Wind Hippie Sailingvideo
When You Know It's Time to Turn Back WHSE172
February 2, 2026 · 24 min · 25K views · off the northwest coast of Lombok
Sailor grimaces as spray drenches face in rough seas
What this video covers
A Grinde 27 named Gek completes a 47-mile motor passage around the north coast of Lombok, Indonesia, during the low-wind season, then turns back after conditions in a channel pass between two islands exceed safe limits.
The engine burns half a litre of oil every seven hours, forcing a mid-passage stop to check levels and swim.6:40 Averaging 2.5 knots against a combination of nose-on wind and variable current, the 47-mile leg takes roughly 24 hours and ends with a night anchorage in 48 feet of water on a steeply sloping bottom.7:19 Navionics shows reef where satellite charts do not; the skipper anchors conservatively at 24 feet minimum and uses a Navionics anchor-track loop — a "safety squiggle" — to monitor drag by watching whether the distance marker to the drop point changes.20:50
The attempted pass the following day starts well in flat water with favorable current, then deteriorates to 25–30 knots against roughly 5 knots of current, breaking waves, and heavy cockpit spray.14:40 After the fourth time a crewmember asked whether it was safe, the skipper turns back.14:48 Downwind return speed drops to 1.5–2 knots against the current.14:59 The practical lesson: when current opposes wind in a confined pass, conditions can exceed forecast by a wide margin, and timing the attempt for slack current at night or early morning is the only reliable option.
More from Wind Hippie Sailing
From Wind Hippie Sailing — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analyzed video.
The Sailing Directory Newsletter
One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.