Leading the Escapade · video

What this video covers

A headsail tears beyond repair on day 12 of a passage from the United States to Cartagena, Colombia, in 32–33 knots of wind with almost no fuel remaining.0:12 Jenae, captain Jase, and crew member Tom must drop the headsail in those conditions without reliable engine power — they motor briefly to 20 degrees into the wind, release the halyard clutch, and drop the sail as fast as possible.1:44 The damage proves worse than a simple tear: the sail is delaminating and effectively shredded.11:31 With no sailmaker's cloth aboard, the crew cuts up a pair of Jason's old shorts and patches the headsail with the fabric.12:20 The repair holds; the boat resumes sailing at 8–10 knots.18:06 A squall then passes directly overhead, producing gusts to 45 knots at a 60-degree angle.19:46 Jase reflects afterward that they should have borne away downwind before attempting to reef, because the combination of flogging and strong wind accelerated the tearing.21:02 A cotter pin found loose on deck raises concern about rigging integrity from the constant slamming.3:12 Two days of sailing remain to Cartagena, where they plan to enter the anchorage under sail alone.12:32 Reefing downwind before the sail loads up fully can prevent catastrophic damage to an already-fatigued headsail.

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