Distant Shores TV · video

What this video covers

Paul and Sheryl Shard depart the Bahamas aboard their Hank Sail Orion 49 on a 750-mile offshore passage to Bermuda with a crew of six.Watch The route runs from Eleuthera to Marsh Harbour — where a forest fire near the airport complicates customs clearance — then to Green Turtle Key to fuel up with roughly 150–160 gallons of diesel before exiting through Whale Key Passage into the Atlantic.2:56 A Starlink troubleshooting delay holds the boat in port for two days before departure.3:22 At sea, the autopilot drive unit falls off its mounting bolts 620 miles from Bermuda; the crew switches to a second drive unit wired to the opposite wheel and resumes autopilot steering.8:29 Winds are light for most of the crossing, allowing a mid-ocean swim stop in 4,000–5,000 meters of water in the Sargasso Sea, where Sargassum weed is visible in large rafts.10:06 Bermuda Radio contacts the boat by radio before arrival to warn of surrounding reefs; the crew pre-clears customs via sailclear.com and enters St. George's Harbour through a narrow cut under sail, using the electric drive as backup to conserve diesel.18:58 The passage takes approximately five days. Carrying a spare autopilot drive unit already wired to a second wheel eliminates what would otherwise be 620 miles of hand steering.

More from Distant Shores TV

Beware of ORCAS! Part 2: Sailing SOUTH through Orca Territory to Portugal | Ep 276Jul 2026Sailing South: Dover, Storms and the Bay of BiscayJun 2026NAVIGATING in FOG in the Busiest SHIPPING Area in the World! | Ep 273May 2026SAILING to the Island of the BullsApr 2026

From Distant Shores TV — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analyzed video.

The Sailing Directory Newsletter

One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.