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OFF-GRID LIFE: Sailing Across the Gulf Stream with NO EXPERINCE | (EP. 031)
December 11, 2025 · 23 min · 6K views · Gulf Stream
What this video covers
A father, son, and uncle crew aboard a Bristol Yachts 45.5 named Plan C departs Florida on December 3rd for their first-ever Gulf Stream crossing, bound for Freeport, Grand Bahama — having sailed only twice before.1:07 They leave at night, maintaining a course of approximately 130 degrees to angle south of the Gulf Stream and let the current carry them north toward Freeport.4:52 Light winds force them to motor-sail with the headsail out, averaging 5.7 knots; the passage takes roughly 12 hours.7:31 Running out of time before customs closes at Freeport, they divert to West End and clear in at Old Bahama Bay Marina, then anchor overnight near Peterson Key in clear, shallow water.9:50 On day two, they discover damp carpet and wood rot traced to a leaking port fresh-water tank fed by a shared fill hose — temporarily capped with a wooden dowel and hose clamp.18:35 A separate black water bag leak, caused by a rusted hose clamp and a failing fitting, takes four hours to diagnose and is patched with a plastic lid, cork, and a spare fitting.21:24 Both repairs are stopgaps requiring eventual replacement. First-time Gulf Stream crossings demand a customs timing plan; arriving after hours forces a marina stop rather than a free anchorage.
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