Sailing Nova Vitavideo
ABANDONED TRIP ACROSS THE ATLANTIC - Caribbean to Azores
October 1, 2025 · 17 min · 739 views · Caribbean
What this video covers
A crew departing Saint Martin for an Atlantic crossing to the Azores aborts the passage after encountering severe squalls and a mechanical failure in the wind vane steering system.14:23 The vessel, sailing with two reefs in both the mainsail and headsail, experiences 18 to 25 knots of wind and heavy rain while beating through the channel between Saint Martin and Anguilla.8:11 During the transit, the crew identifies a failed bolt on the wind vane, likely caused by corrosion, which renders the primary steering system unreliable for the 2,000-mile voyage.14:23 Despite having an electric autopilot, the crew decides to return to Saint Martin to repair the wind vane and wait for a more favorable weather window rather than risking an offshore passage in deteriorating conditions.16:32 Preparations for the initial departure included securing the anchor in the locker to prevent accidental deployment and clearing sargassum weed from the rudder.4:28
Boats in this video
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