Sailing Catalpavideo
29 days sailing Panama to French Polynesia the whole passage
August 30, 2026 · 1h 39m · 18K views · Pacific Ocean
What this video covers
A family sailing the 4,000-nautical-mile passage from Panama to French Polynesia aboard their monohull *Catalpa* encounters challenging conditions during the first 11 days of the crossing.0:03 The crew experiences a difficult start in the Gulf of Panama, characterized by light winds, motoring, and a five-day period of squalls, lightning, and adverse currents that limited progress to 300 miles.20:04 During this phase, the vessel suffers temporary failures of its AIS and radar, the latter caused by a masthead cable that vibrated loose.22:09 After clearing the initial weather systems, the crew settles into more consistent trade winds, allowing for sustained speeds of 7 to 9 knots.33:21 The crew manages provisioning by monitoring fresh produce and utilizing a spinnaker during light-air patches.1:16:44 Maintenance tasks include resealing deck hatches with butyl tape to address leaks.30:55 The passage highlights the transition from the volatile, current-heavy waters off the Panamanian coast to the more stable, open-ocean conditions of the Pacific.
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