A catamaran backed into an HR 42, destroying the nav station and exposing the hull’s construction. The damaged fiberglass appears dry in places, raising questions about how thoroughly it was saturated with resin during the build. Full Stream: https://youtube.com/live/zy599gcThG8 📗 Get My Book: https://bethecaptain.com

Finding ways to discourage orcas without harming them has sailors looking for alternatives to diesel, fireworks, and guns. One unusual story involves playing Jimi Hendrix through the hull, part of the search for a peaceful way to get orcas to leave a boat alone. Full Stream: https://youtube.com/live/zy599gcThG8 📗 Get My Book: https://bethecaptain.com

A passage from New Orleans toward Costa Rica comes with more to consider than distance. Unlit oil structures make a careful watch essential in the Gulf, while the choice between Costa Rica’s Caribbean and Pacific coasts brings very different exposure and anchorage options. Full Stream: https://youtube.com/live/zy599gcThG8 📗 Get My Book: https://bethecaptain.com

Costa Rica’s Islas Murciélagos offered hiking, breaching whales, and a memorable stop away from the usual anchorages. Most sailors pass these islands by, and without a little anchor symbol on the chart, it takes some exploring to discover what they’re missing. Full Stream: https://youtube.com/live/zy599gcThG8 📗 Get My Book: https://bethecaptain.com

This incredible underwater footage appears to show orcas pushing against a sailboat’s rudder. The shaft looks bent, but the rudder remains attached and the crew is able to sail home. The encounter shows why the strength of the rudder’s bearings and supports matters when the steering takes a hit. Full Stream: https://youtube.com/live/zy599gcThG8 📗 Get My Book: https://bethecaptain.com

Joyita departed for Tokelau on one engine with 25 people aboard, expecting a passage of roughly two days. None of those 25 people were ever seen again. The boat was later recovered after drifting hundreds of miles, carrying clues to what happened on that final voyage. Full Video: https://youtu.be/C1xIcXZqErU 📗 Get My Book: https://bethecaptain.com

Reinforcing a hull is about how it holds together after an impact. Tough fibers such as Twaron are used alongside fiberglass to help resist tearing, with the aim of limiting damage even when the surrounding resin cracks. Full Stream: https://youtube.com/live/zy599gcThG8 📗 Get My Book: https://bethecaptain.com

One of my most ill-fated deliveies started when an owner decided to install an air conditioner into the aft lazarette by drilling holes through a watertight bulkhead. When heavy seas off Mexico flooded that compartment through leaking seals, the water passed straight into the boat. The problem became obvious when the galley floorboards started floating. Full Video: https://youtu.be/C1xIcXZqErU 📗 Get My Book: https://bethecaptain.com

Launched in Los Angeles in 1931, Joyita began as a 69-foot luxury yacht built for Hollywood director Roland West and his wife, actress Jewel Carmen. Beneath the teak interior were thick cedar planks and white oak frames that made this “little jewel” remarkably sturdy. Full Video: https://youtu.be/C1xIcXZqErU 📗 Get My Book: https://bethecaptain.com

A damaged rudder post or shaft log can leave an opening that’s extremely difficult to seal at sea. Watertight bulkheads help contain that flooding in a separate compartment. The Bluewater 50 and Kraken layouts show where those barriers fit into an offshore boat. Full Stream: https://youtube.com/live/zy599gcThG8 📗 Get My Book: https://bethecaptain.com

“Step up into the life raft” is a reminder that abandoning ship should be a last resort. A boat that remains afloat can offer shelter, water, shade, and a much bigger target for a search plane to spot. Staying with the boat as long as possible should always be the priority. Full Video: https://youtu.be/C1xIcXZqErU 📗 Get My Book: https://bethecaptain.com

Five weeks after disappearing with 25 people aboard, the Joyita was found afloat and empty. Nobody aboard was ever found. The boat survived, leaving one haunting question: why did everyone leave her? Full Video: https://youtu.be/C1xIcXZqErU 📗 Get My Book: https://bethecaptain.com

A broken mast doesn’t necessarily mean the sailing is over. With enough mast left standing, a spinnaker pole and a sail turned sideways can become a makeshift rig. That’s one reason the difference between a deck-stepped and keel-stepped mast matters offshore. Full Stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy599gcThG8 📗 Get My Book: https://bethecaptain.com

They’re called “marriage savers” for a reason. Headsets keep crew from shouting across the boat, but hand signals work too, provided everyone speaks the same language. Figuring out whether a wave means “come forward” or “go backward” should happen before the maneuver. Full Stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy599gcThG8 📗 Get My Book: https://bethecaptain.com

A collision can flood the bow without flooding the whole boat. A watertight bulkhead separates that forward compartment from the living space, helping contain the water if the hull is breached. That barrier could be the difference between a damaged boat and a sunken one. Full Stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy599gcThG8 📗 Get My Book: bethecaptain.com RAN Sailing: https://www.youtube.com/@RANSailing

Once the hull slips under, this Arcona disappears in seconds. A broken rudder tube below the waterline can leave an opening that’s almost impossible to seal offshore, turning rudder damage into a fight to keep the boat afloat. Full Stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy599gcThG8 📗 Get My Book: https://bethecaptain.com

You can tell Ted Gozzard designed this boat for offshore cruising; the handholds, narrow walkways, toe rail-mounted stanchions, big deck drains...if I had to make an upgrade though, I'd suggest double solid lifelines. Full Stream: https://youtube.com/live/zFs8Y2Fj8Ds?feature=share 📗 Get My Book: https://bethecaptain.com

Sun exposure can make the plastic parts in this style of mainsail furler brittle, and broken pieces can damage the furling line. I explain why I’m not a fan of this setup and how replacing it with a track and a mainsail modified for battens could be a worthwhile upgrade. Full Stream: https://youtube.com/live/zFs8Y2Fj8Ds?feature=share 📗 Get My Book: https://bethecaptain.com

Moving a traveler onto a catamaran hardtop means that structure has to withstand enormous sailing loads. A gybe can suddenly load the mounting and cause chaos. If you’re moving a traveler, make sure whatever supports it is strong enough to take those forces. Full Stream: https://youtube.com/live/zFs8Y2Fj8Ds?feature=share 📗 Get My Book: https://bethecaptain.com

Gozzard Yachts builds only a handful of customized bluewater boats each year instead of chasing production volume. I think staying small and family-owned has helped the company preserve its craftsmanship, workforce, and independence for decades. Full Stream: https://youtube.com/live/zFs8Y2Fj8Ds?feature=share 📗 Get My Book: https://bethecaptain.com