Author: James

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Boat Work Season 2 - New Boat

Check Out the Fancy New Thru Hulls

Boat refit video #10 | This is the first project I started when I got to the boat is finally completed. And what an important project is was: Thru Hulls.

After over a month waiting for shipping/customs (which I think had something to do with the boat “yacht-in-transit” paperwork not being used for over 4 years) I received a box filled with these little plastic parts. Upon inspection they were very well made, and very strong. I was like a kid on Christmas day, lining them all up on the table to take this shot! LOL šŸ˜†

Overall the install wasn’t difficult, I think just about anybody could do this DIY-style. Getting the old thru-hulls out was way more difficult than putting the new ones in. They are strong, corrosion-resistant, come with labels, and are such an improvement over the 27 year old fittings that were in the boat.

I’m a happy boy after finishing this job, and won’t have to worry about one of these things failing 1000nm out to sea, or not being able to close one.

Totally stoked to have Trudesign fittings. Hope you like the video! Big props to Paul, my new editor, I think he did a great job with this one.

Much love!
James

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Boat Work Season 2 - New Boat

Windows Are In! No More Leaks!

Boat refit video #9 | James here with the next installment of the Oyster refit: The Windows.

Joined by the Dutch father-son team of Max and Vas, and with our helper Hein we tackle the enormous job of rebedding the salon windows. If you’ll remember in the last video we had taken them out, now it’s time to put them back in. šŸ™‚

But before we place them back into the boat they must be stripped, prepped and painted so we’ll never ever ever ever ever have to do this job again.

Hilarity ensues as we try to get this right. Please stay tuned to see what happens.

Much love to everyone!
James

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Random

LIVE – Sailing Aboard a Bavaria 57!

Livestream upload (Dec 20, 2020) | Sailing with Sailing Yacht Aequus to the uninhabited island of Klien CuraƧao. We’ll spend two nights exploring this amazing place.

This Bavaria 57 is a hell of a yachtā€¦ Very nice, spacious, and (most importantly) šŸ˜ FAST!

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Season 2 - New Boat

Splash party!! Launching the Oyster 485 LIVE!

Livestream upload (Dec 9, 2020) | Splash time with Zingaro! The new Oyster is going in the water! Woohoo!

We will be going on a tour of the boatyard, talking about the work I have completed, and what is left to do, and, of course, watching the machine take this 40,000 lb beast from it’s current spot on land to the oh-so-glorious water.

After almost 4 years on the hard, the boat returns to where she belongs. If you believe that boats have souls then this will be a very joyous day for everyone šŸ™‚

Hope you like the party!

Much love
James

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Boat Work Season 2 - New Boat

Everything Is Leaking…

Boat refit video #8 | So there are some serious leaking issues going on with the new Oysterā€¦

Seems to me that as soon as I stepped onboard and “broke the seal” so-to-say, every single window, hatch, and port light is now just pissing water whenever it rains (It’s the rainy season here, it’s raining alot!).

In this episode follow me as I removed the salon windows to prep them for re-bedding. We also remove and replace a couple hatches (yes, also leaking) and get to go to a little BBQ at the boatyard.

Hope you like this episode. I like having a dry boat!

Much love!
James

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Boat Work Season 2 - New Boat

The Hardest Job I’ve Ever Done on a Sailboat

Boat refit video #7 | Lots going on in Zingaroland. I go into detail in the intro of this episode, then show you guys exactly how I replaced the rudder bearings and bushings.

It was a huge job, and this video covers a couple weeks working on this (among other things).

Much love!
James

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Boat Work Season 2 - New Boat

Buying a Used Sailboat ā€“ Here’s What You Can Expect

Livestream upload | For the last month I’ve been tearing this 48′ Oyster sailboat apart, getting ready to sail it back to Florida and start the real work.

My Covid escape plan is going well, but I need to be in Florida before January 15, and right now there is a TON of work left to do.

Come for a tour ā€¦
James

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Boat Work Season 2 - New Boat

Dropping the Rudder and Fixing the Damage

Boat refit video #6 | This is one of the harder things I’ve ever done with a sailboat. Maintenance put off too long by the last owner, and it’s up to me to replace all of the things that have gone bad from non-use.

The guys I hired to help with the thru hulls really did a number on them. Some of them look like they exploded from the outside in. I’m going to need to really work to get everything back to a clean, solid foundation for the new TruDesign thru hulls.

After we go through how to fix that problem, we start on the rudder. After much prodding and smacking, we finally break the shoe free of the epoxy holding it on. Man, what a job. Check out the video to see more.

Much love from Curacao
James

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Boat Work Season 2 - New Boat

Behind the Scenes With Sailing Zingaro

Boat refit video #5 | Come behind the scenes and get an uncut look at life in refit on the hard aboard the Oyster 485 in CuraƧao. I take you on a boat tour and give a synopsis of everything going on in the land of Sailing Zingaro.

Hope you like! Much love!
James

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Boat Work Season 2 - New Boat

Get Away From the Boat With That Sawsall!

Boat refit video #4 | Removing the 27 year old thru hulls is a PITA. It took three of us two full days. …Um, ok, in truth it took me two full days to call the pros and have them do it in 3 hours šŸ˜‰

They bring a sawsall to attack the hull!!! I’m definitely not comfortable with this. Watch to see more.

All 16 thru hulls were fiberglassed into the boat, which made removal SO tough. We had to cut away all the glass, then cut the thru hull, then beat the hell out of it with a hammer to get everything out. But after a long, hot day of work the satisfaction of turning my $ 200,000 boat into a sieve was glorious!

Now if I could just get customs to release the thru hulls so I can install themā€¦

Much love
James

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Boat Work Season 2 - New Boat

Don’t Buy a Used Sailboat Without Watching This Video!

Boat refit video #3. We’re going through the thru hulls on this video. All 16 (!) of them. James takes off a few of the valves to show you guys what to look for, and get’s a nasty surprise at the end. That’s the way it goes when you get a boat cheap that has been sitting. To be expected. You KNOW it’s not going to bring ME down.

At the end of the video is an extended version of the phone call I made to Scott Sheen – he won the week on the boat from the Kickstarter drawing last week. I’m very exited to welcome him to the boat. I’ll be cutting this down a bit for youtube.

Well, gotta get back to work, this boat isn’t going to fix itself!

James

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Boat Work Season 2 - New Boat

Junkyard Find! Can This Boat Be Saved?

This dinghy looks like trash. It’s been sitting for three years, it’s ripped on the side, flat, and dirty as all heck. Do you think it’s possible to bring it back to life? Or should I scrap it and start over?? This and more on this episode of Sailing Zingaro.

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Boat Work Season 2 - New Boat

First Impressions of the New Oyster Yacht

The first days aboard a new 50′ Sailboat are a bit overwhelming! The teak decks, the mosquitos, the batteries, the waterā€¦ Will I be able to tackle ALL these things before I have to travel? Where will the money come from? How long will it take? Do I have the skills? Where will I get the parts?

So this is a conglomeration video of a bunch of posts I made to the Saloon (the official Sailing Zingaro WhatsApp group). It’s a bit more raw than what you’re used to, but it really gives you a feel for the emotions I was going through real time in the last week.

The boat is coming along. 6 thru hulls need replaced, new batteries, buff the boot stripe so I can do the rest in the water, tune up the engine and test, and get the rudder moving smoothly. That’s about it before I can splash here and get her back to where she belongs. šŸ˜‰

I’m temporarily changing the format of the videos until I get crew to help me out. They will be a bit more raw and uncut in a V-LOG style. That will allow me to put MORE content out while I refit the boat.

Wish me luck! Much love!
James

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Boat Work Season 2 - New Boat

After 10 Months: This Is the New Boat!

Nearly one year after shipwrecking off the coast of Hawaii, Sailing Zingaro crowdfunded a magnificent Oyster 485 worth $200,000.

Join us for a tour of this vessel, and we’ll show you what it’s like to buy a boat that has been sitting for a LONG time.

Made possible by Patrons/Kickstarter – Welcome to our new journey, my friends. Thank you, to everyone who made this possible, and all those who continue supporting this channel.

Much love
-James

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Random

Te Vega – Pacific Crossing FINALE! (pt. 4)

I hope you’ve had fun watching this series. The wind has arrived! Heavy weather sailing, big waves, breaking boatsā€¦ You’re not going want to be downstairs for this one! Dolphins, whales and seals usher us in as we call land HO!!

It was an awesome experience, the whole thing: the crossing, filming, editing, and producing. I’ve had a couple all-nighters to get these monster videos completed, but honestly it was a blast going through them. I’m laughing right along with you guys.

So, it’s with great pride that I present the finale in the ‘Te Vega’ video series. I really put my heart into these. I’m actually sad that it’s overā€¦

This episode takes us from day 16-21, and arrival to Half Moon Bay. I do a tutorial on the Iridium Go. We figure out a workaround for a broken hydraulic boom vang line. The wind REALLY pipes up and starts breaking stuff. We spot land, and get escorted in my dolphins, whales, and even a pod of sea lions! No joke, that was pretty cool.

More awesomeness to comeā€¦

Much love!
James

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Random

Te Vega – Pacific Crossing (pt. 3)

Here is the third part of the 4 part mini-series of my Pacific crossing aboard the 63′ Mason ketch Te Vega.

We’ve got a bit of everything in this one, fishing, maintenance, injuries, and, of course, a lot of sailing.

This part opens on half-way-day where we pop a bottle of champagne, give a little toast, and jump into the ocean 1000nm from ANYTHING! When I was in the Navy half-way-night was always a very special time, often we had boxes and boxes of frozen crab legs that the cooks would steam up and serve to all 165 of us. We always got extra time to eat on those nights, and the mood was pretty magical.

I hope you are all enjoying this series. It was fun to do, fun to film, and fun to edit (though since they are so long they take a bit longer than a normal episode.

If you’re wondering why I used the same song againā€¦ wellā€¦ I hadn’t heard this recording until now, and it ended up pretty good, so why not. They ARE my videos, after all. šŸ™‚ I promise that’s the last Kings of Leon cover for awhile. I would really like to record an album of covers, hopefully I’ll have a chance before I leave to go to the new boat!

Much love,
James

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Random

Catch and Cook: Pacific Crossing on Te Vega (pt. 2)

Sailing and fishing for mahi mahi, Jake gets a hook in the leg (ouch!). Also we play with some really crazy looking glasses! Watch what happens next on this 3300nm adventure across the Pacific Ocean!

In this installment of Sailing Zingaro we go through another 5 days out to sea on Te Vega, the Mason 63′ as we cross from Hawaii-California.

We put a message in a bottle and get a big surprise! We lose the refrigerator and have to do some troubleshooting to get it back. There’s lots of diesel in the bilge. We work on the AIS to see exactly what is wrong with this thing. It gets super cold as we pass through 800nm north of Hawaii.

Hope you guys love it!

-James

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Random

My Love Affair With a Million Dollar Mono (pt. 1)

Sailing across the Pacific ocean aboard a $1,000,000 monohull! Refit, sea trial, cast off, and starting a 3,300nm adventure that will take us from Hawaii to California! Come join the crew of Te Vega, a 1984 Mason 63′ ketch as we show you and in-depth glimpse of what offshore sailing is really like!

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you: Te Vegaā€¦ This girl is 70,000 lbs of sexy lines, comfortable births, and a whole lot of je ne sais quoi. She’s 1 1/4″ of solid, hand laid fiberglass from keel to toe rail, with enough teak to make any other boat blush. Her backside has the unmistakable allure of a crystal wine glass, with just enough overhang to make you look twice.

This 39 minute video documents the inspection and first 4 days underway on this not-so-short journey. This is part 1 of 4 episodes documenting the 20 day journey across the Pacific – from Hawai’i to San Francisco. I went through 260 GB of data just for this one episode, and I’m about 1/3 of the way through!

I really wanted to give everyone a good feel of what a crossing is really like. What happens daily. What breaks? What the hell are we actually doing out there?

I hope this gives you a good feel of what is required of a delivery captain, and the ups and downs of offshore sailing.

Hope you enjoy meeting the boat and crew. Let me know what you think. Much love!

-James

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Episodes - Season 1 Videos

Swimming With Sharks and Whales | Season 1 ā€“ Ep. 79

Diver kicks and punches sharks to keep them away from the fish he has on his belt. Then, we had no idea this baby humpback whale would swim with us for over an hour! We’re so glad to have caught this moment on camera and be able to share it with all of you!

This episode documents a few very exiting days in Mo’orea. First of all, if you’re not familiar with Mo’orea, it’s the closest island to Tahiti. Approximately 14nm to the west. It really is a paradise. There is something for everyone, but our favorite is the underwater world.

In this video we take a couple locals and few other boaters out on Zingaro for a spearfishing/freediving adventure. While we’re out we have a very close encounter with a group of black tip reef sharks. They are not dangerous, but we still have to train them to not get too close. They are like dogs, you just need to show them who’s in charge and they will behave. We specifically chose this spot for the sharks, as this is a place where the local tour operators all come to feed these guys, therefore guaranteeing a show. We used some of the fish we speared to chum the water. That’s why there are so many.

At the end of the day we saw a pod of whales, and ended up getting a show by the little baby. I can’t tell you how special this footage is. We were in French Polynesia for 4 months, and swam with whales many times, but never had a baby play with us like this again, or for this amount of time. Big props to Rachel Moore on @voyagesofagape for the footage. Check out this link, you’ll dig the pics.

Hope you like it!
James

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Episodes - Season 1 Videos

Say Hello to Our New Dinghy! | Season 1 – Ep. 78

In this Zing I episode, we arrive in Tahiti to pick up our new dinghy! The 3.5 meter OC Tender. We named it NolikÄ« šŸ˜‰

We have an interview with Russ, the owner/builder of these fantastic boats.

Next we use the OC Tender to give “Sinky” to Katoosh: two brothers who are sailing around the world in a boat they were born on! They lost their rudder while we were buddy boating in the Tuamotus. Please watch the video to hear that story.

Lastly, we travel 14nm to go to the neighboring island of Mo’orea, have a jump-off with some old friends, and pick up a local to travel to the only raised-atoll in French Polynesia: Makatea.

Hope you all enjoy this episode!

Much love!
James

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