Small Girl Singlehanding a BIG BOAT - Sailing Life Offshore [Ep. 93]
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- Опубліковано 14 січ 2025
- We are pushing the limits of our southbound weather window and will be caught out and experience Uruguay's "La Tormenta" or southern Atlantic storm! Watch as we deal with heavy winds and large confused seas on board our sailboat.
#sailing #storm #sailingaroundtheworld #boatlife
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What is real boat life? Most of the videos out there focus on floating around the Caribbean or Bahamas in a bikini. Now, that is surly life on a boat, but is it real? Sailing from island to island on a sunny day makes for shiny happy videos, but if one wants to sail around the world and liveaboard, they need to be prepared for some real singlehanded, solo, and doublehanded couples offshore sailing, which tends to be a little more like this. There are no bikini models in this video, just hardcore cold weather sailing in life jackets and foul weather gear!
About Sailing Sweet Ruca & Us
Kate and Curtis both learn how to sail when they were young. Kate was a junior sailor in Opti's and 420's while Curtis went cruising in the Great Lakes with his family. We met while sailing in a Melges 24 regatta and have been sailing together ever since. The first time we went cruising together as a couple was on a friends borrowed J Boats J 105 in the North Channel of Lake Huron and Canada (part of the Great Loop). Those few weeks, and watching other channels like Gone With the Wynns, Sailing Uma, Project Atticus, Delos, Nahoa, and Sailing La Vagabonde, convinced us that the sailing life was for us.
We bought our boat, a J Boats J/46, in 2019 after spending years searching for the perfect bluewater sailboat to sail around the world. We were interested in a catamaran and monohulls, but loved the performance cruising design of the J(it is faster than most cruising catamarans). We spent six months refitting her in Rhode Island, before selling our house and cars, quitting our jobs, and leaving land life for good to become digital nomads, with the goal of sailing around the world via Cape Horn.
It was never part of the plan to make videos on UA-cam or become influencers, but we are so excited that we decided to create content. We love to share our knowledge and experiences with you! We have all types of videos from fixing repairs, to sail trim, to relaxing and listenable videos to asmr long form sailing content. Come sail away with us every Sunday Morning.
We have since navigated over 12,000 miles together, through storms, big waves, pandemics, and lockdowns. We sailed to Maine, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Grenada, Sint Maarten, the Azores, Canary Islands, and Brazil, on our way south to Uruguay, Argentina, and Chile to sail around Cape Horn and into the Patagonia fjords.
We never intended to become influencers or start a new UA-cam sailing channel, but now it is what we do. We love sharing our experience and adventures with you. We have learned to fly the drone and edit videos, trying to produce relaxing and listenable videos for you to sail away and watch at home while having coffee on Sunday mornings. We hope we can inspire you to achieve your life goals and cross off those bucket list items also!
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Really enjoy your videos with the great sound tracks. Thanks
Happy to hear you are enjoying!
Great Job! Enjoy Uruguay!
Thanks! 🇺🇾
I love that you enjoy taking the helm.
It is the best job on the boat! :-)
whew .. thanks ,, I've reached the end of my "watching sailboat A holes" time on u tube
haha!
Another great video. Thanks for all the teaching moments by sharing the decision making process of sail adjustments, boat speed, wind, and currents. Glad that y’all arrived safe in Uruguay. Take care and stay warm. Enjoy life, y’all!
Thanks for the kinds words! We are glad too 😁😅 Cheers!
OMG 😱 ‼️ You made it ‼️ Thanks for the tip on sail area when going South. ✨🌊💨⛵️🏝👙🌞✨
This was surely a properly challenging leg of the journey, we are exited for more challenging sailing.
Curtis is lucky to have you on board. You've got The know how And energy To work through any problem. I really enjoy the photography. Looking forward to you going around the horn.
Darn straight he is :-) Thanks so much, we are glad to hear you are enjoying following along.
There you are my favorite Sailing Couple. Glad it is going well and you get some time ashore to explore. all the Best ...
Thanks so much, you are too kind :-)
Somehow I didn’t get a notification. Just wanted to check on you and found this.
Wow what a ride!!! Think I’d be having to change my pants. You two are definitely pro’s and make a great team.
Thanks Kurt. We have seen notifications come late for other channels we subscribe to also, not sure why this happens. I guess we will chock it up to the algorithm.
Great work...The play-by-play sail change explanations are sweet, succinct, and so welcome!
Thank you @JasonKechely
Love this channel. You guys are true sailors! Most channels are island hopping party boats! I have never sailed, but have learned a lot of OJT about sailing form you both. Thanks!
Thanks so much, we are really happy to hear that. We hope to see you out on the water someday! :-)
I am glad you two are cracking on. It's incredibly exciting and inspirational.
Wow! Thanks! We are humbled ☺️
A bad ass sailor chick in huge waves off the coast of South America. This is courage and bravery at its best
Thanks for the kind words!
She is Awesome. Just like her Mother.
Welcome to Uruguay!
Gracias! 🇺🇾
You two are the real deal, thanks for another great vid.......tm
Thanks Tom! Cheers!
Just joined the ride. Very jealous of your lifestyle!!
Welcome aboard! The lifestyle is good, but it is not always easy.
I've been following your journey south, you folks do awesome job of sailing.
Happy Sunday Steven! Much appreciated! Thanks for following along :-)
I watch all those sailing channels, but you have the most technical details on sailing and sail plans. Please post how to’s for beginners like us. Also your off grid systems. I’m from the great lakes too and appreciate that you’ve transferred your experience here to off shore trans oceanic sailing. Is Lake michigan really the worst as Ted Turner said?
We are glad you are enjoying and will try to make some more how-tos. We are always careful with this though as we are always learning ourselves! About Lake Michigan and Ted Turners comment: The worst? Maybe not for cruising as safe harbors are in relatively easy reach and forecasting is good these days. However, the violent summer thunderstorm potential during the Mac race has to be close to the top of scale anywhere. During the 2011 race we logged 105 knots at the masthead, and were pinned down on a heavy 48 footer. The lake can also kick up some big steep waves. It is surely no "mill pond" and at times holds its own with most any ocean. A great place to prepare for ocean sailing without having to wash salty gear ;-)
A proper sailing video. Thanks. NBJS 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Glad you enjoyed it! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
good job
Thanks & cheers!
Nice you made it safely to Uruguay. Kate your Spanish is very good. Hope you have a good time in Uruguay before keep going south. Sheers. Raul.
Hi Rual! Thanks so much, we are looking forward to sharing our adventures in Uruguay with you.
You guys re all bundled up, I thought it was supposed to be summer down there!
Cheers Gary! It is warming up now, but it was cold on this trip! It will keep getting colder as we go further south ;-)
Glad you made into Uruguay safely!
Hope you will have a chance to explore this nice little country… they have fantastic local wine , don’t miss the Tannat 🍇 and local barbecue or “assado “
Looking forward to hearing news from Uruguay.
Kate loves the Tannat! Thanks for the kind comment and recommendations! 🥩🍖🍷
Real chop there.
🌊👋
Loved your voyage and your great video. I have done some ocean sailing and the memories came crashing back, Cheers from OZ
Glad we could bring back good memories!
Interesting how that big boat handles the big waves and winds conflicting with them. I've not sailed a big boat but raced a Intrnationa 4 70 in similar conditions. Much the same action but things happening much faster and on the edge of control with crew constantly keeping our stability while racing.
470s are awesome! Takes some top skills to handle one! Sometimes we wish for lighter planning boat, in these conditions the extra weight and length really helps the motion.
Magnificent! Curtis emerging had a wonderful, ‘found footage’ quality that suits your sailing off the edge of the world vibe.
Thanks! That is a helpful bit of feedback! We are still fairly raw videographers 😊
My kind of weather and my kind of sailing.. I always enjoy both your skills, demeanor and attitude..Isn't it feeling great to dock safely after such a "rush"..(Whiskey always tasted very good afterwards...)
Well said! A nice cheers of Whiskey is a great reward, and you are right.....everything tastes better after a sail like this :-) What a great feeling!
wow ! another wild Ruca passage... got a little woozy just watching can't imagine actually being onboard, well done!!
It wasn't... comfortable. Lol Sorry for the wooziness!
I like the change I’ve seen in your channel. You started out as cocky racers. I think your cruisers now.
The cruising life is growing on us :-)
@@SailingSweetRuca me to.but in my case, I think I will have the boat ready before I can collect a can afford to.Hope it really grows on you and you keep going
I love your videos. Entertaining and informative. My fiancé and I are aspiring sailors in Lorain,OH. Been out on a few pleasure sails and a couple deliveries on Lake Erie. Fair winds and following seas!
O H.... ;-) Wonderful to hear from someone sailing our home waters of Lake Erie! That's where we both got our sailing start also. Enjoy the fresh water & we think it is wonderful to have you sailing along virtually with us. Cheers!!!
Great video
Hi Rob. Thanks so much! :-)
Great content, exposing how different the weather is at S35 latitude (Uruguay) is to N35 (North Carolina), probably choosing an 80% storm jib with wire luff, thinking about Cape Horn winds. You guys can do this.
Thanks Rauf! A smaller storm jib is on the way. We are excited for the next stage of the journey! I guess you could equate this area to Cape Hatteras in a strong December Norther.
Kate. You are an amazing Lady. The boat is in good hands while Curtis sleeps. Do you all expect the conditions to be worse going farther south or will they calm down with their summer coming up? Either way I want you all to be careful. Have you all used your heater at all in the cold conditions yet? Enjoy Uruguay. I know you are there for quite a while. Keep having fun and stay safe.
Thanks for the kind words Bill! We always say we make a great team ☺️
We have only used our heater here at the dock. No telling what the conditions will be fore sure but no doubt they will be challenging. Of course we put safety first.
Kate you are a rock star salty sailer. Those are not easy conditions to sail in. Especially going to the bow. Nice work!
Thanks Jim! Cheers :-)
Amazing sailing footage. So glad you made it to your destination safely. Well done!!!
I love this channel! You two are such great sailors, you explanations of strategies is awesome, the editing brilliant. Thank you so much for bringing us along on your grand nautical adventures!
Thanks so much! we are glad to hear you are enjoying the sails with us!!! :-)
I think you're right about a taste of what's to come. Soon you'll have the full flavour. You'll be very happy to be up in your current latitude on the other coast but stay away from west coasts in the southern hemisphere, at least in Australia and South America. This will be the Christmas season you'll never forget but can be proud that you did. Any grey hairs yet?? You'd say gray I think.
Love this! We will sure to take caution in those areas, thank you. Either way you spell gray/grey is OK with us ;-) None yet, but the boatyards in South America might give us some by the time we are all said and done!
Congrats!!!! You are amazing!!!!
Thanks!
Wow! Thanks for these awesome videos, you guys are truly living life to the full !!! Courageous!!
Wow! Thanks for the nice comment! Cheers!
Well done Sweet Ruca!
Thank you Scott!
Very good video what makes it is that no matter what you both keep smiling, be safe and enjoy. Thanks
Thanks so much :-D
Great video's you guys, I'm really enjoying the sailing., great job. As you move further south, I was wondering if you have any kind of a heater on board that you utilize while sailing to warm up a bit after being out on deck?
Hi Brad, we do have a Chinese diesel heater on board, along with a full spare kit. Look back at the episode in Tenerife to see its installation in detail.
Awesome 👌 guys!
Thanks!! :-)
Another great passage from you guys! Nice work! Wishing you the best for the future!
Thanks!
I finds these episodes easier to relate to, as my memories of sailing the English Channel feature seas more like these than clear turquoise! A stove testing the limits of its gimbals, the creak of fittings, and the business of persuading some heat into fingers before going back on deck - definitely the experience memories are made of.
Was it in Horta that you picked up those coats? I have it in my mind that they were a decent value, and they seem to be holding up well enough?
Hi Kevin! Cheers!!! The English Channel is surely one of the most challenging waters anywhere! We are glad this brings you good memories :-) Cold weather sailing has its benefits, that is when you complete the journey, take off the foul weather gear, and have a hot meal, it feels like more of an accomplishment for some reason than sailing in warmer waters.
It was in Tenerife actually at the Decathlon. For the price they are unbeatable. They aren't as breathable as gore-tex, but so far so good.
This is awesome. You go girl !!!
Great news. Great video. Get some rest.
Thanks so much!
Great video , the information on reducing sails is much appreciated
Thanks! Glad it was helpful!
Sweet Kate a few episodes back saw you beside Curtis & realized your height. Guess the camera angles at most times make you seem taller. I am about Curtis size, 50 years ago save a little gal like you when a 4 foot wave came down the scuppers. I did not think a thing about it, but she still claims I saved her life. Like the camera angle wave at eye level makes a difference in perspective.
Low center of gravity is actually nice to have! Thanks for sharing ☺️
You’ll did a good job. A Really Good Job…!!! 😎👍✅
Thanks Anna! :-)
I often wondered why the other sailing channels only sail around the carribean and not travel south to Brazil. Now I know, looks tough but your reward is a great adventure. Wonderful videos, thank you
Hi Allan! It is surely much easier to sail the warm trades in the Caribbean, nothing wrong with that, but we are hoping for an epic bucket list adventure :-) Cheers!
Congrats on your latest leg. After Bernard Moitessier's first Cape Horn rounding, he,like you, figured out he needed smaller sails for the high latitudes and built a suite of sails for the more demanding conditions of those waters. If money was not an issue, I think I would spring for a heavy cloth, smaller mainsail with multiple reefs. I see you on the hard again on AIS, is all OK?
Thanks Peter! We are on the hard to finish repairs and bottom painting we couldn't do in Brazil for visa time reasons. We are also working on some sail upgrades, nav upgrades, and redundancy, along with other general maintenance. Stay tuned for info on all of that stuff. We are headed south as soon as the paint dries.
Perhaps soon you will consider this weather good. You go, guys! Are you going to rig an inner forestay for the storm sail?
Hi Jon! For sure, we are prepared for much nastier and colder conditions. Let the fun begin :-) We will set the storm jib on the inner forestay as you suggest.
Welcome to the land of Zarpe’s. I suppose brazil has the same paperwork.
Paperwork abounds in these parts!
I believe that what you call Mar del Plata is really Rio de la Plata, an estuary that separates Uruguay from Argentina.
You are correct! I believe I mispoke as Mar del Plata was our original destination. Thanks for looking out!
Another great episode. You are both extremely competent sailors but how do you deal with watches and sleep deprecation ?
Thanks. Great question! Our mindset and approach to sleep management is similar to solo racers, where we don't have specific watch shifts. We have sailed together a lot and know each others limits. We accumulate sleep when and where we can, we take lots of short naps, and there are lots of loud alarms. Then there are tough times when you just have to focus and push through being tired.
Your adventure has been very enjoyable to watch and very informative. The trip confirms I am a Panama canal type and will leave this passage for others as it just seems like too much work 😁 I will be sailing The Philippines starting next week and praying for more relaxing passages than the old South to Cape horn route.
Hi Randy!!! Thanks! Nothing wrong with the Panama route and sailing in shorts and sunny skies! All said and done, even though you have to pay to go through the canal, it is probably cheaper in the end when factoring the added wear and tear and prep for cold water sailing. Enjoy the Philippines, that sounds excellent. Cheers and happy Sunday :-) Will we get to see you in the Pacific somewhere?
I was curious if your J/46 was previously raced under the name CREVASSE???⛵
You win the super sleuth award today ;-)
@@SailingSweetRuca Your channel is the best.... Following your journey closely...There are so many traveling with you on your voyage via youtube. Know that we are out here in youtube - land tracking your progress.
Le vostre avventure sono sempre fantastiche Io vi seguo sempre da Bergamo Italy Ciao Giovanni
Grazie mille! È bello sapere che stai guardando dall'Italia! Sappiamo che ci sono molti ottimi marinai (e il miglior cibo) lì! Il nostro italiano non è così buono, quindi usa google translate. Perdona tutto ciò che non è corretto!
Is the wave action typically that rowdy off the coast of Uruguay? Seems like it was a fairly uncomfortable sail.
It was a bit rowdy, but not unmanageable. It is known as a challenging passage in the winter time. 3 different currents converge in the area, and systems like to develop there, causing frequent wind shifts.
Hi, maybe you addressed this and I missed it, but how does Roxy go potty when it's so rough and she can't be on deck?
Check out the previous episode ;-)
In the original patagonia inhabitants language "Ruca " mean house-home. Saludos desde Argentina .
Saludos! That is great to know!
Does Roxie get seasick?
So far so good!
Hey guys... 2 things, 1, have you used the "no drift" setting on your autopilot? If so, what's your opinion?
2nd, have you tried to heave to? I have a similar boat a c&c 44 custom, the race version of the c&c 44... I have never tried to heave to and the general consensus is that I'm probably better off creeping forward slowly as possible... just wondering what you guys have found?
Thanks
Hi! Great questions. Love the C&Cs! We don't use the no-drift option much, but have switched to it in some odd currents to better maintain position (for example when flying the drone in Ilhabela there was a 3 knot current, so we motored at 3 knots and set no-drift mode, which held position very well, or to pass a bouy with lots of current. It could be good for waiting for bridges in fast rivers as well. Offshore we haven't used it as we are primarily in wind mode. No real opinion either way, just another tool in the tool box.
Regarding heaving to, we aren't big fans. We have tried it, it is as advertised, but like you, we would prefer to "feather up" and have steerage and maintain forward speed, even if at a slow pace. If we are going to make a port in the dark, we usually just reduce sail and slow down rather than heave to and wait outside. Of course, this works for us, and other opinions may vary, especially for different boat designs.
Hey! Thanks for the reply!!
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👏👏👏👏👏🤟🌬⛵
Thanks @miguelmartinho :-)
😀👍👍❤
😁🥰🤩
Guess you’ll need a break from this ride.
We can't wait for more sailing, but some boat maintenance time is in order.
You think this is hard. If you sail around the bottom of South America, large ships say that it is treacherous. How do you think that sailboat will get through. That's really concerning. Because the waters surrounding this area are so fierce, it is sometimes called the Mount Everest of the ocean. There are routes that sailors can take to experience less treacherous waters, but Cape Horn is one of the most complex and dangerous Capes to sail. These waters are no easy feat for even the most experienced sailor and are considered dangerous and unpredictable. The waves are enormous, and the weather is challenging to plan around. I wouldn't be comfortable going in a huge ship. Sailors have spoken about the dangers of that route for hundreds of years. Many a sailor have not come back from those waters. For safety sake I would have gone through the Panama Canal. I would never attempt Cape Horn in that sailboat.
Best of luck to you folks. You're in for the challenge of a lifetime.
Maybe you wouldn't, but we surely will. Lets see what happens ;-)
Thanks for another great video. You show how great a team you are. Keep up the good work, and stay safe.
Thanks DonP, will do! We appreciate the great comment!
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:-) Thank you!