THIS FIX May SAVE Our SAILING Season in New Zealand
May 08, 2025 by Harbors Unknown | Language: EN Play Time: 00:27:51 | SAILING YOUTUBERS
A HUGE thank you to VETUS Maxwell for partnering with us on this project!
Watch when our anchor windlass gypsy stripped in French Polynesia: https://youtu.be/Ryeq6dz5TUo
and when we replaced the gypsy in Nuku Hiva: https://youtu.be/WqoFLAhZ_HM
and when we knew we needed to replace the windlass in Fiji:
THIS FIX May SAVE Our SAILING Season in New Zealand
The heart of our anchoring system was dead. In our last episode, the windlass motor failed, leaving us to haul anchor by hand. We needed a fix. Fast. Or our cruising season would be screwed.
But on a boat, nothing’s ever plug and play. That’s when VETUS Maxwell stepped in, delivering a brand-new windlass and a custom mounting plate. With our cruising season on the line, and the challenge of installing it all in a cramped, unforgiving chain locker, we got it done, with help from friends, and a whole lot of determination.
Wanderlust came equipped with a Lewmar VX2 windlass; fine for shallow, sandy anchorages. But after a season in Polynesia, the gypsy stripped, leaving us to haul up 60 feet of chain by hand. Cruising friends brought a replacement from the U.S., and we installed it, but we had doubts. Lewmar later confirmed it, the windlass was under-specced for our boat. Still, we crossed our fingers and kept sailing. In Fiji, the signs were clear. It groaned. It struggled. It protested. And like all marine equipment, it waited until just before we replaced it… to die completely. Which brings us to today. Thanks for watching!
Our VETUS Maxwell Windlass RC12-10: https://maxwellmarine.com/product/rc12/
Height Matched Chainstopper 10-13mm: https://maxwellmarine.com/product/height-matched-chain-stopper/
This is a sailing vlog documenting our sailing adventures in New Zealand after we sailed across the Pacific Ocean as part of our sailing around the world series. Subscribe to our channel if you love sailing!
#sailing #windlass #boatrepair #newzealand
To see our full steering system saga watch this playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCwNmkqXr857CVE0zeIPrgXYW3JPx5bph
For all our videos in French Polynesia watch this playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCwNmkqXr8552QZlEoBcDhzu1_SInxqgt
To see how we prepared for and crossed the Pacific watch this playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCwNmkqXr856GDc0eQJBT3eLq5PIaIcWv
OR start from the beginning with these videos
Our Seawind 1600 Catamaran, Wanderlust, is Finally Here https://youtu.be/dRbfh9PbVIs
Seawind 1600 Catamaran Wanderlust Boat Tour Part 1
Seawind 1600 Catamaran Wanderlust – Boat Tour Part 2 + Performance Review
Making Our Seawind 1600 Catamaran a Home – Spectra Watermaker, Wi-Fi + More
Seawind 1600 Catamaran – Performance in Light Wind on a Sail to Key West
If you’re new here, Harbors Unknown is the story of two dreamers, Kristin & Fabio Potenti, and our dog Yoda. We’re a small family living aboard our catamaran, SV Wanderlust, sailing to Harbors Unknown. Exploring the world, connecting with people and places through the local cuisine, and showing how great food can be cooked on a boat with limited space and resources. Seeking to balance the desire to explore and travel to beautiful, remote locations while leaving no footprint, minimizing the Hawthorne effect of the observers who change the environment she or he observes.
We hope to inspire people and showcase the possibility of living an alternative lifestyle that provides freedom and fulfillment, all while keeping it real. Sharing the trials and tribulations of living off-grid, acknowledging the discomfort of detoxing from the modern world, finding pleasure in the subtleties of nature and joy in simplicity. Attempting to understand what makes the world tick and tock but also trying to gain a deeper comprehension of ourselves and identify what will satisfy that hunger for further exploration, for purpose. We have set off on our voyage sailing around the world! Subscribe now to join our sailing adventure. Thank you for watching!
A HUGE thank you to VETUS Maxwell for partnering with us on this project!
Watch when our anchor windlass gypsy stripped in French Polynesia: https://youtu.be/Ryeq6dz5TUo
and when we replaced the gypsy in Nuku Hiva: https://youtu.be/WqoFLAhZ_HM
and when we knew we needed to replace the windlass in Fiji:
https://youtu.be/pp3YmXb9FQg
THIS FIX May SAVE Our SAILING Season in New Zealand
The heart of our anchoring system was dead. In our last episode, the windlass motor failed, leaving us to haul anchor by hand. We needed a fix. Fast. Or our cruising season would be screwed.
But on a boat, nothing’s ever plug and play. That’s when VETUS Maxwell stepped in, delivering a brand-new windlass and a custom mounting plate. With our cruising season on the line, and the challenge of installing it all in a cramped, unforgiving chain locker, we got it done, with help from friends, and a whole lot of determination.
Wanderlust came equipped with a Lewmar VX2 windlass; fine for shallow, sandy anchorages. But after a season in Polynesia, the gypsy stripped, leaving us to haul up 60 feet of chain by hand. Cruising friends brought a replacement from the U.S., and we installed it, but we had doubts. Lewmar later confirmed it, the windlass was under-specced for our boat. Still, we crossed our fingers and kept sailing. In Fiji, the signs were clear. It groaned. It struggled. It protested. And like all marine equipment, it waited until just before we replaced it… to die completely. Which brings us to today. Thanks for watching!
Our VETUS Maxwell Windlass RC12-10: https://maxwellmarine.com/product/rc12/
Height Matched Chainstopper 10-13mm: https://maxwellmarine.com/product/height-matched-chain-stopper/
This is a sailing vlog documenting our sailing adventures in New Zealand after we sailed across the Pacific Ocean as part of our sailing around the world series. Subscribe to our channel if you love sailing!
#sailing #windlass #boatrepair #newzealand
To see our full steering system saga watch this playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCwNmkqXr857CVE0zeIPrgXYW3JPx5bph
For all our videos in French Polynesia watch this playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCwNmkqXr8552QZlEoBcDhzu1_SInxqgt
To see how we prepared for and crossed the Pacific watch this playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCwNmkqXr856GDc0eQJBT3eLq5PIaIcWv
OR start from the beginning with these videos
Our Seawind 1600 Catamaran, Wanderlust, is Finally Here https://youtu.be/dRbfh9PbVIs
Seawind 1600 Catamaran Wanderlust Boat Tour Part 1
https://youtu.be/J-DFLHNHbCA
Seawind 1600 Catamaran Wanderlust - Boat Tour Part 2 + Performance Review
https://youtu.be/P7YRCC00jtY
Making Our Seawind 1600 Catamaran a Home - Spectra Watermaker, Wi-Fi + More
https://youtu.be/gwCEX4BOnRI
Seawind 1600 Catamaran - Performance in Light Wind on a Sail to Key West
https://youtu.be/FH-5X-eXv4Y
If you're new here, Harbors Unknown is the story of two dreamers, Kristin & Fabio Potenti, and our dog Yoda. We're a small family living aboard our catamaran, SV Wanderlust, sailing to Harbors Unknown. Exploring the world, connecting with people and places through the local cuisine, and showing how great food can be cooked on a boat with limited space and resources. Seeking to balance the desire to explore and travel to beautiful, remote locations while leaving no footprint, minimizing the Hawthorne effect of the observers who change the environment she or he observes.
We hope to inspire people and showcase the possibility of living an alternative lifestyle that provides freedom and fulfillment, all while keeping it real. Sharing the trials and tribulations of living off-grid, acknowledging the discomfort of detoxing from the modern world, finding pleasure in the subtleties of nature and joy in simplicity. Attempting to understand what makes the world tick and tock but also trying to gain a deeper comprehension of ourselves and identify what will satisfy that hunger for further exploration, for purpose. We have set off on our voyage sailing around the world! Subscribe now to join our sailing adventure. Thank you for watching!
THIS FIX May SAVE Our SAILING Season in New Zealand Locations
- Auckland (-36.8508827,174.7644881)
Harbors Unknown
Harbors Unknown is the story of two dreamers, Kristin and Fabio Potenti, and our French Bulldog Yoda. We sold our home at the beginning of the pandemic (May 27th, 2020) and moved aboard our Seawind 1600 catamaran, SV Wanderlust, in September. We’re documenting boat life as live aboard sailors, sharing our learnings, sailing adventures, travel experiences and delicious meals cooked on board. We're sailing SV Wanderlust to Harbors Unknown, to explore the world’s vast cultures through food, a common thread amongst people everywhere. Connecting with people and places through the local cuisine, and showing how those dishes can be cooked on a boat with limited space and resources. We hope to inspire people and showcase the possibility of living an alternative lifestyle living on a boat that provides freedom and fulfillment. Visit our website to learn more. https://www.harborsunknown.com/ and consider joining the Harbors Unknown community on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/harborsunknown
Channel Information:
- Joined: May 19, 2020
- Subscribers: 17,600
- Videos: 181
- Views: 1,587,498
- Latest Video: May 08, 2025
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- Language: en
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