossing between Greece and Sicily (top)

Name: First solo night sail — 3-day crossing between Greece and Sicily (top)
Uploaded: 2026-02-10T01:38:56.000Z
Duration: 42 min 29 s
Description: A self-taught skipper makes his first solo overnight Mediterranean crossing, 260 nm from Kefalonia to Sicily.

February 9, 2026 · 42 min · 4K views · Ionian Sea

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What this video covers

A self-taught solo sailor departs Kefalonia, Greece, on an unplanned 260-nautical-mile crossing to Sicily, aiming to complete it in two to three days.▶ 11:06 He checks the forecast on Windy before leaving, finding favorable beam-wind conditions for most of the passage.▶ 0:17 Departing at 04:00 on impulse — unwilling to wait another day at an uncomfortable anchorage — he carries two reefs in the mainsail and a full genoa in 13–18 knots, initially making only 3–4 knots close-hauled before the wind clocks to a beam reach around 01:20, pushing him to 5–6 knots.▶ 40:15 The autopilot handles steering throughout; he monitors battery drain on his phone and runs the engine in half-hour bursts to recharge when voltage drops.▶ 7:35 A thermal AIS alarm alerts him to a passing ferry at night.▶ 41:15 He admits to being genuinely frightened — his first time out of sight of land — but manages anxiety by keeping busy: cooking Thai rice, watching a series on a tablet, and fishing with a trolling line.▶ 9:59 He is entirely self-taught, having learned by watching videos and sailing alone rather than from formal instruction.▶ 5:03 Solo night passages in open Mediterranean water demand a reliable autopilot, a battery management plan, and collision-alert gear when the skipper is below.