Sailing Good, Bad, and Uglyvideo

Sailing through DANGEROUS Reef, Our Engine FAILS Sailing GBU

August 5, 2021 · 21 min · 378K views · Puerto Rico

What this video covers

The crew of the 30-ft monohull Good, Bad, and Ugly experiences a total loss of engine propulsion while transiting to an island near Culebra.1:05 The failure occurs when the gear shifter cable clamp rusts through, causing the entire cable assembly to slide rather than engaging the transmission.12:31 During the initial failure, the crew mistakes a steering chain noise for a rudder failure while navigating a tight channel near reefs in 20-knot winds.5:49 Unable to shift into gear, they anchor in 35 feet of water to avoid the reefs.7:39 To reach a safer anchorage, the crew uses their dinghy and an outboard motor to push the sailboat out of the swell.13:28 The repair involves reversing the damaged shifter cable and using a pair of locking pliers to manually actuate the transmission, with a filed notch on the wire serving as a neutral indicator.18:38 The crew plans to replace the cable upon reaching Fajardo.19:16

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