Sailing Mirage · video

What this video covers

Vlad sails the Amel 50 Mirage on a 56-mile downwind passage across Little Bahama Bank from the Abacos to Mangrove Cay, Grand Bahamas, departing at 9 a.m. with 19–20 knots of wind on a broad reach at 160–170 degrees apparent.0:07 The boat holds 6.5–7 knots throughout, with flat water and no ocean swell — a sharp contrast to the rough offshore conditions Vlad describes from earlier Bahamas passages.0:07 Before departure, the hull was cleaned and the paddlewheel speed sensor cleared.0:56 An attempted anchorage en route showed charted depth of 3.5 meters but actual depth around 2.2 meters; a neighboring boat, Sea Weaver, touched bottom, and Vlad turned back after watching it happen.2:59 Mid-passage, Vlad extends the route by 20 miles to Mangrove Cay to position for a direct run to Customs and Immigration at Grand Bahamas the following day.6:37 Depth over Little Bahama Bank runs about 4 meters.12:49 At Mangrove Cay, Vlad anchors close to shore, trusting Vionix over the chart, with 2.5 meters confirmed at low tide.14:10 Charted depths on the Bahama Banks can be significantly shallower than indicated.

Boats in this video

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