Sailing a small boat FAST, 375 miles in 48hrs. (Learning By Doing Ep 118)
September 8, 2020 · 19 min · 40K views · Kota Ambon
What this video covers
A 350-mile passage from Ambon to Alor, Indonesia, takes a small monohull through two days and two nights of variable, often heavy weather. The crew encounters wind speeds ranging from 20 to 48 knots, necessitating the use of a second reef in the mainsail and frequent adjustments to the headsail.9:44 During the transit, the boat experiences significant swells and squalls, including a 50-knot gust that briefly knocks the vessel over while the crew attempts to clear a fouled headsail.15:43 The autopilot handles the majority of the steering, though the owner manually helms for four hours to maintain speed and manage battery levels, which drop due to limited solar charging in overcast conditions.16:27 The crew prioritizes maintaining a specific speed to reach the destination bay before the tide turns, which limits opportunities to heave-to for rest or meal preparation.17:38 The vessel sustains no damage during the crossing.16:13 Proper reefing and managing boat speed to match tidal windows are essential for maintaining safety and comfort during offshore passages in small monohulls.
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