Sailing Yacht Ula · video

What this video covers

A Beneteau Oceanis 46 named Ula works south through Sardinia and Sicily over several weeks in early September, covering a multi-day offshore passage that includes rough conditions, a transit of the Messina Straits, and stops at Porto San Paolo, Arbatax, Taormina, and Syracuse. Departing Arbatax around 0900, the crew sails roughly 105 miles in the first 24 hours; wind that was forecast as a following breeze arrives instead on 40–50 degrees, forcing repeated sail changes.▶ 11:57 Wind spikes to 30–31 knots mid-passage, prompting five rolls in the Genoa and two reefs in the main, with Kevin hand-steering because the autopilot struggles with the load.▶ 8:48 A persistent large swell — compared explicitly to conditions on the north coast of Sicily and the Aeolian Islands — causes more trouble than the wind itself, collapsing the sails and forcing the engine on for over an hour.▶ 13:31 Through the Messina Straits northbound-to-south, a favorable current pushes boat speed to seven knots under engine at low revs; a whirlpool noticeably alters heading.▶ 14:31 At Taormina, south-southeast swell forces a night anchorage move.▶ 16:19 The cruising chute is deployed for the light-air run to Syracuse but dropped when rough seas throw the boat side to side, leaving the sail wet and stuffed below through a hatch to dry on arrival.▶ 18:20 Swell, not wind speed, drove every major sail and anchorage decision on this passage.

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