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Sailing in France: Golfe du Morbihan to Brest, Part 3 | DrakeParagon
January 17, 2026 · 34 min · 3K views · Brittany, France
What this video covers
Drake singlehands the Westsail 42 overnight from Golfe du Morbihan toward Brest, ultimately anchoring off a beach roughly 10 nautical miles short of the city rather than pressing into the marina after dark.9:04 At 5.5–6 knots under sail, he tracks a radar target four nautical miles ahead with no AIS transponder — a ~40-foot sailing vessel on a collision course — alters course, and illuminates his sails with a spotlight when the other boat neither calls on the radio nor changes course.7:39 Course correction on the Hydrovane wind vane requires unlocking the helm, steering manually to the new heading (292°), and re-engaging the vane in irons rather than pressing a button as with an autopilot.3:23 The Predict Wind app overlays tidal current on the chart and lets Drake play the forecast forward; he times arrival at a strong-current point near Brest for 10:20 a.m., when the app shows 1.8 knots of favorable current.13:01 Through that passage the boat reaches 9.2 knots under engine with a double-reefed, flogging main; conditions are too chaotic for the autopilot and Drake hand-steers.17:17 The anchorage chosen offers a north-wind lee, favorable swell, and four boats already at anchor.20:57 Timing a tidal gate with a current-forecasting app and hand-steering through the resulting chop proved more demanding than the overnight sail itself.
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