I know the mooring part of this video leaves a lot of unanswered questions, so I’ll do my best to explain a bit more. First off, we know how to tie up to a mooring, but what we’re trying to accomplish is figure out the BEST way to tie up our Leopard 43 to a mooring ball. Meaning: No chafe, easy to tie up upon approach and easy to release when it’s time to leave. This bridal test proved that it may be the best solution for no chafe but tying up and releasing was quite the hassle. Let me start by explaining this mooring. There are no lead lines on the mooring ball, so it is challenging to run lines through it from the boat unless there is no wind. Running an extra ‘retrieval’ line to the mooring does not work because any slack lines end up wrapped around the base of the mooring ball. Then the weight of our entire boat will be held by this one line. We already talked about running lines to the forward side cleats in the vid, but just as a reminder, it creates major chafe on the lines (not safe in a cyclone) and destroys the gelcoat on the boat. Plus, when getting pulled in strong winds it still creates massive downward pressure on the crossbeam which could still damage our rigging. A system like the Mantus mooring snap shackle would work for some mooring situations, but the attachment point on this mooring is a very thick line, and too thick for the Mantus Snap Shackle. Plus, the breaking strength of this snap shackle is 10T and I don’t know that I trust that with our 16T boat during a cyclone (but I will reach out to Mantus to see what they say). Sadly, it’s all a moot point because it’s nearly impossible to get things shipped here during COVID times. By the time it could arrive, cyclone season will be over and we'll be on our way to another country. What we need to get is an official statement from Leopard and Robertson & Caine (the boat builder). We need to hear how they recommend tying up our boat to a mooring, that way we’re not guessing, or using a jury-rigged solution that might not be covered by insurance if anything happens during a storm. With this information, we can feel confident we’re tying up to a mooring ball the correct way. And most importantly we know if another cyclone comes barreling through, we’ll be connected to the strongest points on the boat with no chafe issues. If we happen to break loose and the boat gets damaged, we can show our insurance company that we tied up the way the boat manufacture recommended.
I understand the complexity of what you want to do. Not easy, mooring balls never are. At least, you can count on solid and maintained hurricane proof moorings. I doubt you will get an official statement from the manufacturer that would enable you to tie strongly and still protect the gelcoat. Not sure it would make any difference with the insurance claim. So many elements come into consideration. I would ask if you can add cleats on the INNER SIDE of the hulls, probably by adding large 3/8" thick aluminum backing plates inside the boat. You would totally eliminate all line chaffing and gelcoat issues . By the way, your 10 ton shackle is plenty strong, unless you plan to lift your boat. Hurricane force winds never apply so much pressure on exposed surfaces if a cat. Love what you are doing and looking forward to watching your videos from New Zealand.
Hey guys, although I've never moored with a cat, what I used to do on my mono is use really long dock lines looped through themselves. There should be a loop on the mooring to pass each through. I cleated to the front most cleats on the boat. Id do that as a primary in your case and use the bridle as a slightly more slack backup. We pick up the mooring line with the hook and pass one line through the loop then pull tight to the boat to set the remainder. Had my boat off of Saltspring island like this for over a month with no wear and tear at all. If you can find it, I recommend getting some firehose to put around your dock/mooring lines to avoid chafing, it works like a dream.
I agree with you, looking at the cross beam with the cleats, its not the strongest place. Good place for a backup and retrieval lines so I would use the bridle first but there is no way you should ever have to jump in to release from a mooring. Might be worth looking into putting new cleats further fwd on your bows. Happy you guys are still out there, posting great videos, keeping us all entertained in lockdown!
You could try sailing sisu or happy together as they have just done long videos on deals with Leopard during there purchases? Great entertaining video guys👍🏼👍🏼
Hey y’all. Navy vet here. An old bos’n taught us to use decommissioned fire hoses for chaffing gear. You can cut them up in small sections and use as sleeve. Or you can take a small section and cut them in half and wrap around your line and frap them with small stuff to keep them in place. The cotton jackets on the fire hoses are very durable. Of course if you can’t get your hands on old fire hoses, old jeans/denim is an alternative. They will just need replacing more frequently. Thanks for sharing your journey! Simply amazing🙂
I called my husband in from the other room and asked him if he wanted to go to heaven. You transported me there with your drone shots and music at about 24.00 minutes, just after you checked the anchor. The water lapping, the sound of a bird in the distance so soothing, and the ocean, islands and sunset so beautiful. Thank you for taking me away!
Yep the video editing skills on this channel have evolved greatly over the years and it shows..very impressive.... see also, Uma, Ran Sailing, Ruby Rose and Sailing Kittiwake among others who have learned and developed organically.... Conversely I've been watching some of the videos from the Expedition Evans sailing Blog recently ..and I'm just not buying it...MTV standard production from the get go?.... there's no way new bloggers could produce vids of that standard from the off while supposedly renovating a yacht 24/7...something very fishy about the whole thing...but sub's and Patreon figures are huge so whatever stunt they're pulling appears to have worked thus far
That is such a true point. I tried to do some filming of a family event. Still waiting for me to just start! Takes a lot of work and more time than most people realize
I was inclined to say how lucky you are to be in such beautiful places, but it is not luck but dogged determination and hard work that have put you where you are. The views of the world that you have provided from above and below the ocean for those of us who are not in your position are very much appreciated! Keep up the good work!
Family Upgrade and Allan (and Mark) - To meld a bit of peace. If Allan wants to watch it at 1.25, that's his choice. It wouldn't be mine, but at least he's heard it. As to life being too short, well, if that's how you see it, but I actually find it's quite long, at least to me, and well worth the effort as such, at least to the final second, I'm sure, which might seem pushed. I don't often find that rushing things is much of a help, but do as you wish. As Joni Mitchell sang, I've looked at life from both sides now. What I would say is, do what works for you. I know that I rush things too often, myself, but then again, a fair amount of youtubers drag things out unnecessarily, as if they will get paid more for it. I don't usually go to 1.25 speed, but I do skip ahead 20 or 30 seconds now and then, until they get back to the real stuff. Yes, I find that annoying to have to do, but, in the case of sailing, that sort of defeats the purpose of the message and I find the production values of Gone With the Wynns, to be appropriate, but that's just my call.
the alcolades (sp, which may be common in all my comments) continue to pour in. "It's really wonderful to see." You guy know how to tell a good story, some of the best i have ever seen.
I think perhaps in the future a "double bridle" solution might be best. The main bridle to handle the load and to hold the boat through the storm. A secondary "Slip Bridle" as a backup in case of main bridle failure AND as a "tow line" that you can connect to a winch to allow you to reel yourselves in to the mooring ball so you can undo everything. Easier and more precise than trying to motor your way forward while being pushed and pulled by wind and waves. The idea of a Slip Bridle is that you have a bridle style line hard anchored on one side of the cat, run down to the main bridle V connector or to the mooring ball line or to the ball itself.. You then use either a stainless carabineer or a rope loop (made from a scrap of discarded or older rope) at that center point to feed the rope through. This is to allow the rope to slide through this point. Remember that this is intended as a secondary connection, so it doesn't have to be fixed at that point. Indeed, you don't want it to be. Once fed through the Carabineer or rope loop, the free end is fed back to the boat and a winch point. Make sure to leave the rope hanging loose to minimize chafe. This is a backup, not the primary connection. You should be safe to leave it like that for some time. When you are ready to leave the mooring, you just winch in the free side, and as the rope tightens it will slide through the carabineer or rope loop, making both sides of the slip bridle shorter, pulling you evenly up to the mooring ball where you can release the main bride. Once disconnected from that, then grab the mooring ball rope with a gaff pole to pull it in and disconnect your carabineer or rope loop from the ball. Alternately, if it is a mooring ball you own, then you can just untied the fixed end of the slip bridle line, and reel it all the way in with the winch, leaving the carabineer or rope loop on the ball for next time.
I got chills looking at the sunset footage at your new anchorage. You must be so happy just to “be” back on Curiosity after all your trials and tribulations. You deserve this happy place. You two are just terrific. Thanks for a great vlog!!
You flaked the sail perfectly. Great job! The problem with the Sail Rite kits is that they're not commercial grade. You'll want to use V-69 or V-92 thread when sewing sails. Usually, V-69 will work best on all of your canvas and sails. Make sure you have a sewing palm and a big roll of bees waxed linen thread on board all the time for emergency repairs. All sail thread wears out over time in UV light, so some repairs will always be a necessary part of your sail maintenance program, not to mention rigging induced rips and tears.
One thing I’ve noticed about the sailing community from watching this channel and others, is just how helpful and open sailors are to offer their expertise. No matter the problem, there’s always a sailor who has dealt with it and can advise a sailor in need. I really love that! I imagine the lifestyle of always being on the move means people are more willing to connect and help others at any moment as a way to have a community. It’s really wonderful to see.
Genevieve - You are absolutely right about that. No sailor I know of, whether of wind or power, or of any size, would ever not answer a distress signal. Believe me, it happens often enough. Any and everything, unlike on land. It's code, written or not. You can count on it. It may cost a ship thousands of dollars, that may never be re-imbursed, but it is done anyway. I've been on both sides of that.
Dear Genevieve -- An excellent observation to take to heart, practice and encourage by example. Thank you! The wonder you observe has eternal roots and blossoms... From the ancients to the modern, when a legal expert asked Jesus Christ what the greatest commandment in the Law (of Moses) was {Matthew 22:36-40}, the answer came thus >> " 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Works ashore as well as at sea. In sailor discipline, there's a similar rule by practice: "One hand for yourself. One for the ship." Too often, people treat love as only something emotional (koine Greek: 'eros'). Here, love is commanded as moral discipline (koine Greek: 'agape') beyond feelings alone. Why: The ocean is no respecter of persons, except its Creator (e.g., Psalm 107:23-32; Matthew 8:23-27 -- search & read at biblegateway.com}. The ocean also can be a very lonely place, especially on a long passage during the mid-watch. As the Wynns and their sailing friends demonstrated especially throughout 2020, any port in a storm is someone else's, not yours. The way to honor being humility, extending unconditional love often manifests as helps and hospitality traversing one of the more inhospitable environments on Earth, that covers most of the Earth, which ironically the Earth requires to sustain its life. This is why we respond to distress calls: Would we need rescue ourselves someday? Definitely YES -- seasoned salts from the "roaring 40s" (me, too) have 'been there, done that'. Even the rock group America's song "A Horse With No Name" describes the ocean "...as a desert with its life underground and the perfect disguise above", surely having places of many teeth. While searching the romance and glamour in idyllic and exotic locations, there remains daily always plenty of 'get dirty, hands-on, mind-focused' damage control that's routine to boat living among people with varied skill sets. The ocean's nature always puts something or someone into distress over time, seawater being the ultimate solvent. Revisiting answering distress calls and rescue: I recommend reading the book "The Finest Hours", by Michael Tougias and Casey Sherman, preferably before watching the movie (trailer: ua-cam.com/video/BQmllwTKtqU/v-deo.html). Both exhibit high examples of nautical "love thy neighbor" at a very human level, though the book captures reality better. I learned to sail and navigate where this historical USCG rescue happened in Feb. 1952. Good credit to Disney for representing well what the ocean looks like at its deadliest, and total honor to the now-departed CG36500 crew in faithfully living a heroic miracle for posterity's better regard. Sadly, at the theaters, the audience to see Marvel comic book heroes was around the building, while the audience to learn of real life heroes like the CG36500 crew was miniscule. Blessings to you and yours, S/V Windwalker (on the hard presently)
The Sunday Fundays video is light years better than reading the news. You two make the start to the day and the week a very much needed breath of fresh air! Great job guys, enjoy your day.
You guys are pretty good at free diving to check anchors. For those of us with inner ear imbalance even equalizing is painful. Thank you for another day revealing what it takes to sail and maintain a sailing yacht.
Is it just or dose each episode get better and better Really enjoyed the free diving part as well you both are getting so good at it Thanks again for making my Sunday Darren 🏴
I don't have a Leopard, but here's something to try for mooring. Definitely tie to the bridle as it's designed to handle that load, and to get to the mooring ball, use an auxiliary line attached to a sizable winch (or a warping drum if your windlass has one) to pull the boat close to the ball when needing to tie up or untie. You may need to use a snatch block near centerline so that you don't pull the boat with a big yaw. Don't use the aux line to bear the load between the ball and the bridle but only when needing to get to the ball so that you're not in the water all of the time. Leave the aux line attached to the ball and near the winch or windlass drum in case you need tie/untie, but keep another fixed line attached between the ball and bridle to bear the load.
We’ve had miserable weather here in Tennessee - cold, rain, and wind. At least you are able to be outside without masks - be thankful for that, but sailing is more work than one could ever imagine. Thank goodness for friends with good sewing machines!
I converted my school bus by myself and I did eventually learn that as long as I achieve the functionality I am trying to achieve, I care not if it is perfect or as the "experts" say it should be. If it is safe and it works, I am good. Enjoyed the checking anchor footage.
Whooooo's your favorite sailing couple??? (said like your least favorite aunt) WHOOOOOOO???? Come on? You know this one... It's Gone with the Wynns. No. Really... I mean it. Your videos are classic. You could watch these 10 years from now and say "this looks like this was just filmed." (except for Jason's hair styles. LOL😂 ) It's the story lines... people... nature... relationships... comedy... sailing... curiosity... They are TIMELESS. It's just perfect. Great stuff! Keep Sailing!!! Much love and Peace from Galveston, Texas - Mitch🤗
Agree; it was an amazing bit of video watching Nikki going down, down, and disappearing into beige murkiness. Lots of good bits in this episode, and that one was mesmerizing.
Good to see you two are still enjoying catamaran life. My solution to the mooring dilemma on our catamaran was to place a heavy line covered with chafing gear, (fire hose) on each hull shackle where the bridal attaches to the hulls, they lived there permanently, I made the lines into a 1 foot long loop to run the mooring line thru then take the mooring line to a cleat, this places the load on the steel bracket attached to the hull. You are correct that you really don't want the load on the forward crossmember. Take the line from the mooring to one hull then add your own line from the boats other hull to the mooring ball back to the hull. When departing you simply pull the line you provided to the mooring ball first, no need to get in the water or be close to the ball, then drop the line they provided from the mooring second. You don't want your bridal attached to the end of as mooring line like a long shaped Y, that results in the line being long enough to rub on the hulls in light and changing winds and tides as well as wrapping itself around the mooring ball. If the mooring line is not long enough add your own line to it, Having two separate attachment points to the ball is better than a single one. Don't you two have a "lookie" bucket?
This was a delightful 30 minutes and the way you ended it with your feet up with a drink surrounded by peace and quiet... Thank you. UA-cam as medicine...who knew?
See, here's the thing about life. You can never point to the thing that allowed you to be successful. You can, however, with precision, be sure what caused failure. Now having said all that. You guys work around till it gets done...period. And your sanity is still firmly intact. If you want it done perfectly and with little wasted time and effort, hire a professional. OR... be like the rest of us, attack the problem relentlessly until it's done. You guys are a true sailors dream. No homicides, aggravated assault, or general dissention. Keep up the good work!
your communication skills are so good and calm during stressful times. I watched a few couples do the same thing and witnessed how horribly they handle similar stressful situations almost to a point yelling profanities at each-other, and this is the biggest question-mark for myself and my partner, how we would handle these situations. no one would want to see that side of themselves but better to find out now than later. Watching your videos reminds me I need to book catamaran trips to test out our patience and respect to one another. Very inspiring to watch you guys and learning from your experiences.
As I sit and watch this videos I can just imagine what this life would be like...... but as I remember my current life and the daily grind of work......... get up at 3am and getting ready for work........ 14 hour days with the drive. Just to be tormented ..... the facility I work at is next door to a boat yard with old and a few newer sail boats.. just to hope one day I could taste the freedom and excitement it would to be a cruiser. I’m sure there’s a few down sides to full time sailing ⛵️. Maybe in another life I would be so lucky. Now I’m not saying my life is so back. Healthy family with a family dog.... great job ...... just sailing would be so much more. Please keep the awesome content coming so I’m able to dream. Thanks 🤩
The two of you remind me that perseverance trumps knowledge every time! Thank you! And Nikki, the Marilyn Monroe dress impersonation was much better then any of Jason’s impersonations! 😂😂😂 Sail on!! 😎
Your camerawork, planning, editing, music and storytelling are the best on UA-cam, IMO. Great work! It was 5 degrees where I am this morning when I got up, with a couple inches of snow. Hot sounds so good. Stay safe, always love your updates, thank you! -Don
On the mooring thing to save you jumping in to disconnect the bridle which seems the safest mooring method for your boat perhaps you could leave a slip rope through the buoy line back to a cleat on the beam but loose so it never bears weight until you are ready to let go then heave it tight , let go the bridle then slip the slip rope, did it on motor cruisers of 15,000 tons when we moored using the anchor chain to the buoy .
I posted this with the last video, but I'll try again. To pick up a mooring buoy. Take a line to one bow & tie both ends off, thus forming a loop. Coil the loop and "split" it, holding one half in each hand, with say three feet hanging in front of you as you stand at the bow. Approach the buoy until close to the bow and throw the looped line over the far side. Signal helm to go astern a touch. The line sinks below the ball, and when you haul in, the ball is raised. Then connect whatever tying up system you fancy. Even if, in bad conditions, if the boat falls away, it's secured to the mooring. No deserting the boat! Great video as usual.
I don't think the issue is picking up the mooring ball - it's how to secure the boat to the ball. The best way seems to be the bridle, but they can't release the mooring gracefully using the bridle, as Jason so beautifully showed us haha. Curious Minion
@@gonewiththewynns I've been told on charters to use two lines from the bow cleats on the hull, not the crossbar. Each line should run out and around the outside of the bows (and stanchions, and everything else), through the eye of the mooring ball's bridle eye, and back to the same cleat from where it was secured and by the same path. A single line on the same path would saw on the mooring eye. The two lines should be tied short enough so they can't fall under the bows. This page has a thumbnail which can be enlarged of a cat running lines on the outside: www.bviyachtcharters.com/testimonials/escape-artist-maiden-voyage/. I'm guessing since there is a delay between shooting videos and publishing, you've already gotten this resolved. I'd be curious to know what your final technique is. Love the videos. Thanks for all you do to entertain those of us who are stuck on land!
@@gonewiththewynns I saw the rope looped at the V and knotted at the ball. Wouldn't it make more sense to loop the ball so you can unknot the V from on deck?
Awesome tropical views between all those islands. Wow! 😮🌴 With all the back and forth between the cameras we felt like we were right with you! That must have taken some practice getting used to freediving that deep all the time.
We started your channel last year in the autumn, along with several other RVers (learned about you from RV Geeks who we heard about from RV Love...). The death of our beloved Maine Coon 16 year old kitty, we raised from 24 hours old foundling, sent us into making the firm decision that we really did want to RV and become full time in retirement when Husband retires we'd been back and forth before then). Too many comments about all we've seen, learned, loved and virtually traveled thus far, but all that to say, Nikki, you're correct. It's Never Easy. It's good, but never easy. Thank you for your adventures and lessons we've, hopefully, learned from you and Jason. God bless you in your travels and searchings.
So, so great seeing you guys sailing again! I used to own a sewing machine sales and repair shop and your baby lock is near impossible to fix! Your supposition about the thread being coated sounds right, also. Need to keep thread in a double plastic bag on boats at all times (and that doesn't guarantee total protection, but extends life). You guys did great! Awesome video! Thanks so much.
Nikki and Jason you’ve nailed another great video thank you - I love the conclusion scene “That’s what its all about” it was one favourite part of owning a boat - Regards Australia
You guys have to know so much about so many things to make these awesome videos. There are large corporations with millions and millions of dollars worth of equipment that don’t even come close to your productions.
Super Bowl Sunday, coffee in hand, my first thoughts, find the Wynn's Sunday Post! The past few weeks the posts seemed to end too quickly then today's was probably the best ever. Drama, sailing, problems, solutions and even a Monroe imitation skillfully filmed and produced only to end too soon like the rest. I guess I enjoy Gone with the Wynn's adventures so much I never get enough but the hook is always set for coffee with the Wynn's next Sunday. Thanks for sharing your adventure!
Thanks for taking us along on your adventure today. If it helps you to appreciate the heat and humidity, it is thirteen degrees below zero here in Wisconsin this morning.
It's amazing how far you have come from where you began. Each day's experience notches up more skills, resilience and endurance on your belts. What a ride you have taken us on. Thank you.
Curiosity's sewing machine: Who are you? Adriana's sewing machine: *I'm you, but stronger* Overstaying his visa and evaded customs for weeks, what a mad lad. Now that's dedication
Good job getting your UV strip repaired - even with a Sailrite machine that’s a tough job on a Hugh sail - sailrite machine is pure mechanical and the needle to shuttle point gap and timing is critical, heavy cloth, multiple layers and the sideways pull from all that sail makes it a very difficult job. I regularly check my machine timing and lubrication. Always have problems with Tenara thread, great uv protection but it’s so slippery and prone to skipping stitches. Nice to see you sailing at least amongst the islands - hope you get some dry days to fix those leaks.
One of the best couples on UA-cam sailing channels. The way you both face tough challenges is inspiring and hope many of the other couples will use it as examples. So many couples filming on UA-cam are outright depressing. Seems every video starts out with poor me something broke or sailing in rough seas and so on. You two seem to take the bad in good stride and work to fix it and totally enjoy the good. Blessings.
Golly, guys - I spent '77-79' in the South Pacific on my 37' Searunner trimaran - and I enjoyed plenty of my own "Three Stooges" anchoring dramas, so watching you two repeat some of them makes me feel GREAT! Hah! :) If I may make a suggestion - install 12" deck cleats (with backing plates and solid core between the fiberglass) on the top bows of your outhulls - and lead your bridal from them. The lines go directly overboard, so there is no chafe problems at all. Worked so well on my Searunner that she went airborne in a category 4 cyclone like a giant kit and landed upside down - but the cleats and bridal all held.
It has been way too long watching the sheer joy of your sailing again. Congratulations. Remember there are no free rides, everything has a price, hard work!
Glad to see you at sail. Fair winds. My opinion only. I would not recommend attaching your bridle to the hull cross-beam cleats in any large blows. The beam is not designed for large sustained horizontal loads like those. Bridle should be attached to the hull cleats, but on Curiosity the cleats are behind the toe rail so the line either loops around the bow or over the rail and neither is ideal. The fix is attaching two new large mooring cleats on the bow under your bow seats and securing the bridle lines to them and over the hulls directly to the anchor chain or ball line. Be sure to reinforce the hull and add good backing plates. The lines will then go inside the bows rather than around them. By adding chafe protection you’ll protect both the boat and lines. Your boat is kitted for chartering...most newer cats have fixed this issue. For short stays, looping the bridle through the mooring ball line is enough if the line appears secure. For longer stays, secure the bridle either directly to the ball or with a 6’ of line from the bridle to the ball with shackles. You can add this from the dinghy once you’re already secure. Depending on how long your at the ball, you might want to double that up.
Thank you for this wonderful video❣️ Sitting happily in snowy Berlin I enjoyed the opportunity to take a virtual trip to Tonga with the Wynns very much 🥰 You are transmitting a sense of adventure and play to the other side of the planet which is very much appreciated❣️🌟❣️
Beautiful video. For the mooring issue, no answer because no real solution from manufacturers. The deck cleats are solid. We dedicated 2 x 10 foot 3/4" lines in a 1,5" clear water hose to prevent chaffing. We never changed the water hose, (probably 1,5 and 3/4" is an overkill...) I just cut of a few inches every 6 months to move the chaffing points. Only issue, we had to clean the lines from time to time as they developed 'green slime' over time. We used clear water hoses, maybe should have used the white one for protection from UV. PS: when you pull out the line from the hose, tie a small runner rope to pull it back in the hose... trust me on this...🥴
It’s snowing here in Boston today. It’s so cold and dry my skin is cracking at the joints. I vaguely remember humidity. Three humidifiers running and our house is still dry as the Sahara. Yup, relative humidity, those were the days.....
Thanks for the early drone shots what a beautiful anchorage. Adrianna along with our own Nikki may make the most beautiful sail repair team out there! Not being a sailor by any means I have really learned to appreciate the importance and the challenges of placing an anchor. Geesh it ain't all rainbows and pots of gold now is it?
Thanks for including the sailing footage. Seeing the sites is nice but sailing is why I love Sailing channels!! Great work on the video editing and for being such a fun couple.
Ynech - Well said, all around. Agreed, as every rest must be earned, being one of the cool things about boats, and it's all just a little sweeter that way.
Heave ho ya Swabbies! Belay that, top the main, ready tack, set the jib, tighten that sheet check the tails. Drop the jib. Nice workout! Beautiful anchorage. Great crew coordination. 👍🇺🇸⛵️👏🍷🏝
Wow! You guys never cease to amaze me! The way you handle your baby and all that you've learned and how you freakin just akways make things happen! So inspiring! Your filming and how you compile each weeks video is top notch- you've really come a long way. Jason & Nikki, thank you heaps and heaps. Always wishing you much goodness.
Spend the $ on a Sailrite sewing machine. It will set you back 2K, it will never die. There are no circuit boards to fry, parts are easy to come by. It will never let you down.
A Sailrite or heavy duty machine is essential for certain projects but for lighter cloth lighter duty machines do best. Even with the right machine getting it set up right can be very very frustrating. I think the Devil invented the sewing machine because I loosed points with the Almighty every time I used one.
@@peterengel7885 any cloth for sails, zippers, stowage bags, cushions etc, anything BUT lightweight clothing, needs the power of a sailright or other industrial machine, preferably a walking foot. I've been sewing for literally 50 years, everything from clothes to seat cushions on the lighter end, to 12oz leather & pavilion tents on the heavy end. I don't sew anything heavier than a t-shirt on a non-industrial machine. You can adjust the needles, pressure & thread downward much easier than upward. If the Wynns want further confirmation, they can ask their buddies on Ruby Rose. Nick is quite handy at sail & bag repair. Or they can talk to Megan on Clarity. Like me, she sews just about everything under the sun.
The sail would of laughed at NIck's machine. It wouldn't of had to power to punch threw that sail. Like the OP said, you need to have a sailrite on your boat.Get a clothing machine if need be , but those can't punch trough a multiple layered sails. The cloth is too tuff for regular machines.
Great video as always despite all the little mishaps. I really enjoyed this weekend in the islands, on the water, breeze blowing, smell of the ocean! As always thanks for the visit. Made staying where we are bearable. Fair winds and following seas and God bless!
Ahhhhhhh, ☕️ and the Wynns! Best Monday morning ever! Loving the sun and blue skies of Tonga as I sit here looking at our temperature of a balmy -10 🥶🥶🥶😬😂. As always, a great video! Stay safe & healthy! 🥰🤗⛵️🌞⚓️🥽🌴🍍🍻🤿🌅
And, at the end of the day, when the moon and the stars are above, and at 4 am in the morning, and everything is quiet, except for the sounds of the waves at your ears, the smell of sea air, the challenges are worth it!
I’m watching this while snow showers blow thru & a temp of 9 degree F, a Baileys & coffee in my hand & my kitty keeping me warm. I feel like I can smell that salt air & feel the warm breezes. Thanks so much for sharing, it lifts the soul! ❤️
Nikki, is now a good time to mention that everyone has their own method of doing things? I've never seen anyone do the same thing the same way as anyone else, unless they were learning how from someone else. It's also been my experience that when things are going smooth it means that I've overlooked something. The quicker I can locate the item I've missed, the simpler the fix.
This is actually one of the best episodes I think I’ve ever seen from UA-cam. It really is. I’ve been watching you forever. And when I do feel like forever, it was RV life. This was a really good episode. Thank you.
Don Desormeaux - Personally, I was scared to death. I can't imagine how they could hold breath so long, but they did, rather comfortably, I might add. It pays to be young.
@@dobiebloke9311 young healthy people drown from holding their breath to long. The heart just stops. I used to like to time myself under water or swim laps under water but not anymore
@@dondesormeauxrcadventures7551 - It's scary business what you say. I used to do the same as you did, when I was young, just for fun, but I never knew there was a serious risk to it, in terms of heart. Drowning, well, there's always a risk of that. My snorkling experience has only been recreational, to no purpose but my amusement. I doubt I ever went deeper than 12 feet. I was taught to scuba dive, by a friend who was a legitimate dive instructor, but I doubt I ever went deeper that 20 feet. He was looking to train another dive buddy, and I am glad for the experience, but when he invited me to go hunt hammerhead sharks off Montauk Point (NY), I politely declined. I am not a diver at heart. Here's a little 'too long/didn't read' story for you, if you care for it. Between about 14 and 10 years ago, I worked for a marine company (right down the street from me), basically on steel boats of a hundred foot or so Essentially, we were an RV (research vessel), as that was the nature of our work. We worked for various Federal agencies (USA, east coast) and as well, various State and local governments, as well as private concerns, like Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) or petroleum companies, as needed. One of our main clients was the 'National Oceanic and Atmoshperic Administration, NOAA, I suppose, but being a lowly deckhand, I wasn't in charge of knowing such things. About halfway thru those years, I had attained my Masters/Captains license from the Coast Guard, but I never sailed under it, officially, preferring to be a deckhand. The pay bump to Captain, wasn't worth the agina, and as well, even tho I passed the Coasties tests, I knew my limitations. I could pilot such a boat, as a pseudo First Mate, and if the Captain dropped dead, I could get us back to port, but only to pick up another one. Sorry about that, but it's true. Often, we mowed the lawn, meaning taking sonar readings of the bottom, in various places. Usually, it was 2 Captains and at least two (if not four) deckhands and usually between 15 and 25 clients, mostly being scientists of one sort or another. For every job, we would weld down a little city of storage containers on our aft, for their 'offices'. We would generally be out to sea for 1 - 8 weeks, being pretty light duty, and coming to port at least once ever two weeks, as needed, to reprovision. All the while, building up a bank of pay (at about $15 an hour), with no place to spend it. My favorite jobs were for the LNG company, just a few miles off of Boston, which was nearly every other one. These were dive operations, and the welded City included a Hyperbolic Chamber, as an ominous reminder of the risks being taken, by others than myself. Generally going down about 200 feet, in teams of two, often enough, for a half an hour or so, one after one, day and night (men and women both). As compared to the monotony of mowing the lawn with sonar (and I don't know how to put this politely), but on these jobs, my nuts were always in my throat, as death was always even more a possibility. Having a slight clue as to what they were going thru, I was always aware of that. There were always two Dive Masters, of course, and no one hit the water without at least one's permission, or the other. We on deck, as lowly deckhands, had the responsibility to keep the compressor (for fresh air) and the warm water pump running, for obvious reasons, as even in summer, a diver needs that to maintain warmth, sufficient for 200 feet below surface. The reason this was happening, was that until we completed this off shore connection of LNG, from tankers to the city of Boston, they would literally shut down the Highways and such, when such a tanker made port in Boston, considering the risk, and close proximity, to cause much of a snaggle, as you can imagine. Once the connection was made, it (meaning the brew-ha-ha), never happened again in Boston, to the relief of many. It was an honor to have had a slight hand in it, I only saw the Chamber used three times, and only once, absolutely seriously. While we had a back up generator and water pump, if one failed while a diver was down, you couldn't swap it out quick enough, so the dive master said, all rise, which they did. Normally, and I'm just guessing here, but they'd come up 50 feet, hang for ten minutes or so and onward to surface. However, in this case, the diver came straight up and right into the Chamber. It's an amazing process to see. Being it was a 24/7 operation, I usually took the night shift, as it was riskier. As well, being an informal assistant to Cookie (the chef), I would take care of the midnight shift's meal, to all agreement. This was after the midnight meal, but with the DM's permission, I spoke to that poor guy in the Chamber and told him I would make him any meal he wanted, whenever. He said, I'll just have leftovers, thank you. I forget how long later, but as he exited, he was welcomed by a plate of a seriously thick slab of pork roast, perfectly done to begin with, but seared on both sides to warm it, mash potatoes and pork gravy, with a heavy side of both broccoli and brussel sprouts with carrots and citrus, as I knew he liked. I made fresh dinner rolls for him, saving the rest for breakfast. It was the least I could do. Fortunately, the problem with the pump was mechanical, and not a simple matter of maintainence (which was our job). I'm just glad he lived, but it went pretty easy, as we (meaning all of us), had things in place for such a thing.
As a new sewer I laughed so much at the seam ripper bit. It’s my closest friend while I sew 😬🤣 I also bought myself a baby lock machine, so far I’m loving it.
I know the mooring part of this video leaves a lot of unanswered questions, so I’ll do my best to explain a bit more.
First off, we know how to tie up to a mooring, but what we’re trying to accomplish is figure out the BEST way to tie up our Leopard 43 to a mooring ball. Meaning: No chafe, easy to tie up upon approach and easy to release when it’s time to leave.
This bridal test proved that it may be the best solution for no chafe but tying up and releasing was quite the hassle.
Let me start by explaining this mooring. There are no lead lines on the mooring ball, so it is challenging to run lines through it from the boat unless there is no wind.
Running an extra ‘retrieval’ line to the mooring does not work because any slack lines end up wrapped around the base of the mooring ball. Then the weight of our entire boat will be held by this one line.
We already talked about running lines to the forward side cleats in the vid, but just as a reminder, it creates major chafe on the lines (not safe in a cyclone) and destroys the gelcoat on the boat. Plus, when getting pulled in strong winds it still creates massive downward pressure on the crossbeam which could still damage our rigging.
A system like the Mantus mooring snap shackle would work for some mooring situations, but the attachment point on this mooring is a very thick line, and too thick for the Mantus Snap Shackle. Plus, the breaking strength of this snap shackle is 10T and I don’t know that I trust that with our 16T boat during a cyclone (but I will reach out to Mantus to see what they say). Sadly, it’s all a moot point because it’s nearly impossible to get things shipped here during COVID times. By the time it could arrive, cyclone season will be over and we'll be on our way to another country.
What we need to get is an official statement from Leopard and Robertson & Caine (the boat builder). We need to hear how they recommend tying up our boat to a mooring, that way we’re not guessing, or using a jury-rigged solution that might not be covered by insurance if anything happens during a storm. With this information, we can feel confident we’re tying up to a mooring ball the correct way. And most importantly we know if another cyclone comes barreling through, we’ll be connected to the strongest points on the boat with no chafe issues. If we happen to break loose and the boat gets damaged, we can show our insurance company that we tied up the way the boat manufacture recommended.
I understand the complexity of what you want to do. Not easy, mooring balls never are. At least, you can count on solid and maintained hurricane proof moorings.
I doubt you will get an official statement from the manufacturer that would enable you to tie strongly and still protect the gelcoat. Not sure it would make any difference with the insurance claim. So many elements come into consideration.
I would ask if you can add cleats on the INNER SIDE of the hulls, probably by adding large 3/8" thick aluminum backing plates inside the boat. You would totally eliminate all line chaffing and gelcoat issues .
By the way, your 10 ton shackle is plenty strong, unless you plan to lift your boat. Hurricane force winds never apply so much pressure on exposed surfaces if a cat.
Love what you are doing and looking forward to watching your videos from New Zealand.
Hey guys, although I've never moored with a cat, what I used to do on my mono is use really long dock lines looped through themselves. There should be a loop on the mooring to pass each through. I cleated to the front most cleats on the boat. Id do that as a primary in your case and use the bridle as a slightly more slack backup. We pick up the mooring line with the hook and pass one line through the loop then pull tight to the boat to set the remainder. Had my boat off of Saltspring island like this for over a month with no wear and tear at all.
If you can find it, I recommend getting some firehose to put around your dock/mooring lines to avoid chafing, it works like a dream.
I agree with you, looking at the cross beam with the cleats, its not the strongest place. Good place for a backup and retrieval lines so I would use the bridle first but there is no way you should ever have to jump in to release from a mooring. Might be worth looking into putting new cleats further fwd on your bows.
Happy you guys are still out there, posting great videos, keeping us all entertained in lockdown!
You could try sailing sisu or happy together as they have just done long videos on deals with Leopard during there purchases?
Great entertaining video guys👍🏼👍🏼
@Nikki... How many bikinis do you own ?
The "free diving the anchor" scene is next level incredible. Beautiful !
Hey y’all. Navy vet here. An old bos’n taught us to use decommissioned fire hoses for chaffing gear. You can cut them up in small sections and use as sleeve. Or you can take a small section and cut them in half and wrap around your line and frap them with small stuff to keep them in place. The cotton jackets on the fire hoses are very durable. Of course if you can’t get your hands on old fire hoses, old jeans/denim is an alternative. They will just need replacing more frequently. Thanks for sharing your journey! Simply amazing🙂
I called my husband in from the other room and asked him if he wanted to go to heaven. You transported me there with your drone shots and music at about 24.00 minutes, just after you checked the anchor. The water lapping, the sound of a bird in the distance so soothing, and the ocean, islands and sunset so beautiful. Thank you for taking me away!
Great camera work and editing. A lot of people don't realize how much work it takes to produce a single minute of finished video. Well done.
And their audio is GOOD - none of this "sounds like a cell phone call" audio that some of the vloggers have - music to my ears, if you ask me. :)
Yep the video editing skills on this channel have evolved greatly over the years and it shows..very impressive.... see also, Uma, Ran Sailing, Ruby Rose and Sailing Kittiwake among others who have learned and developed organically.... Conversely I've been watching some of the videos from the Expedition Evans sailing Blog recently ..and I'm just not buying it...MTV standard production from the get go?.... there's no way new bloggers could produce vids of that standard from the off while supposedly renovating a yacht 24/7...something very fishy about the whole thing...but sub's and Patreon figures are huge so whatever stunt they're pulling appears to have worked thus far
Yep...as general rule...its usually around 1 hour of work for every minute the viewer gets to watch.
That is such a true point. I tried to do some filming of a family event. Still waiting for me to just start! Takes a lot of work and more time than most people realize
grace, authenticity, grit, joy of exeburant youth. i look from perspective of years. i miss youth
I was inclined to say how lucky you are to be in such beautiful places, but it is not luck but dogged determination and hard work that have put you where you are. The views of the world that you have provided from above and below the ocean for those of us who are not in your position are very much appreciated! Keep up the good work!
Kurt Blaser - I totally agree, vicariously, of course.
the bible says something about entering the kingdom of heaven, the cast are but children.@@dobiebloke9311
Me too ❤
Love the long format! It gets to be more of a story than a postcard.
Yes! It was like a little documentary of boat life. Loved it!
1.25 speed for me. Good content. but life is too short.
@@allanfifield8256 - Then WHY on earth are you on the youtubes at all?
Family Upgrade and Allan (and Mark) - To meld a bit of peace. If Allan wants to watch it at 1.25, that's his choice. It wouldn't be mine, but at least he's heard it. As to life being too short, well, if that's how you see it, but I actually find it's quite long, at least to me, and well worth the effort as such, at least to the final second, I'm sure, which might seem pushed. I don't often find that rushing things is much of a help, but do as you wish. As Joni Mitchell sang, I've looked at life from both sides now. What I would say is, do what works for you.
I know that I rush things too often, myself, but then again, a fair amount of youtubers drag things out unnecessarily, as if they will get paid more for it. I don't usually go to 1.25 speed, but I do skip ahead 20 or 30 seconds now and then, until they get back to the real stuff. Yes, I find that annoying to have to do, but, in the case of sailing, that sort of defeats the purpose of the message and I find the production values of Gone With the Wynns, to be appropriate, but that's just my call.
the alcolades (sp, which may be common in all my comments) continue to pour in. "It's really wonderful to see." You guy know how to tell a good story, some of the best i have ever seen.
Wow. That diving on the anchor sequence was beautiful!
How far/deep can you two free dive? Looked like a long ways.
@@wmartens3806 That dive was about 30 feet, as per Nikki when she was calling the depth.
D.
How can we thank you for giving us HALF an HOUR of Wynns in one sitting today. Spectacular.
I think perhaps in the future a "double bridle" solution might be best. The main bridle to handle the load and to hold the boat through the storm. A secondary "Slip Bridle" as a backup in case of main bridle failure AND as a "tow line" that you can connect to a winch to allow you to reel yourselves in to the mooring ball so you can undo everything. Easier and more precise than trying to motor your way forward while being pushed and pulled by wind and waves.
The idea of a Slip Bridle is that you have a bridle style line hard anchored on one side of the cat, run down to the main bridle V connector or to the mooring ball line or to the ball itself.. You then use either a stainless carabineer or a rope loop (made from a scrap of discarded or older rope) at that center point to feed the rope through. This is to allow the rope to slide through this point. Remember that this is intended as a secondary connection, so it doesn't have to be fixed at that point. Indeed, you don't want it to be.
Once fed through the Carabineer or rope loop, the free end is fed back to the boat and a winch point. Make sure to leave the rope hanging loose to minimize chafe. This is a backup, not the primary connection. You should be safe to leave it like that for some time.
When you are ready to leave the mooring, you just winch in the free side, and as the rope tightens it will slide through the carabineer or rope loop, making both sides of the slip bridle shorter, pulling you evenly up to the mooring ball where you can release the main bride. Once disconnected from that, then grab the mooring ball rope with a gaff pole to pull it in and disconnect your carabineer or rope loop from the ball. Alternately, if it is a mooring ball you own, then you can just untied the fixed end of the slip bridle line, and reel it all the way in with the winch, leaving the carabineer or rope loop on the ball for next time.
I'm not a sailor, but this makes sense to even me! :)
What a classy couple.
True.
I got chills looking at the sunset footage at your new anchorage. You must be so happy just to “be” back on Curiosity after all your trials and tribulations. You deserve this happy place. You two are just terrific. Thanks for a great vlog!!
You flaked the sail perfectly. Great job! The problem with the Sail Rite kits is that they're not commercial grade. You'll want to use V-69 or V-92 thread when sewing sails. Usually, V-69 will work best on all of your canvas and sails. Make sure you have a sewing palm and a big roll of bees waxed linen thread on board all the time for emergency repairs. All sail thread wears out over time in UV light, so some repairs will always be a necessary part of your sail maintenance program, not to mention rigging induced rips and tears.
One thing I’ve noticed about the sailing community from watching this channel and others, is just how helpful and open sailors are to offer their expertise. No matter the problem, there’s always a sailor who has dealt with it and can advise a sailor in need. I really love that! I imagine the lifestyle of always being on the move means people are more willing to connect and help others at any moment as a way to have a community. It’s really wonderful to see.
Genevieve - You are absolutely right about that. No sailor I know of, whether of wind or power, or of any size, would ever not answer a distress signal. Believe me, it happens often enough. Any and everything, unlike on land. It's code, written or not. You can count on it.
It may cost a ship thousands of dollars, that may never be re-imbursed, but it is done anyway. I've been on both sides of that.
Dear Genevieve -- An excellent observation to take to heart, practice and encourage by example. Thank you! The wonder you observe has eternal roots and blossoms...
From the ancients to the modern, when a legal expert asked Jesus Christ what the greatest commandment in the Law (of Moses) was {Matthew 22:36-40}, the answer came thus >> " 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Works ashore as well as at sea. In sailor discipline, there's a similar rule by practice: "One hand for yourself. One for the ship." Too often, people treat love as only something emotional (koine Greek: 'eros'). Here, love is commanded as moral discipline (koine Greek: 'agape') beyond feelings alone.
Why: The ocean is no respecter of persons, except its Creator (e.g., Psalm 107:23-32; Matthew 8:23-27 -- search & read at biblegateway.com}. The ocean also can be a very lonely place, especially on a long passage during the mid-watch. As the Wynns and their sailing friends demonstrated especially throughout 2020, any port in a storm is someone else's, not yours. The way to honor being humility, extending unconditional love often manifests as helps and hospitality traversing one of the more inhospitable environments on Earth, that covers most of the Earth, which ironically the Earth requires to sustain its life. This is why we respond to distress calls: Would we need rescue ourselves someday? Definitely YES -- seasoned salts from the "roaring 40s" (me, too) have 'been there, done that'. Even the rock group America's song "A Horse With No Name" describes the ocean "...as a desert with its life underground and the perfect disguise above", surely having places of many teeth. While searching the romance and glamour in idyllic and exotic locations, there remains daily always plenty of 'get dirty, hands-on, mind-focused' damage control that's routine to boat living among people with varied skill sets. The ocean's nature always puts something or someone into distress over time, seawater being the ultimate solvent.
Revisiting answering distress calls and rescue: I recommend reading the book "The Finest Hours", by Michael Tougias and Casey Sherman, preferably before watching the movie (trailer: ua-cam.com/video/BQmllwTKtqU/v-deo.html). Both exhibit high examples of nautical "love thy neighbor" at a very human level, though the book captures reality better. I learned to sail and navigate where this historical USCG rescue happened in Feb. 1952. Good credit to Disney for representing well what the ocean looks like at its deadliest, and total honor to the now-departed CG36500 crew in faithfully living a heroic miracle for posterity's better regard. Sadly, at the theaters, the audience to see Marvel comic book heroes was around the building, while the audience to learn of real life heroes like the CG36500 crew was miniscule.
Blessings to you and yours,
S/V Windwalker (on the hard presently)
The thing that stands out the most to me is the two of you work SO well together! Enjoy, and here's to the next overnight sailing adventure!
The Sunday Fundays video is light years better than reading the news. You two make the start to the day and the week a very much needed breath of fresh air! Great job guys, enjoy your day.
I’m a late comer I’m 70 but watching your videos has given me new life I’m home bound but I’m trying y’all are a wonderful couple!!!!!
Thank you for helping us snowed-in folks chase away the winter blues!
You guys are pretty good at free diving to check anchors. For those of us with inner ear imbalance even equalizing is painful.
Thank you for another day revealing what it takes to sail and maintain a sailing yacht.
I liked the photography today. The different angles and scenery was beautiful. Nice job. 👍
Is it just or dose each episode get better and better
Really enjoyed the free diving part as well you both are getting so good at it
Thanks again for making my Sunday
Darren
🏴
I don't have a Leopard, but here's something to try for mooring. Definitely tie to the bridle as it's designed to handle that load, and to get to the mooring ball, use an auxiliary line attached to a sizable winch (or a warping drum if your windlass has one) to pull the boat close to the ball when needing to tie up or untie. You may need to use a snatch block near centerline so that you don't pull the boat with a big yaw. Don't use the aux line to bear the load between the ball and the bridle but only when needing to get to the ball so that you're not in the water all of the time. Leave the aux line attached to the ball and near the winch or windlass drum in case you need tie/untie, but keep another fixed line attached between the ball and bridle to bear the load.
So good to see the massive smiles on your faces. Really enjoyed the episode, thank you
We’ve had miserable weather here in Tennessee - cold, rain, and wind. At least you are able to be outside without masks - be thankful for that, but sailing is more work than one could ever imagine. Thank goodness for friends with good sewing machines!
I converted my school bus by myself and I did eventually learn that as long as I achieve the functionality I am trying to achieve, I care not if it is perfect or as the "experts" say it should be. If it is safe and it works, I am good. Enjoyed the checking anchor footage.
Whooooo's your favorite sailing couple??? (said like your least favorite aunt) WHOOOOOOO???? Come on? You know this one... It's Gone with the Wynns.
No. Really... I mean it. Your videos are classic. You could watch these 10 years from now and say "this looks like this was just filmed." (except for Jason's hair styles. LOL😂 )
It's the story lines... people... nature... relationships... comedy... sailing... curiosity... They are TIMELESS. It's just perfect. Great stuff! Keep Sailing!!!
Much love and Peace from Galveston, Texas - Mitch🤗
Nikki disappearing into the murky water checking the anchor was good video. Stay safe.
Agree; it was an amazing bit of video watching Nikki going down, down, and disappearing into beige murkiness. Lots of good bits in this episode, and that one was mesmerizing.
Good to see you two are still enjoying catamaran life. My solution to the mooring dilemma on our catamaran was to place a heavy line covered with chafing gear, (fire hose) on each hull shackle where the bridal attaches to the hulls, they lived there permanently, I made the lines into a 1 foot long loop to run the mooring line thru then take the mooring line to a cleat, this places the load on the steel bracket attached to the hull. You are correct that you really don't want the load on the forward crossmember. Take the line from the mooring to one hull then add your own line from the boats other hull to the mooring ball back to the hull. When departing you simply pull the line you provided to the mooring ball first, no need to get in the water or be close to the ball, then drop the line they provided from the mooring second. You don't want your bridal attached to the end of as mooring line like a long shaped Y, that results in the line being long enough to rub on the hulls in light and changing winds and tides as well as wrapping itself around the mooring ball. If the mooring line is not long enough add your own line to it, Having two separate attachment points to the ball is better than a single one. Don't you two have a "lookie" bucket?
I always manned the seamripper for my mom, she used to say she made two stitches for every one she got to keep. I undid miles of seams.
This was a delightful 30 minutes and the way you ended it with your feet up with a drink surrounded by peace and quiet... Thank you. UA-cam as medicine...who knew?
See, here's the thing about life. You can never point to the thing that allowed you to be successful. You can, however, with precision, be sure what caused failure. Now having said all that. You guys work around till it gets done...period. And your sanity is still firmly intact. If you want it done perfectly and with little wasted time and effort, hire a professional. OR... be like the rest of us, attack the problem relentlessly until it's done. You guys are a true sailors dream. No homicides, aggravated assault, or general dissention. Keep up the good work!
Well said!
your communication skills are so good and calm during stressful times. I watched a few couples do the same thing and witnessed how horribly they handle similar stressful situations almost to a point yelling profanities at each-other, and this is the biggest question-mark for myself and my partner, how we would handle these situations. no one would want to see that side of themselves but better to find out now than later. Watching your videos reminds me I need to book catamaran trips to test out our patience and respect to one another. Very inspiring to watch you guys and learning from your experiences.
That dive to the bottom to check it was a beautiful set of shots.
As I sit and watch this videos I can just imagine what this life would be like...... but as I remember my current life and the daily grind of work......... get up at 3am and getting ready for work........ 14 hour days with the drive. Just to be tormented ..... the facility I work at is next door to a boat yard with old and a few newer sail boats.. just to hope one day I could taste the freedom and excitement it would to be a cruiser. I’m sure there’s a few down sides to full time sailing ⛵️. Maybe in another life I would be so lucky. Now I’m not saying my life is so back. Healthy family with a family dog.... great job ...... just sailing would be so much more.
Please keep the awesome content coming so I’m able to dream. Thanks 🤩
Sunday mornings with coffee, watching the Wynns....you guys make my day.
The wife and I have become big fans of your channel. We can't wait to see your next video each week. Happy sailing!!!
The two of you remind me that perseverance trumps knowledge every time! Thank you! And Nikki, the Marilyn Monroe dress impersonation was much better then any of Jason’s impersonations! 😂😂😂
Sail on!! 😎
What I enjoy about your channel is that you guys are real. You don't pretend to be experts.
Your camerawork, planning, editing, music and storytelling are the best on UA-cam, IMO. Great work! It was 5 degrees where I am this morning when I got up, with a couple inches of snow. Hot sounds so good. Stay safe, always love your updates, thank you! -Don
On the mooring thing to save you jumping in to disconnect the bridle which seems the safest mooring method for your boat perhaps you could leave a slip rope through the buoy line back to a cleat on the beam but loose so it never bears weight until you are ready to let go then heave it tight , let go the bridle then slip the slip rope, did it on motor cruisers of 15,000 tons when we moored using the anchor chain to the buoy .
I posted this with the last video, but I'll try again.
To pick up a mooring buoy.
Take a line to one bow & tie both ends off, thus forming a loop.
Coil the loop and "split" it, holding one half in each hand, with say three feet hanging in front of you as you stand at the bow.
Approach the buoy until close to the bow and throw the looped line over the far side.
Signal helm to go astern a touch.
The line sinks below the ball, and when you haul in, the ball is raised.
Then connect whatever tying up system you fancy.
Even if, in bad conditions, if the boat falls away, it's secured to the mooring.
No deserting the boat!
Great video as usual.
I don't think the issue is picking up the mooring ball - it's how to secure the boat to the ball. The best way seems to be the bridle, but they can't release the mooring gracefully using the bridle, as Jason so beautifully showed us haha.
Curious Minion
@@gonewiththewynns I guess this one wasn't too heavy then, or it had a pick-up buoy attached (unlike on the last video).
@@gonewiththewynns I've been told on charters to use two lines from the bow cleats on the hull, not the crossbar. Each line should run out and around the outside of the bows (and stanchions, and everything else), through the eye of the mooring ball's bridle eye, and back to the same cleat from where it was secured and by the same path. A single line on the same path would saw on the mooring eye. The two lines should be tied short enough so they can't fall under the bows. This page has a thumbnail which can be enlarged of a cat running lines on the outside: www.bviyachtcharters.com/testimonials/escape-artist-maiden-voyage/. I'm guessing since there is a delay between shooting videos and publishing, you've already gotten this resolved. I'd be curious to know what your final technique is.
Love the videos. Thanks for all you do to entertain those of us who are stuck on land!
@@gonewiththewynns I saw the rope looped at the V and knotted at the ball. Wouldn't it make more sense to loop the ball so you can unknot the V from on deck?
Awesome tropical views between all those islands. Wow! 😮🌴 With all the back and forth between the cameras we felt like we were right with you! That must have taken some practice getting used to freediving that deep all the time.
This soothes my soul. Thanks for the ride.
We started your channel last year in the autumn, along with several other RVers (learned about you from RV Geeks who we heard about from RV Love...). The death of our beloved Maine Coon 16 year old kitty, we raised from 24 hours old foundling, sent us into making the firm decision that we really did want to RV and become full time in retirement when Husband retires we'd been back and forth before then). Too many comments about all we've seen, learned, loved and virtually traveled thus far, but all that to say,
Nikki, you're correct. It's Never Easy. It's good, but never easy.
Thank you for your adventures and lessons we've, hopefully, learned from you and Jason.
God bless you in your travels and searchings.
So, so great seeing you guys sailing again! I used to own a sewing machine sales and repair shop and your baby lock is near impossible to fix! Your supposition about the thread being coated sounds right, also. Need to keep thread in a double plastic bag on boats at all times (and that doesn't guarantee total protection, but extends life). You guys did great! Awesome video! Thanks so much.
thanks for using my music!
Our pleasure!
Nikki and Jason you’ve nailed another great video thank you - I love the conclusion scene “That’s what its all about” it was one favourite part of owning a boat - Regards Australia
The anchoring footage,diving to the bottom and the drone footage were awesome.
So happy to see you two under sail power again... I can only imagine how great it makes YOU feel, cheers!
You guys have to know so much about so many things to make these awesome videos. There are large corporations with millions and millions of dollars worth of equipment that don’t even come close to your productions.
Your pretty cute together. Love seeing you both relaxing at the end of the day with a drink in hand and smiles.
Super Bowl Sunday, coffee in hand, my first thoughts, find the Wynn's Sunday Post! The past few weeks the posts seemed to end too quickly then today's was probably the best ever. Drama, sailing, problems, solutions and even a Monroe imitation skillfully filmed and produced only to end too soon like the rest. I guess I enjoy Gone with the Wynn's adventures so much I never get enough but the hook is always set for coffee with the Wynn's next Sunday. Thanks for sharing your adventure!
Thanks for taking us along on your adventure today. If it helps you to appreciate the heat and humidity, it is thirteen degrees below zero here in Wisconsin this morning.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 (he laughs, in Canadian! - waiting for the Arctic outflow to arrive today!)
We are at -42 Celsius brother!
It's amazing how far you have come from where you began. Each day's experience notches up more skills, resilience and endurance on your belts. What a ride you have taken us on. Thank you.
Curiosity's sewing machine: Who are you?
Adriana's sewing machine: *I'm you, but stronger*
Overstaying his visa and evaded customs for weeks, what a mad lad. Now that's dedication
Avery the Cuban-American - Yes, about dedication, but as well, how strong that old machine was. You could almost smell it.
@Bad Santa - I suppose.
Good job getting your UV strip repaired - even with a Sailrite machine that’s a tough job on a Hugh sail - sailrite machine is pure mechanical and the needle to shuttle point gap and timing is critical, heavy cloth, multiple layers and the sideways pull from all that sail makes it a very difficult job. I regularly check my machine timing and lubrication. Always have problems with Tenara thread, great uv protection but it’s so slippery and prone to skipping stitches. Nice to see you sailing at least amongst the islands - hope you get some dry days to fix those leaks.
I'd die for 90% humidity today when here it is 4º F (-15ºC) outside. Thanks for the wonderful escape to your section of paradise.
One of the best couples on UA-cam sailing channels. The way you both face tough challenges is inspiring and hope many of the other couples will use it as examples. So many couples filming on UA-cam are outright depressing. Seems every video starts out with poor me something broke or sailing in rough seas and so on. You two seem to take the bad in good stride and work to fix it and totally enjoy the good. Blessings.
I love this show and I’m from Tonga working on a Research Vessel in Antarctica.
From one cold spot to another brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
I have been following you two since the RV days.....so many adventures! There are no accidents!!
Your new anchorage is beautiful, and the fact that you were actually able to sail there was wonderful.
Golly, guys - I spent '77-79' in the South Pacific on my 37' Searunner trimaran - and I enjoyed plenty of my own "Three Stooges" anchoring dramas, so watching you two repeat some of them makes me feel GREAT! Hah! :) If I may make a suggestion - install 12" deck cleats (with backing plates and solid core between the fiberglass) on the top bows of your outhulls - and lead your bridal from them. The lines go directly overboard, so there is no chafe problems at all. Worked so well on my Searunner that she went airborne in a category 4 cyclone like a giant kit and landed upside down - but the cleats and bridal all held.
An especially good episode today. Loved being along for the journey.
It has been way too long watching the sheer joy of your sailing again. Congratulations. Remember there are no free rides, everything has a price, hard work!
What a day! It's so good to see y'all getting to sail, even if it was just a short distance.
Diving segment is absolutely prefect. It is more like art than video blog at least it is for me.
Great to see the all the tasks involved to move, absolutely superb vlog, as always. X
So funny to see a sewing machine from Churubusco, Indiana - tiny little town not far from where I grew up - all the way in Tonga! What a small world!
This episode has it all , Action,, sailing ,problem solving ,fishing And Nikki going Marilyn Monroe with a fan. Thumbs Up !
She must have that seven year itch.
Plus a little bit of Marilyn Monroe action cooing off over the fan!
Glad to see you at sail. Fair winds.
My opinion only. I would not recommend attaching your bridle to the hull cross-beam cleats in any large blows. The beam is not designed for large sustained horizontal loads like those. Bridle should be attached to the hull cleats, but on Curiosity the cleats are behind the toe rail so the line either loops around the bow or over the rail and neither is ideal. The fix is attaching two new large mooring cleats on the bow under your bow seats and securing the bridle lines to them and over the hulls directly to the anchor chain or ball line. Be sure to reinforce the hull and add good backing plates. The lines will then go inside the bows rather than around them. By adding chafe protection you’ll protect both the boat and lines. Your boat is kitted for chartering...most newer cats have fixed this issue. For short stays, looping the bridle through the mooring ball line is enough if the line appears secure. For longer stays, secure the bridle either directly to the ball or with a 6’ of line from the bridle to the ball with shackles. You can add this from the dinghy once you’re already secure. Depending on how long your at the ball, you might want to double that up.
Loved this week’s adventure! Thank you
So much fun to be able to share your adventure. Thanks.
Yay! Another Wynns video!
Literally the only time my nightshift body clock works in my favour! 👋🏼👋🏼
Thank you for this wonderful video❣️ Sitting happily in snowy Berlin I enjoyed the opportunity to take a virtual trip to Tonga with the Wynns very much 🥰 You are transmitting a sense of adventure and play to the other side of the planet which is very much appreciated❣️🌟❣️
That was awesome... loved every part of that video.
Beautiful video.
For the mooring issue, no answer because no real solution from manufacturers. The deck cleats are solid. We dedicated 2 x 10 foot 3/4" lines in a 1,5" clear water hose to prevent chaffing. We never changed the water hose, (probably 1,5 and 3/4" is an overkill...) I just cut of a few inches every 6 months to move the chaffing points. Only issue, we had to clean the lines from time to time as they developed 'green slime' over time. We used clear water hoses, maybe should have used the white one for protection from UV. PS: when you pull out the line from the hose, tie a small runner rope to pull it back in the hose... trust me on this...🥴
What a great way to end your day! Mission accomplished!
Loved the longer episode! Appreciate how much time and effort it takes to produce a shorter video, let alone one this long. Well done guys!!!
Thank you for your videos of your journey.... love from Canada 🇨🇦 🍁 🦫🥶
It’s snowing here in Boston today. It’s so cold and dry my skin is cracking at the joints. I vaguely remember humidity. Three humidifiers running and our house is still dry as the Sahara. Yup, relative humidity, those were the days.....
Thanks for the early drone shots what a beautiful anchorage. Adrianna along with our own Nikki may make the most beautiful sail repair team out there! Not being a sailor by any means I have really learned to appreciate the importance and the challenges of placing an anchor. Geesh it ain't all rainbows and pots of gold now is it?
Thanks for including the sailing footage. Seeing the sites is nice but sailing is why I love Sailing channels!! Great work on the video editing and for being such a fun couple.
Great video. Rest on a yacht is not only romance, but also a lot of work.
Ynech - Well said, all around. Agreed, as every rest must be earned, being one of the cool things about boats, and it's all just a little sweeter that way.
This is what makes a sailing channel successful (others take note) Keep up the great work, Stay Safe & Fair Winds from Ireland !!
Heave ho ya Swabbies! Belay that, top the main, ready tack, set the jib, tighten that sheet check the tails. Drop the jib. Nice workout! Beautiful anchorage. Great crew coordination. 👍🇺🇸⛵️👏🍷🏝
Aaarrrrrrr
Wow! You guys never cease to amaze me! The way you handle your baby and all that you've learned and how you freakin just akways make things happen! So inspiring! Your filming and how you compile each weeks video is top notch- you've really come a long way. Jason & Nikki, thank you heaps and heaps. Always wishing you much goodness.
Spend the $ on a Sailrite sewing machine. It will set you back 2K, it will never die. There are no circuit boards to fry, parts are easy to come by. It will never let you down.
A Sailrite or heavy duty machine is essential for certain projects but for lighter cloth lighter duty machines do best. Even with the right machine getting it set up right can be very very frustrating. I think the Devil invented the sewing machine because I loosed points with the Almighty every time I used one.
@@peterengel7885 any cloth for sails, zippers, stowage bags, cushions etc, anything BUT lightweight clothing, needs the power of a sailright or other industrial machine, preferably a walking foot. I've been sewing for literally 50 years, everything from clothes to seat cushions on the lighter end, to 12oz leather & pavilion tents on the heavy end. I don't sew anything heavier than a t-shirt on a non-industrial machine. You can adjust the needles, pressure & thread downward much easier than upward. If the Wynns want further confirmation, they can ask their buddies on Ruby Rose. Nick is quite handy at sail & bag repair. Or they can talk to Megan on Clarity. Like me, she sews just about everything under the sun.
The sail would of laughed at NIck's machine. It wouldn't of had to power to punch threw that sail. Like the OP said, you need to have a sailrite on your boat.Get a clothing machine if need be , but those can't punch trough a multiple layered sails. The cloth is too tuff for regular machines.
@@13jq Nick has a Sailrite, I've seen it. He may have another one as well, but I've seen him use the Sailrite.
Great video as always despite all the little mishaps. I really enjoyed this weekend in the islands, on the water, breeze blowing, smell of the ocean! As always thanks for the visit. Made staying where we are bearable. Fair winds and following seas and God bless!
As long as the project gets done and things get fixed who cares how ya do it!!!! Go for it! It's fun watching. ☺️
Ahhhhhhh, ☕️ and the Wynns! Best Monday morning ever! Loving the sun and blue skies of Tonga as I sit here looking at our temperature of a balmy -10 🥶🥶🥶😬😂. As always, a great video! Stay safe & healthy! 🥰🤗⛵️🌞⚓️🥽🌴🍍🍻🤿🌅
And, at the end of the day, when the moon and the stars are above, and at 4 am in the morning, and everything is quiet, except for the sounds of the waves at your ears, the smell of sea air, the challenges are worth it!
I’m watching this while snow showers blow thru & a temp of 9 degree F, a Baileys & coffee in my hand & my kitty keeping me warm. I feel like I can smell that salt air & feel the warm breezes.
Thanks so much for sharing, it lifts the soul! ❤️
Nikki, is now a good time to mention that everyone has their own method of doing things? I've never seen anyone do the same thing the same way as anyone else, unless they were learning how from someone else.
It's also been my experience that when things are going smooth it means that I've overlooked something. The quicker I can locate the item I've missed, the simpler the fix.
This is actually one of the best episodes I think I’ve ever seen from UA-cam. It really is. I’ve been watching you forever. And when I do feel like forever, it was RV life. This was a really good episode. Thank you.
Sunday, prayed for everyones safety and that kindness would abound.
Sharing Sunday with the Wynns. God is good.
Next lunch and a pint.
That whole diving for the anchor sequence with that music was Devine. I felt so relaxed
Don Desormeaux - Personally, I was scared to death. I can't imagine how they could hold breath so long, but they did, rather comfortably, I might add. It pays to be young.
@@dobiebloke9311 young healthy people drown from holding their breath to long. The heart just stops. I used to like to time myself under water or swim laps under water but not anymore
@@dondesormeauxrcadventures7551 - It's scary business what you say. I used to do the same as you did, when I was young, just for fun, but I never knew there was a serious risk to it, in terms of heart. Drowning, well, there's always a risk of that.
My snorkling experience has only been recreational, to no purpose but my amusement. I doubt I ever went deeper than 12 feet. I was taught to scuba dive, by a friend who was a legitimate dive instructor, but I doubt I ever went deeper that 20 feet.
He was looking to train another dive buddy, and I am glad for the experience, but when he invited me to go hunt hammerhead sharks off Montauk Point (NY), I politely declined. I am not a diver at heart.
Here's a little 'too long/didn't read' story for you, if you care for it. Between about 14 and 10 years ago, I worked for a marine company (right down the street from me), basically on steel boats of a hundred foot or so
Essentially, we were an RV (research vessel), as that was the nature of our work. We worked for various Federal agencies (USA, east coast) and as well, various State and local governments, as well as private concerns, like Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) or petroleum companies, as needed. One of our main clients was the 'National Oceanic and Atmoshperic Administration, NOAA, I suppose, but being a lowly deckhand, I wasn't in charge of knowing such things.
About halfway thru those years, I had attained my Masters/Captains license from the Coast Guard, but I never sailed under it, officially, preferring to be a deckhand. The pay bump to Captain, wasn't worth the agina, and as well, even tho I passed the Coasties tests, I knew my limitations. I could pilot such a boat, as a pseudo First Mate, and if the Captain dropped dead, I could get us back to port, but only to pick up another one. Sorry about that, but it's true.
Often, we mowed the lawn, meaning taking sonar readings of the bottom, in various places. Usually, it was 2 Captains and at least two (if not four) deckhands and usually between 15 and 25 clients, mostly being scientists of one sort or another. For every job, we would weld down a little city of storage containers on our aft, for their 'offices'.
We would generally be out to sea for 1 - 8 weeks, being pretty light duty, and coming to port at least once ever two weeks, as needed, to reprovision. All the while, building up a bank of pay (at about $15 an hour), with no place to spend it.
My favorite jobs were for the LNG company, just a few miles off of Boston, which was nearly every other one. These were dive operations, and the welded City included a Hyperbolic Chamber, as an ominous reminder of the risks being taken, by others than myself. Generally going down about 200 feet, in teams of two, often enough, for a half an hour or so, one after one, day and night (men and women both).
As compared to the monotony of mowing the lawn with sonar (and I don't know how to put this politely), but on these jobs, my nuts were always in my throat, as death was always even more a possibility. Having a slight clue as to what they were going thru, I was always aware of that.
There were always two Dive Masters, of course, and no one hit the water without at least one's permission, or the other.
We on deck, as lowly deckhands, had the responsibility to keep the compressor (for fresh air) and the warm water pump running, for obvious reasons, as even in summer, a diver needs that to maintain warmth, sufficient for 200 feet below surface.
The reason this was happening, was that until we completed this off shore connection of LNG, from tankers to the city of Boston, they would literally shut down the Highways and such, when such a tanker made port in Boston, considering the risk, and close proximity, to cause much of a snaggle, as you can imagine.
Once the connection was made, it (meaning the brew-ha-ha), never happened again in Boston, to the relief of many. It was an honor to have had a slight hand in it,
I only saw the Chamber used three times, and only once, absolutely seriously. While we had a back up generator and water pump, if one failed while a diver was down, you couldn't swap it out quick enough, so the dive master said, all rise, which they did.
Normally, and I'm just guessing here, but they'd come up 50 feet, hang for ten minutes or so and onward to surface. However, in this case, the diver came straight up and right into the Chamber.
It's an amazing process to see. Being it was a 24/7 operation, I usually took the night shift, as it was riskier. As well, being an informal assistant to Cookie (the chef), I would take care of the midnight shift's meal, to all agreement.
This was after the midnight meal, but with the DM's permission, I spoke to that poor guy in the Chamber and told him I would make him any meal he wanted, whenever.
He said, I'll just have leftovers, thank you. I forget how long later, but as he exited, he was welcomed by a plate of a seriously thick slab of pork roast, perfectly done to begin with, but seared on both sides to warm it, mash potatoes and pork gravy, with a heavy side of both broccoli and brussel sprouts with carrots and citrus, as I knew he liked.
I made fresh dinner rolls for him, saving the rest for breakfast. It was the least I could do. Fortunately, the problem with the pump was mechanical, and not a simple matter of maintainence (which was our job). I'm just glad he lived, but it went pretty easy, as we (meaning all of us), had things in place for such a thing.
Sailrite gets good reviews for their machines , supplies and service lots of DYI videos too - thanks for the video and best of luck
As a new sewer I laughed so much at the seam ripper bit. It’s my closest friend while I sew 😬🤣 I also bought myself a baby lock machine, so far I’m loving it.
The sewing machine: truly a case where less technical is better.
Sunday morning Breakfast with the Wynn's are a sunday tradition for years for me! never stop Jason and Nikki. It is therapy for the soul.