Steering Failure in the Maldives… Then the Storm Hit | Sailing Mothership Adrift Ep 242

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:29:25 +0000

We're the Wood family - Woody, Irenka, Rowan, Darroch & Yewan. 8 years circumnavigating on a sailboat with 3 kids
• ~40,000 miles
• ~40 countries & territories
• BOOK RELEASE MAY 2026: "Mothership Adrift: A Dad's Guide to Escaping the Rat Race and Living a Life of Freedom, Travel and Adventure on the Sea with Your Kids"
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🎬 AS FEATURED IN:

▷Amazon Prime's "Adventure in Wonder"
- Sizzle Reel: https://youtu.be/0YJSjKO4js8
- Trailer: https://youtu.be/7OfAmECKj7E
▷The Telegraph: We quit rat race for eight-year sailing adventure
- Read Through: https://youtu.be/5NnprymsWC0
- Article: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/activity-and-adventure/eight-year-sailing-adventure/
▷The Telegraph: We spent 8-year sailing around the world. This was the scariest part
- Read Through: https://youtu.be/w7tgipworFE
- Article: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/trips-of-a-lifetime/red-sea-around-the-world-sailing/
▷BBC News: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3ep8w192yno
▷BBC South East Today: https://youtu.be/BuJe4VtLLmQ
▷GB News: https://youtu.be/KN5yhpD1csA
▷Newsweek: https://www.newsweek.com/we-are-raising-kids-sea-during-covid19-1530315
▷Yachting Monthly Award Winner: https://youtu.be/Y1icRewwML8
▷Lonely Planet: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/families-living-on-the-sea
▷Full press: https://www.mothershipadrift.com/about
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What happens when your steering fails in one of the most remote places on earth… just as the weather turns?

In this episode of Mothership Adrift, we find ourselves anchored in the Maldives with a growing problem — our steering system isn’t working, and the solution isn’t immediate. While we wait, the wind begins to swing west and build, turning our once peaceful anchorage into an exposed and increasingly uncomfortable place to be.

With conditions deteriorating, we make the call to move.

That means rigging up the emergency tiller, working as a team to haul up the anchor, and carefully navigating through tight coral atolls to find shelter. It’s one of those moments that reminds you sailing isn’t always sunsets and snorkelling — sometimes it’s problem-solving under pressure.

But the real test comes overnight.

A violent lightning storm rolls through, lighting up the sky and keeping us on edge as we monitor our position, constantly checking we’re not dragging anchor in a place with very little room for error.

By morning, we’re more than ready to move on.

We set sail for another atoll — and are reminded exactly why we’re out here. Crystal-clear water, abundant wildlife, and that unmistakable sense of freedom that only life at sea can deliver.

In this episode:
Steering failure in a remote anchorage
Setting up and using an emergency tiller
Navigating coral reefs in the Maldives
Riding out a tropical lightning storm at anchor
Moving between atolls in challenging conditions
Wildlife encounters and island exploration
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Music: Bensound.com/royalty-free-music
License code: XOIJOUPNYLKKKJTY
Artist: : TURNIQUE

Music I use: Bensound.com
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Artist: : Lunar Years
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KEYWORDS:
family sailing vlog, sailing around the world, sailing with kids, family cruising sailboat, liveaboard sailing life, offshore sailing, Amel Super Maramu, escape the rat race, financial freedom family, alternative lifestyle, quit job travel, life design, early retirement family, unconventional parenting, worldschooling, family gap year
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