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Sailing Solo to Catalina Harbor (December 2020)
January 2, 2021 · 30 min · 2K views · Santa Catalina Island
What this video covers
A solo sailor completes a passage from the Southern California coast to Cat Harbor, Catalina Island, in late December 2020 during a small craft advisory.0:19 The transit involves navigating the San Pedro Channel in 15 to 25-knot winds, requiring a makeshift preventer to stabilize the boom.3:02 Upon arrival at Cat Harbor, the sailor executes a single-handed mooring pickup using a bow cleat and a stern line, noting the difficulty of maneuvering a V-drive boat in crosswinds.8:45 The vessel, equipped with an Aspire diesel heater for cold-weather comfort, remains moored overnight as wind speeds fluctuate between 10 and 25 knots.11:20 The return trip features a beam reach with a full main and staysail, followed by light-air motor sailing after the wind shifts.17:29 The sailor identifies a need to refine the boat's two-line reefing system, specifically the arrangement of tack and clew lines at the mast, to improve efficiency and reduce the need to work at the boom.24:06
Boats in this video
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