Back to Arabella: Winter Ski Prep, DIY Gear, and the Day a Ski Sank the Boat

After a long holiday break back home in Massachusetts, Steve, Robin, and Akiva make the 1,100-mile journey back north to Arabella and winter life in Newfoundland. With big plans for backcountry skiing and ice climbing along the island’s northwest coast, it’s time to finish some critical prep. This episode covers the build of a second custom sled bag using a newly acquired Sailrite sewing machine—a test run before tackling major canvas projects on Arabella. Steve walks through the design, materials, and sewing techniques that will make hauling winter climbing gear into the mountains faster and easier. With new skis and rare Silvretta bindings dialed in, the crew heads out for a recon mission along the Fox River toward the Lewis Hills. But a sudden storm and strong winds nearly derail the season when one ski goes straight overboard and sinks into the harbor. What follows is an unexpected winter recovery mission, a boat launch in January, and a reminder of how quickly things can go sideways in cold conditions. The episode wraps with a first look at the trail system, wildlife tracks in the snow, and early planning for multi-day backcountry trips—setting the stage for winter adventures to come. In this episode: • Driving back to Newfoundland in winter • DIY sled bag/pulk gear sewing • Sailrite machine setup & techniques • Silvretta ski bindings for ice climbing approaches • Losing (and recovering) a ski overboard • Winter harbor recovery mission • Trail recon toward the Lewis Hills • Preparing for multi-day backcountry travel -------------------------- Episode 375 Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qyv Acorn to Arabella started as a wooden boat building project in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve began the journey as an amateur wooden boat builder crafting a 38' wooden sailboat in his backyard: designer William Atkin's Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel's gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and now sailing the boat—sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that traditional wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project continues beyond the boat shop, as Steve and crew travel and learn to cruise aboard the handmade wooden boat that they've built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva. -------------------------- If you are interested in supporting/helping here are a few ways: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/how-to-help Acorn to Arabella's wishlist: https://www.acorntoarabella.com/wishlistpriority TotalBoat supports A2A! Please consider using our Total Boat referral code. Click here, then shop: https://www.totalboat.com/acorntoarabella They'll kick 10% our way! To offer recurring support via Patreon, CLICK BELOW. Just $5 a month gets you an invite to our monthly patron-only livestream Q&A sessions! https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Original Soundtrack available at benfundis.bandcamp.com FOLLOW US: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acorntoarabella Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acorntoarabella/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acorntoarabella Website: http://www.acorntoarabella.com