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
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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.
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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
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
Acorn To Arabella
We are building a 38’ sailboat from stump to ship, once complete she will take us around the world. We hope to inspire and educate as many people as possible along the way. Join us on our journey and let us show you that with a bit of dedication, good company and some old school smarts even the wildest of dreams can be made to come true! For inquiries about collaborating or integrations, please email [email protected].
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Acorn To Arabella Lastest Videos
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, ...
Back Aboard Arabella: Winter Adventure Prep in Newfoundland #WinterAdventure #Backcountry
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It’s time to leave Arabella for six weeks as Steve and Robin head back to the United States for the holidays—but not before getting the boat safely settled for early winter in Newfoundland. With the cover on, heaters set, and friends keeping an eye on ...
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Now that summer is coming to a close, it’s time for us to start winterizing our homebuilt wooden sailboat for the cold weather to come. Over-wintering in Newfoundland—on a sailboat, nonetheless—is a bold move, and one that we need to prepare for. As...
Challenge Accepted: Backpacking the Northern & Long Range Traverse in Gros Morne National Park
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