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Sailing Squib - We'll figure out the rest on the way - Iron Gates - Djerdap Lock 1 /14
January 22, 2026 · 23 min · 1K views · Orșova, Romania
Sailing past Iron Gate, sun breaks through clouds
What this video covers
A pocket catamaran navigates the Danube River through the Iron Gates gorge toward the Djerdap 1 hydroelectric dam.0:21 The crew encounters significant wind and current challenges while transiting the narrow, deep sections of the river.0:23 Because the vessel has already cleared customs into Romania, the crew is restricted to anchoring on the Romanian side, which offers poor protection from prevailing westerly winds.4:33 During a night at anchor, the boat experiences constant motion due to wind-against-current conditions.7:25
Approaching the Djerdap 1 lock, the starboard engine fails to start, leaving the vessel to maneuver in high winds with only one engine and an electric outboard.17:02 The crew identifies the cause as a faulty ignition switch connection, which they temporarily bypass with a screwdriver to restart the engine.21:23 They later determine the issue likely stemmed from using an incompatible key in the ignition switch.22:08 The vessel successfully transits the two-stage lock system, descending 30 meters total.18:54 The crew reports rising temperatures of 30°C and water temperatures of 25°C as they continue downstream.22:28
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