Category Archives: Boat Work

Sailing Your Catamaran Safely (Ep. 54)

This is an all-sailing episode! We go over how to sail safer, specifically on a catamaran. If you guys like to sail fast you like this episode!

Sailing a catamaran is a bit different than sailing on a monohull. We explain while crossing the equator into Ecuador. Come join us for this informative and funny example of what (not) to do when cruising around the world on a catamaran.

Also, this was one of our best and fastes crossings ever. 83 hours for 600nm. Woohoo!

Next stop: Mainland Ecuador. What a place!

-James & Kim

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Three Boat Hacks You Need to Know! | Sailing Zingaro – LVB Series

Living La Vida Broka (LVB) is back! This time, Zingaro is sending out three boat hacks, that I learned along the way.

These are things I didn’t know about when I started, that I wish someone had told me. Tips to save money and time on your boat. Learned during my circumnavigation, I’m passing the knowledge to You.

Hope you enjoy!
James

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Explanation & Installation of a Spectra Watermaker

[sponsored post] How cool is it that? We’re the first and only channel to be sponsored by Spectra? Wow.

You’ve ever wondered how watermakers turn saltwater to fresh, drinkable water, how to install one in your boat or how much work this really is? This video will teach you everything you want to know about watermakers. We’re installing a Spectra Ventura 150C watermaker including layout, plumbing, wiring, operation, and connecting wirelessly through your computer/phone/tablet.

Took me all week, and a lot of sweat equity, but man it’s nice to not have to worry about water anymore.

This video is brought to you by Sailing Zingaro and Spectra Watermakers.

Hope you enjoy!

James

Sponsored by SPECTRA Watermakers

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$5,000 sistership to Zingaro | Sailing Zingaro Ep 35

Cleveland contacts me, and tells me he’s living on a sistership in Sausalito Bay (San Francisco Bay Area) and if I’m ever in town, look him up.

So I was in town, and holy moly he’s not lying. He paid $5,000 for a Crowther Spindrift 37′ and we’re about to go on a tour of it.

This thing is CRAZY. It’s a “fixer upper” for sure.

How to buy a sailboat

I thought it might be fun, since we have internet right now, to take everyone on the buying journey for my boat – and look on the internet to see if we can find a good deal on a cat.

Is it the sailboat deal of the century or a boat buying nightmare? You decide in this walkthrough.

Much love.

James

You like our content? Please don’t forget to like, subcribe and share!
… or spend us a cold one on PayPal and become landcrew on Patreon.

Livestream about Dyneema, Synthetic Rigging & Boat building

Coming to you from the USA! Today we had a livestream with Luke Berger, owner of Kraken Structures Synthetic Rigging. We talk about Dyneema, and are showing examples of different ropes available, where they are best used. Also boat building, making money underway, and cruising plans for Zingaro…

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Look what I found in the engine room | Livin la Vida Broka

The engine room is definitely my favorite place on the boat. Join me for a maintenance video on rebuilding the water pump on my 1GM10 and find out WHY.

I was doing some maintenance on the diesel, and I found THIS in my engine room! It’s AMAZING! Ive always wanted one! What a beautiful day. Hope you guys like the engine maintenance video!

Hope you guys like!

Much love from James & Kimmi.

You like our content? Please don’t forget to like, subcribe and share!
… or spend us a cold one on PayPal and become landcrew on Patreon.

Panama Canal – The Cheap Way (pt. II) | Livin la Vida Broka

In this episode we cover cost of the panama canal, how to pay, where to go, with maps to show you the way! This is the absolute cheapest way to do it!

We put this together as a help to future cruisers on exactly what needs to be done to get through the canal. We wished there was something like this when we went through, so we made it. Thanks for making it possible, and supporting us through this adventure.

Hope you like !

https://www.youtube.com/embed/74bbuSzLOUQ


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Dyneema #3: How I made my rigging strong!

I received a comment (rather harsh to tell you the truth) about my failure to use the correct toggles in my Dyneema installation videos. Well, turns out the guy wanted to help, and sent me a whole box of goodies.

We went back and forth for over a month, with measurements, drawings, ideas, and here’s the culmination of that work.

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Livin la Vida Broka (5): Rigging with Dyneema | Sailing Zingaro

How to install synthetic standing rigging on a sailboat, how to splice a deadeye, and discussion of the pro’s and con’s of steel rigging vs synthetic.

In this series of Livin la Vida Broka, I take you step-by-step through changing out my 1×19 steel wire rigging for synthetic Dyneema rigging.

You can’t find this anywhere on the internet, it took me a long time to get all this information, then put it to use, learn from the mistakes, and ultimately make this video.

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Livin la Vida Broka (4): The Dyneema Video

A complete how-to on Dyneema. This video took me awhile to make, but I’m proud of it. Been waiting for a long time to put this one out. Here is a great addition to the LVB series. Everything one needs to know about dyneema, including:

  • What is Dyneema
  • How to make the 2 splices you need to know
  • How to make soft shackles, which are ~$1 to make, and could save your boat
  • 20 places it’s used on my boat

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Livin la Vida Broka (3): Sail. Your. Sailboat!

About attacking monkeys & a tacking sailboat – another LVB Episode in Puerto Lindo (Panama). It feels as if we had spent years here! The place is pretty, but it really is a blackhole that sucks in cruisers’ dreams for breakfast. We met so many people that got stranded here and so many boats found there final destination with Puerto Lindo.

Back to the topic: This episode is about sailing. Surprise, surprise! Join us while we sail off anchor with our catamaran!  Continue reading →

Livin la Vida Broka (2): Fun with Foam

We lost our rudder off the coast of the Cayman Islands, so Captain James had to build another. Working in a shed, surrounded by roosters, rastas, and rain, we were actually able to finish everything and sail to Jamaica!

A HUGE thank you to our Caymanian friends! We loved it there, thank you guys for everything. Special thanks to the Hyde Family. Thanks for taking in a couple stays.

James & Kim

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How I fixed my daggerboards | Sailing Zingaro

So I broke two of the biggest pieces of my boat … Here’s how I fixed them. In this video you’ll learn the method I used to rebuild my broken daggerboards. Even if you don’t have daggerboards, you can use this to fix rudders, centerboards, and the like.

This is the culmination of two weeks of solid work, 12 hour days. Tons of work, but man, I learned so much.

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Where do school buses go when they die?

The public transportation in Panama is old schoolbuses, back from primary school days. They don’t change the seats (which, btw, are built to fit CHILDREN) But the do change the speakers … And blast reggaeton while they drive them like Richard Petty.

Also helped another captain replace his head gasket on a Volvo Penta MD2030. Something every boat owner should know how to do. It’s really not as hard as you’d think.

How to: Install solar panels on your sailboat

This is an in-depth video on how I installed my 300W solar system. I’m not advocating any particular vendor, just using what worked best for me. This keeps up with everything I need electricity-wise on my 38′ catamaran “Zingaro”. Charger: http://www.midnitesolar.com/pages/kid… Panels: http://www.hqsolarpower.com/HQST-100-… Let me know if this helps you out, I’d love to hear of your success! Also, if you’d like help with anything,a I’d be happy to lend a hand. 🙂

How To: Clean the carb on your generator

Having trouble with your generator? Running funny, or not at all? It’s probably gum the in the carburetor. In this video I show you how to clean it out so it runs like new again!!

Please keep in mind I’m not a pro-tech, please cunsult your manual before taking anything apart. I don’t know if this will void the warranty on new units or not!

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