keeldraggervideo

Sailing to Bahia Tortugas, BCS, Mexico (December 2024)

December 30, 2024 · 35 min · 3K views

What this video covers

A 40-nautical-mile passage from Isla Cedros to Bahia Tortugas, Mexico, requires careful navigation through the Canal de Keller to avoid submerged fishing gear.4:30 During the transit, the vessel snags an underwater buoy line on its propeller while under power in a 1.5-knot current.6:48 The crew immediately shifts the transmission to neutral to prevent further entanglement.12:19 A crew member enters the water wearing a safety tether and a wetsuit to manually unwrap the line from the propeller, successfully clearing the obstruction without needing to cut the line.11:10 Following the incident, the crew shakes out reefs in the mainsail and utilizes a Hydrovane self-steering system to maintain speed toward Bahia Tortugas.18:45 They arrive at the anchorage shortly after sunset, navigating the mile-wide entrance by giving a wide berth to the rocks near Punta Kelp.24:50 The crew notes that a line cutter or a shaft-mounted rope cutter is essential equipment for coastal cruising in Baja California to mitigate the risk of entanglement with submerged fishing buoys.

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Boats in this video

Valiant Yachts 40-2Their boat

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