Sailing Nova Vitavideo
SAILING the AZORES - Horta to Sao Miguel - FOULED ANCHOR
December 23, 2025 · 13 min · 854 views · Ponta Delgada, Portugal
What this video covers
Nova Vita departs Horta, Faial, delayed by two simultaneous failures: a fouled anchor wrapped around a large abandoned anchor on the seabed, and a dead Lofrans Cobra windlass motor that quit after 14 months of service.▶ 0:17 Norberto Hood Diving clears the anchor in 15 minutes for €80.▶ 2:35 The windlass solenoid and cables check out fine, leaving the motor itself as the culprit.▶ 1:51 With two new inner shrouds already fitted, the boat finally leaves Horta for Ponta Delgada, São Miguel — 151 miles to the east.▶ 3:25 The passage runs through the channel between Pico and São Jorge with 10–12 knots of wind, 5–6 knots of boat speed, and an overnight watch rotation between Alison and her crewmate.▶ 6:32 Dolphins appear twice.▶ 5:05 The crew motors the final 8 miles after wind drops to 4 knots and arrives at Ponta Delgada after dark — a port they know well enough to enter at night without concern.▶ 11:32 They note this is the last passage of the season before returning to the UK due to Schengen time limits, with a future decision pending on whether to head north or south.▶ 13:04 A Lofrans Cobra windlass lasting only 14 months is flagged as a reliability failure worth noting.▶ 2:00
Boats in this video
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