Sailing Catalpavideo
at sea no land sailing across the pacific ocean
August 16, 2026 · 23 min · 7K views · Pacific Ocean
What this video covers
The crew of the 40-ft sailboat Catalpa documents the final 4,000-nautical-mile leg of a Pacific Ocean crossing from Panama to the Marquesas.Watch During the 24-day passage, the crew maintains a routine of watch-keeping, fishing for wahoo and mahi-mahi, and managing sail configurations to optimize speed and comfort.3:01 They encounter varying conditions, including light winds, 10-knot downwind runs, and significant swells.5:24 Technical challenges include repairing a broken fuel line barb on a Mercury outboard using epoxy and addressing blown battens in the mainsail, which the crew defers fixing until arrival.9:50 The crew utilizes an electric winch for sail handling and maintains a supply of potatoes and homegrown sprouts to supplement their provisions.12:38 On night 24, with 466 nautical miles remaining, the autopilot fails, forcing the crew to choose between attempting a repair or hand-steering for the remainder of the voyage.22:18
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