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"Torn Sails, Near Collision, Engine Failure / The Perfect Passage"
November 9, 2025 · 28 min · 26K views · Queensland coast
What this video covers
A 210-mile passage from Double Island Point to Ballina, Australia, requires precise timing to cross the Ballina bar on an incoming tide.2:02 The crew of a Prout Ltd. Snowgoose 37 Elite navigates heavy coastal traffic and fluctuating wind conditions, including a near-collision with a 300-meter ship that forced a course alteration.12:55 During the transit, the mainsail suffers a significant tear, requiring an at-sea repair with patches.15:50 The engine fails to pump cooling water due to a faulty impeller, which the crew replaces while drifting in squally conditions near the bar entrance.22:36 To manage arrival times, the crew balances sail configurations—ranging from full canvas in light air to bare poles in 30-knot gusts—to avoid arriving at the bar during an outgoing tide, which creates dangerous, breaking waves. The passage concludes with a successful motor-sail entry into Ballina after the engine repair restores cooling flow.24:56 Proper timing of bar crossings and maintaining flexible sail plans are essential for managing coastal passages with variable wind and current.
Boats in this video
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