Hugh Robertson Sailing · video

What this video covers

A 35-year-old blue water sailboat, *Sea Change*, navigates the Mozambique Channel during a 14-day passage from Mauritius to Richards Bay, South Africa. Between November 5 and November 9, the vessel encounters multiple weather systems, including a strong southerly front that requires a triple-reefed main and a storm jib.1:25 The solo sailor manages a seam failure at the head of the jib by partially furling the sail, planning repairs during an anticipated light-wind patch.9:16 Throughout the transit, the boat maintains speeds of 5 to 8 knots while crossing heavy shipping lanes, necessitating frequent communication with commercial vessels, including a Maersk container ship, to maintain safe passing distances.22:16 The cabin experiences water ingress from a known leaking port during heavy upwind conditions.15:39 The passage involves navigating complex current vortices and preparing for the final approach to Richards Bay, where the sailor anticipates potential hazards from the interaction between southwest winds and the south-flowing Mozambique current.19:51

Boats in this video

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26 differences from most other cruisers, part 2 of 2Apr 202626 differences from most other cruisers, part 1of 2.Apr 202630 stories of sailors less fortunate than me during my ocean-sailing years on Sea ChangeJan 202630 mistakes I made and things that broke on my solo circumnavigation on Sea Change, Part 3 of 3Dec 2025

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