SAILING STRAIGHT INTO A CYCLONE IN INDONESIA! - (Episode 344)
December 21, 2025 · 22 min · 215K views · Indonesia
Wave crashes over catamaran deck in stormy Indonesian seas
What this video covers
Sailing the Lagoon 450 Parlay Revival from Simeulue to northern Sumatra during low season, Colin and crew unknowingly sailed into the outer bands of Cyclone Senya — the first cyclone ever recorded forming in the Malacca Strait.0:04 The passage across the Indian Ocean produced 30-knot winds, 3-meter seas, and the heaviest rain the crew had experienced; the autopilot failed in following seas, forcing hand-steering while the boat surfed waves at 15 knots.9:21 Colin reduced to three reefs in the main and a reefed headsail to manage load and comfort.9:06 Both engines were simultaneously compromised: the starboard sail drive had a slipping clutch, and the port engine's Racor filter clogged with diesel bug stirred up by the rough conditions, requiring the crew to isolate a clean 20-liter reserve tank.16:03 After sheltering in a protected bay on Sumatra's west coast, they monitored Cyclone Senya's track and motored 65 miles north toward Sabang to clear Indonesian customs before crossing to Malaysia.17:39 The cyclone made landfall near Medan on Sumatra's east coast, killing approximately 450 people in floods and landslides.21:35 Meteorologists had rated such a cyclone a one-in-a-million event; its unprecedented formation meant no reliable forecast models existed for its behavior.11:45
Boats in this video
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