Things Are Falling Apart! [Ep. 152]
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- Опубліковано 6 вер 2024
- After some encounters with some very large boat breaking waves, we are feeling the impact of the forces of mother nature. We are days away from land, are we prepared to overcome these challenges?
#sailing #adventure #explore
Offshore sailing is all about preperation. One must be prepared to overcome any challenges without support from anyone else. When you are alone, thousands of miles from help, in the middle of crossing the Pacific Ocean, you must fix things yourself. You must also be mentally prepared for this, you have no option but to push through any emotions and just get things done.
Website & Blog: www.sweetruca.com
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![Deploying the STORM JIB in the South Pacific [Ep. 153]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/oaCvmPxJfXc/mqdefault.jpg)
![Deploying the STORM JIB in the South Pacific [Ep. 153]](/img/tr.png)
That was a really cool shot of the sun coming up. Way out in the middle of the ocean. Great job on the repairs. Good to have spares. Jim
Hi Jim! Glad you enjoyed!!!
I guess it depends on how the boat is designed but I have always felt that in down wind conditions it is more stable to have the boat pulled by a head sail than pushed by the main sail. Less work for the auto helm too. Cheers.
Put in a reef or two in the mainsail and hoist (or roll out) a jib.
Aree, you would have a batterie bilance boat running downwind with a parziale furled jib and a 2 reefed main
Whatever they were doing, I recall hearing that the autopilot was working less.
The boat is pretty well balanced with just the main. We were actually surprised how well she sailed in “laser mode.” We don’t like to take the main down offshore as it is a bear to put back up, combined with the broken vang (there is no topping lift) that supports the boom, we stuck with the main. The main and Genoa combo when running deep causes a lot of slatting of the Genoa, and we don’t like to run the whisker pole in large waves.
Les J sont conçus pour naviguer très bien GV seule, en restant très équilibrés à la barre. ( je possède un 110).
Merci pour cette vidéo très intéressante pour les voileux. Le pilote auto m'apparaît super bon. Reposez-vous bien sur nos îles. Vous êtes vraiment formidables et je goûte tous vos épisodes comme le meilleur moment de ma journée.
Open ocean sailing , equipment gets tired too just like people, everything works lovely until it doesn’t! You guys were well prepared, a handy billy has a thousand uses and made a nice boom vang , happy you didn’t have to disassemble that ball screw autopilot in a seaway and try to fix it the spare earned it’s ride ! Safe passage through the reefs to port!
The time lapse while Curtis was down the hatch did a good job conveying how un fun it probably was in that space. You two bring such Joy!
Glad you enjoyed!
That was suspenseful
Wow. Gorgeous crispy footage. Great angles and feel from the waterline to that high rear starboard position and all sequenced so well. That's a lot of work and so well worth it. As we say in the movie business, the money's all up there on the screen.
I used to race a Laser. I've owned three of them and still have one that I'm going to sell soon. They are great boats and a really good boat to learn how to sail.
What fun!!!
I'm impressed. Both of you remained calm, knew what needed to be accomplished, and knew your individual tasks necessary to make it happen. Great teamwork. Cheers
Well said! Cheers & thanks!
¡Hello, Sweet Ruca...Crew! 💯
¡Wow! Mr.Cutis DOES NOT feel the wind, BUT SMELLS IT, he prepares beforehand for when it blows him through the place that he knows he is going to come...
There is nothing more to say..🤐
P.S. Boy, the food is good! 😋
Good luck...
Curtis is the guy to have on the boat! That is for sure! -Kate
@@SailingSweetRuca BE CAREFUL, YOU ARE NOT LEFT BEHIND
Awesome sailors!!👏👏👏
👍 👍
I was taking the first bite of my apple pancake when you was hooking the fish lol. Thanks for sharing
😂 😂 👍
Kate, you are the sweetest cutest capable sailor ever... What a pleasure you must be to sail with.
Kate 🔥
We are going to save this one!!! ❤️
Merci pour cette vidéo. Une vie en mer avec ses séances de bricolage quotidienne. Le voilier s’use et demande beaucoup d’attention lors de longues traversées. 👏👍
Voilier Girighiz 5🇫🇷
Well done to both of you. Calm and cool under pressure!
Thanks!!!🙏
Sushi...!!! Very Fancy Kate...!!! Well done on the repairs guys... Being prepared...! Be safe... 🙏
Thank you! Will do!
Excellent record of life on board…you deal with issues calmly and professionally… ❤
Sure liked the cello montage. Thank you for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it
Auto spare is a must hand steering is fun for a few hours in good wind but for days you will sleep quickly at the end of you watch.
Right on!
love the long filming of the boat ripping through the waves !. Thanks for sharing !
Glad you enjoyed it
Thanks!
Thank you so much! 🙏
Enjoy your show , the stress you put on a boat in a month most of us put on 1 or 2 years . If it is too windy we have the option to go to the club house you don't . Still wish I was buddy boating in my boat beside you and fixing things.
The question becomes: Too windy for who? Worst case, she is fast enough to sidestep that chienne. In reality, it's the waves, more than the wind. Occasionally, I read of ocean cruisers who dread the Great Lakes. A 20' sailboat is not a small craft, but a 35' twin screw motorboat is.
You three rock! Thanks for the video.
Thanks for watching!
I remember looking at S/Y Delos. Their autopilot also broke down and they had to hand steer a huge distance. But I think they were 3 or 4 on board. Maybe a wind vane is more safe.
Excellent teamwork!
Thank you!
Yep, Running like a "Laser sailboat" except no dagger board to pull up.... LOL (Maybe you will cross paths with SV Delos in that part of Ocean Blue)
Haha, daggerboards and a canting keel next! That would be cool to cross path with Delos one day. Looks like they are off to Austrailia to build a boat now though?
@@SailingSweetRuca Yep, Delos designing and building aluminum CAT down under, but I am sure they will sail it all over the planet .
Very entertaining. You all are the best. Great job on the boom repair and glad you had an auto-pilot spare. Pretty sure when Kate got on the wave, wave, wave thing that was a sign of creek water withdraw symptoms. It gets better with time. Thanks a ton for the effort to bring these videos to us. Oh yea. The coffee is great. Keep having fun and stay safe. Bill
Haha! Maybe she drank some salt water? Things can get a bit silly 😜 when far offshore. Cheers!
Nice sunrises. The support provided by your partners has proven to be crucial. Glad to see y’all got great material to fix the issues and keep sailing forward. Teamwork makes the dream work.
Glad you enjoyed! It is so wonderful to work with great companies like Marlow who truly understand offshore sailing!
You guys are so smart and so calm.
Thanks!
makes sense. Still curious why full main and no headsail? You know your boat better than I but off the wind flying a headsail usually moves the center of effort forward reducing weather helm. A main usually induces weather helm and off the wind in waves a main often induces that weather helm at the worst moments. I usually leave a bit more headsail up snd reduce main and try to balance the helm w/o the pilot prior to engaging the pilot. Safe sailing.
I was about to say the same. Keep up a full jib and no main and she should handle a lot better straight downwind. Licensed skipper here.
Really good you could diagnose and work through breakages. Thanks for sharing your adventures!
Glad you like them!
Well done!
Thanks! Glad to hear from you as always! Give us an update from Brazil!!!
Congrats guys. Well done. As always, I admire your skills and composure. Wishing you continued good luck.
Thank you so much 😀
Best regards from Puerto Montt, CHILE.
Thank you for showing us your wonderful sailing, including views of your maneuvers and the nice sea conditions you have been sailing in. Much success to both of you, keep enjoying...you look very happy!!!
Many thanks! Viva Chile 🇨🇱
Regarding the stern port side, what is the mounted reel with green line used for?
Thanks!
Greg
We used it in Patagonia for tying to the shore, we haven’t found a good home for it down below yet.
Sushi at sea .. and made it just as well as a Japanese Sushi chef .you go
Thanks!😊
I love this video! True ocean sailing at its best. Thank goodness Curtis can fix anything, can't have too many spare parts. I love the wave
My Autopilot is a dinky Raymarine one with a motor on the wheel. That one you put in was a real autopilot, not a toy like mine.
Hi Allen! Whatever works!!! That’s all that matters. Say hi to the Pirate for us!!! 🏴☠️
So amazing that you all can get catamaran speeds out of a monohull. True sailors!
Thanks Dave!
@@SailingSweetRuca be safe out there!
OMG 😱 WOW ‼️ Just learned you can never have too many spares. Amazing to see a great fix and......voilà, another crew back in action. Is that a special auto pilot ram to have a 'high performance' setting or do they all come that way? Totally love watching how you two interact as a well oiled team. We all should be so lucky. See you next time. ✨ 🌊 💨 ⛵️ 🏝️ 👙 🌞 ✨
The software in the pilot computer is where the settings are, the ram itself is really just a hydraulic pump and cylinder that operates when sent current from the computer. The computer is what gives it its higher performance.
Now fix the new spare lol. Had a boomvang break back in the 70's Cape Cod to Newberry Port. Crappie rigged boat two younger brothers in thier 60's now still talk about!
All of your work is awesome, I look forward every week. My vang as well has a nasty rusty bulge in it and I am expecting a similar situation. Although not in the middle of a pacific crossing.
Thanks for a short escape from dry land!
Our pleasure!
Awesome episode. 🫶
Thank you!
Nice footage. Just Curious why you chose to use the full main and no headsail going down wind after you took kite down, instead of a headsail and reefed main which likely lessen weather helm and reduces loads on the autopilot. Not saying thats what caused the pilot failure but curious. Do you have any ability to test the electrical or physical loads on the pilot? Good job having a spare. Fair winds…
Good question! We can monitor electrical load (amp draw) of the pilot, which gives a decent indication. The wave that hit surely overloaded it, we’ve seen waves like that break rudders. We didn’t catch it on video, but it was one of those rare ones that you don’t forget. A load cell sensor connected to our Expedition for logging would be interesting there though?
Good fixing on the fly! BUT - I missed seeing Roxy! XO Darcee
Interesting to see what parts failed. Hopefully you can refurbish the autopilot . Hearing $4K for a boom vang shocked me !!! Wondering what makes it so pricey ?
Agreed. Seeing what broke in the autopilot would be good content.
Based on the comments we need to show the guts of the pilot! We will work on that! As for the cost of the vang, we can only guess that they are fairly one off parts and a very small niche market.
@@SailingSweetRuca As a retired machinist and one who sailed many years ago I have to wonder if something much simpler/cheaper and more durable could be substituted for the vang or if a welded repair could be made. I predate these strut type vangs LOL
My crazy "gut reaction" was that $4000 for a vang saved the expense and drag of a topping lift.
Great repair jobs. Thank you for this episode. No Roxy this time... hmmm.
Thanks! Roxy is all good!
Awesome
Missing the dog, hope is okay
Roxy is A OK
Excellent job.
Next time you have a stormy weather, hook my favorite “storm song” to it. (Riders on the Storm) DOORS. 🙏🏼☯️✌🏼
We do jam to that as we sail sometimes! Great rip!!!!
Wind vane wouldn't be a good second choice guys. Fair winds
We’d love to hear more on your thoughts about windvanes!
What mechanical part of the AP actually failed? Have you since been able to repair the unit that is now your spare?
We will find out when we take it apart. Maybe internal valving, a seal, or the motor/pump connection.
I have followed you guys for a long while and it appears your adventures have tempered you a bit. Early on, you were 'racers" you were "expert" and while you still are, you are now a bit more chill. I cannot explain it well but, I love you stuff and your humbled persona...It's what adventures do for those willing to undertake them.
I wish you guys could fish as well as you sail. LOL
We try! We just happen to be better at fishing than catching :-)
👋 that God for spare parts
Right on!
Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice tropical shorts, Curtis. 🎉👏🏻🦩
You know it!
Missing Roxy, was she seasick?
Glad you had the spare.
Keep on..keeping on..
Don’t worry, Roxy was all good!
There's cruisers and then there are sailors
Sailors offshore, cruisers at anchor :-)
Can i ask, why do you not use a wind vane ? Is that a silly question?
Not silly at all, and a question we need to address sometime in a future video. There are lots of considerations.
Great video, as usual. Autopilot repair question: Had you been single handing would you have hove too (spelling?) in order to make the repair? When you got the second ram did you do a very close inspection of it vs. the one installed to be sure everything fit? I ask as I know some folks install the backup/spare units of things so as to be sure they fit. They then use the original working one removed as the spare.
Lash the wheel, adjust the sails to maintain course, and carry on.
Yes, had we been singlehanded it would have required heaving to. We thought about doing that just to show it in the video, but you know us, we don’t like to go slow :-) The pilot ram we broke was actually our spare, we did just as you said and installed it to make sure it fit and was “hot swappable,” and just continued using it. An easy install as it is an exact copy.
cool
Thanks!
You guys are the real deal...a lot of these UA-cam sailors don't even know what their boom vang is for, and you guys fabricated one. Keep up the great work! 🎉🎉🎉
Haha thank you!
Yeah powered autopilots are often a point of failure. Have you guys considered a hydrovane ? We had one which was fantastic. Almost spooky how well it steered without power.
We just took apart the failed hydraulic ram and found the problem! Based on what we found (we will share in an upcoming video) that wave would have broke any other self steering mechanism as well. We are glad the ram broke instead of something else. Lots of force!!! As for wind vanes, we have to cover that one day as well! Cheers!
❤
👍
I hope you are well and I looking forward to future episodes!
Was that Bach as background music st about 20 minutes of the video?
❤❤❤
Hello, my name is Ricardo, I am a student at the University of Magallanes Chile, and I would like to know if you can help me in my research on renewable energy in 38-foot sailboats, for example, how many batteries do you use, what type of batteries, your experiences, what is your energy consumption each How much do you change the batteries, what equipment do you use every day, all the information will be very useful for my research, thank you
Hi Ricardo! Too bad we never connected while we were in Chile! Reach out to us via our contact form on our website, let’s see if we can help you out.
You’re amazing to be able to fix your own broken items..awesome
I like it all the videos , as spacial sailing in Patagonia ⛵️ thanks
We are happy to hear you enjoy them 😀
When running downwind at 8 knots do you ease the boom vang or keep it tight?
Kind of depends I guess.
Great teamwork. I really admire your disciplined approach to such an adventure.
The way I like sailing…..
It's kind of like flying to the moon in a space ship... Good luck!!!
You had to be absolutely worn out - exhausting!
Just a thought about your boom vang. Could you replace just the aluminum pipe?
We probably can, either aluminum or carbon, and fabricate a replacement delrin internal bushing as well. The only problem is finding the right size tube, especially here in French Polynesia.
@@SailingSweetRuca Order it and have it shipped to you.
I was wondering, if you have the orange preventer, why do you have to set another preventer?
The orange or red line is a boom break, slowing the boom during the gybe for a more controlled manuever. The preventor is meant to prevent it from crossing over entirely. We hope this clear things up!
What happens in a scenario where the gps satellites stop working and you are in the middle of the ocean???
We get the sextant and paper charts out 😉
So i gotta know. Whats the absolute top speed youve ever squeezed out of Sweet Ruca?
My price is right rules (closest without going over) guess is 14.6 knots.
16.1 knots surfing downwind. There is more possible, but the risks increase dramatically, so we pull the reins in often.
This is a great video, I am curious what is that spindle of rope on the Aft port side?
you guys are amazing.hiw I wish i can join and ride in your boat
Do you stay out of the shipping lane……?
Very few ships out where we were sailing.
👏👏👏
Hey guys. What happened to the boom vang? Accidental jibe?
Just wear and tear over time.
when fishing, a gentleman baits a ladies hook..
👍
Haw, haw 😂
She's no lady. She's a sailor!
she is a beautiful boat J class ? fast and a beast
Thanks! She is a J/46 you can learn more about her here sweetruca.com/about-the-boat/
@@SailingSweetRuca thankyou . i sail a 1974 camp nicholson aluminium 35 feet . 1 tonner class . i live aboard her with my wee dog . certainly not a perfect liveaboard being a 1 tonner . but she is fast and a off shore beast .
😎😎👍👍❤❤
🙏 🙏😀😀👍👍
Does the your auto pilot have any control of the sails?
No it does not. One day they surely will!
Love your channel! What kind of traveler do you guys use for your boom/main 🤙🏼
Hi Mario, it is a Harken track and car system.
@@SailingSweetRuca thanks. Do you guys have some special preventer attached to the boom ? That was a smooth jibe or just skill 😂
Big ol....... yeah ok waves.
Hydrovane!
Crossing the Pacific with only an electronic self steering on a boat with spade rudders? Yikes.
Kamikoto Forever
It is nice to watch a couple sailing video where FEATURING the woman as a sexual object in order to seek views and subscriptions. This is FAMILY FRIENDLY and well done! I just liked and subscribed. If you have a patreon option I intend to join.
Thank you!
Thanks!
Thank you so much for your generosity!!!
Thanks!
Thank you so much for your generous support! 🙏