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I Left My Boat to Crew for a 27-Year-Old Female Captain
February 17, 2026 · 14 min · 34K views · Hawke Bay
Captain steers sailboat toward Mount Maunganui at golden hour
What this video covers
Rachel, the owner of the 36-foot cutter Echo, completes a 700-mile coastal passage around the North Island of New Zealand, sailing from Napier to Tauranga.0:12 The crew navigates the East Cape, a region known for treacherous conditions, by timing their transit to match a favorable weather window.5:50 During the voyage, the crew manages light downwind conditions by flying a spinnaker for the first time on the vessel and later switching to a large genoa as the wind shifts to the beam.5:06 They maintain an average speed of five to six knots, occasionally debating whether to engage the engine to ensure they hit specific tidal gates.4:04 The crew supplements their provisions by catching a bluefin tuna, which they prepare as ceviche.9:07 Although they initially planned to stop at the active volcano White Island, they bypass the site due to nighttime winds.11:23 The passage concludes at Mount Maunganui, marking the completion of the vessel's circumnavigation of the North Island.11:16
Boats in this video
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