ArcticStern Ocean Sailing · video

What this video covers

A crew of three sailing toward Halifax, Nova Scotia, encounters a series of equipment failures and severe weather during the final leg of a 408-day voyage. With the autopilot inoperable for a week, the crew relies on manual steering while navigating the Gulf Stream. A missing shackle pin causes damage to the genoa’s tack, forcing the crew to furl the sail. During the final night, 50-knot gusts cause the furled genoa to unfurl and create a vibrating pocket of sailcloth at the masthead, threatening the integrity of the rig. The crew alters course to run downwind until the storm subsides. Upon reaching the entrance to Halifax, the vessel runs out of diesel, requiring the crew to notify the Coast Guard before entering the harbor under sail. The voyage concludes with an arrival at a downtown Halifax marina on May 21, 2022. Regular rig inspections and securing all hardware, including shackle pins, are essential to preventing catastrophic sail damage in heavy weather.

More from ArcticStern Ocean Sailing

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