This is why I appreciate your content so much James. Nothings exaggerated or dramatized. You don’t try to show us anything other than the truth. Sometimes you’re in a beautiful location and everything is peaceful and amazing. Other times you’re stuck in a rough sea state with a broken tiller. As someone currently saving for a boat of my own, I appreciate you tremendously for allowing me to experience sailing vicariously through your videos.

When sailing turns into surfing 🏄‍♂️ 🤠

As for action, the spectacular lighting and color of both sea and sky makes this one of your most gorgeous thrillers --- expertly handled!!! Beautiful film

Yep, here in NZ you just need to say “ crossing Cook Strait” for the crowd to go quiet… nice work James, it’s a beast that’s easily roused..

Watching with my kids, you had us on the edge of our seats ✌️

Your peaceful understanding of the situation you are in and your total calmness pronounces you as a Great Shipman

" I will never make that mistake again" - boy have we all been there before 😂 BS makes skilled sailors - nice job working it out

THAT’S why they pay you the big bucks, Captain! 😉 Outstanding outcome!

James this content was literally nail biting!!!!

Well done, brother. NZ sailing is a tough call sometimes, and you just earned more stripes. Us kiwis can relate

Epic episode. Rugged conditions, survival measures and repairs. Awesome work my friend.

Love your energy through the sketchy swells & breakage!! It’s all in the person & you sir are a stellar sailor!! I’m sure the real life experience was intense & you, SOLO… had it in you to film it while fixing it!! To our crossing on the blue!! Be blessed & continue to inspire!!!

That was a helluva great episode!! I couldn't believe that you kept filming while dealing with your situation!! You amaze me! 😄

It never shows up on camera, but I can tell those conditions were a shitshow! Well done captain and carpenter.

Blown away by your footage of those rough seas. Maybe your most dramatic and gorgeous video yet. Just wow.

Your best content mate, raw grit, adapt overcome.

James, That was absolutely incredible.

I always fantasize about the sail life, then get these reminders I’m not built for it 😅

now THIS is what captains are made of!! my respect for you is even higher than it already was, James! your grit and ability to deal with stressful situations is astounding (also, hydrovane for MVP!!)

Crazy conditions and a dangerous situation handled expertly.

Watching this from my leaky tent during a storm in Florida. Makes me realize I need to stop complaining. I could be at sea with no way to steer!

Great to see Vagan in a couple of shots at the beginning. You are not the first to get in trouble coming into Queen Charlotte Sound. Wind Funnel is crazy.

You're a lightening fast analytical thinker, and as someone else here said, 'with guts of steel'. Oh god, that was intense.

Wild!!!!!!

Your channel has inspired me to do the same as you and I can’t wait to begin my wild journey sailing around the world. Fair winds and following seas!

You are cool under pressure.

"25-30. Supposed to be 15". LOL we have a saying in the Sounds 'Norswesterly; variable 50'. And if the forecast is ever 'variable 10' that just means that the forecast (or hindcast) will vary every 10 mins. The wind in the Sounds can come from anywhere, anytime at pretty much any strength... Nice work.

Reminds me when you lost steering , with a broken rudder , Always impressed on your ability to work under pressure, bloody good sailer

Well played recovering from the broken tiller - especially so close to land!! It's a reminder to us all about always having a Plan B at the ready. I have wheel steering ... if one of the steering cables broke in that same situation, I'd have to quickly install my emergency tiller (attaches the rudder head via a panel in the cockpit floor) ... your video makes me realize I'm gonna want that unit ready at all times when near near land - not stowed on a semi-accessible shelf in the quarter berth where it is now 😕

After watching this - I definitely picked the wrong week to quit biting my nails. Holy blow.

That’s one hell of a Hydro Vane ad..glad you guys alright

Wow! Very impressed by how you manage to handle that extremely stressful situation! "Live" update as well! Inspiring!

James, Wow! Quite the rollers entering. Thank goodness for the hydro.. I've had to use a 2x4 for a tiller ;) Thank you for keeping it real. Be well.

In the Cook Strait area, it can blow like a mad banshee... Great sailing when the boat is not a little bit busted up... Great pictures...

go james, great example that on long sea voyages you need to have a "spare everything"...AND the skills to make-do

I feel kind of terrible I enjoyed this so much! Your misfortune definitely provides great viewing and also grateful to you for sharing your experiences so that if I ever face a similar situation I will have your experience to draw on. Ngā mihi and kia kaha.

And thats why i follow your example and install a hydrovane on my boat. Glad to see all went well, and you were able to fix it next day. Best of lucks James !

Wow. You're an. amazing sailor.. looks like you were flying super fast through those white caps then chaos which you fixed. Awesome how beautiful blue the ocean is there

You are the man. exciting to watch, You had my attention when you were hanging over the Stern Working to get control of your Sailboat. Good job, captain.

Good effort skipper. Interesting to watch you in a “situation”…..have been, like most sailors, in these moments and was good to see you pause and think carefully for few moments, then act. That pause moment while sails are flowing or rocks are getting closer is the bit that experience brings: what’s urgent, what’s important, what’s the real risk. Good on you for showing that well.

Way to keep your cool in a difficult situation.

As someone who has spent a lot of time near the Cook Strait and crossed it many times on the passenger ferries, it always demands respect. 13kt can become 30kt very quickly, and near a bluff it's often faster. Sea state can change just as quickly. I used to sail an 18ft-er with my dad, and things would go wrong, as they always do. I admire your calm, because I know what 'not-calm' looks like. I was extremely glad when you were able to get away from land. Had you been closer it could have been very serious. Another day, another set of experiences under the belt!

Well my opinion on this is great job. Like everything you do in life. It throws a curve ball sometimes.. was awesome to see your intelligence overcome that obstacle great inspiration for obstacles that do happen

Thst is awesome seamanship. Thank you for sharing. I still don't know how you managed to install the hydro vane tiller with all that water pressure from the wave action. but you managed to do it. I was on the edge of my chair watching you do that. Glad you made it to the mooring safely. Your sailing exploits are really terrific for a lake sailor like myself.

Well done James. Top job. Marlborough Sounds can be a bit of a bugger at times. Last time I came into Queen Charlotte sound the weather was very much the same as what you had but our tiller didn't break. It is hard to describe how big those waves are and how rough that area gets. Well done on a great bit of seaman ship. 🐟

Yikes!! That went downhill and got scary really fast! I've been a fan forever (used to love your jaunts out to Catalina) so I knew you would stay calm and work through even the worst of it, but you were moving pretty fast trying to get Wanda Jean hooked up - LOL. Great job as always - you never disappoint!

Wow. That was one of the most legitimate captures of danger I’ve seen on video in real time. That was serious danger and could have ended in disaster. You kept calm and did a great job handling it. Also the music as you navigated those crazy waves was some good editing. Jeesh.

Loving your videos! It probably doesn't need to be said, but never underestimate the Cook Strait!

You know it's a bad day at the office when you drop the F word lol

The color of those huge swells is amazing. Great film, James. This is why your adventuring is the best.

It's blowing 25 to 30 constant... it was supposed to be 13. Must have been a weekend! James, once again you are one hell of a mariner.

Haha!Nice one, mate!! And I'm worried about picking up my swinging mooring solo in the confines of Poole Harbour, southern England in over 20 kts! Good job, brother!

Sounds sailing!!! 10 t0 40 knots in the blink of the eye. not for the faint hearted.

Yr a bloody legend James nice work mate great recovery !!

One of yr best posts! It aint all.plain sailing. Hope u got to see Cooks stream where he sourced his fresh water. Recommend Cpt Cooks diary audio books describing this part of the world. Harae ra

Now that got the blood pumping a James , Cook Strait bits again. I've crossed a few times in a 34ft MS and HUNDREDS of times on the ferry, even the ferry has healed over in Queen Charlotte Sound in a good blow, as you would know "Mr WIND" really can pick up over them big hills. Great to see you still had time/balls to film it. Cheers from MS Matakana.

Another great episode mate, exciting sailing conditions and bravo on keeping calm and controlling the situation. 👏 Got to love the weather forecasts 😂😂far winds mate

Welcome to the Sounds, the gustiest sailing on the planet. Never, never raise full sail.

Hi games, wow what a crazy rodeo that was felt like I need to jump through the screen to help you and had me on the edge of my seat. Anyway glad you’re safe brother keep up the good work. Love the videos from Queensland Australia

Wow James that some of the nastiest waves Ive seen you go through! I know the camera doesn't do it justice. You handled the tiller break well also. Cheers Captain 🍻⛵

the video of you hanging off the stern reminds me on a near identical video I shot of my friend holding the legs of the skipper an a warrior 34 when he was bolting a cabin door onto the hydro vane with u clamps after the hydrovane rudder dropped off and our main rudder had seized 200 nm off Portugal on our way to Madeira. we had to heave to 3 more times and rebolt the door an a different corner as the door delaminated, still got us 400 NM without using anymore cabin doors.

Total respect for James, wow that was stressful even to watch. Hats off to

Great footage and thanks for bringing us along! My adrenaline was pumping!

Massive props for filming through that. That took some serious nerve. Scary stuff. Skill & more than a little luck but that's how it works. Well done.

A little TOO thrilling, James! I am very impressed by your calmness in the situation. I would very likely have freaked out..

Don't remember seeing Triteia surrounded by so much white water. Pretty gnarly.

That was incredible, lessons learned is correct, great job of not losing your mind & getting control of your boat 👍

Absolutely brilliant James. Raw sailing.

Im glad You werent stressed, because I spent most of this video yelling Damn! repeatedly. I hope you had calmer winds leaving. 13=30 yeesh.

Merci!

James! That was freaking insane!!! Way to keep your cool though. You didn’t turtle and worked the problem till you were safe. Ever since your Hawaii rudder fail, I have been hyper fixated on getting a hydrovane. Even before you got one. I just felt like the redundancy of a spare tiller and rudder made it a no brainer. But after this video, if every captain isn’t actively saving for a Hydrovane, they are stupid;) Anyway, another epic video.

Great video, looks like an exciting leg. Santa Cruz!

Great job managing and overcoming a scary situation!

Just wow.

Hi James.. phew man your good. Improvisation adaptation and guts of steel top man. Love your channel man. Have subscribed. Take care bud. Good job. Dave and catherine. U.k.

You were very very lucky the lords not ready for you yet. Your tiller should be made of Hardwood, with an already fitted spare. Jolly good seamanship no panic, well done.

Nice work!

Wow, I was impressed how you managed that situation! Much love bro

Wow I’m impress with your skills and your ability to remain calm yet alert.

Dude! Always fun stuff with you. I got to spend a passage with you man, I need excitement. Hahaha Yeah Captain James!!!

Way to stay calm‼️I was losing it just watching from the safety of my sofa!!! 😱‼️ Can’t wait for more adventures with your Rhonda!!! ❤️

Rudder gone - sorted. Tiller gone - sorted. You are ticking all the "OH SH*T" boxes that are the stuff of sailor nightmares. Thanks for giving us all a preview of what can happen and what to do about it! For you it's not "fixing boats in exotic locations", instead it's "fixing boats on the way to exotic locations". Much harder work! What's next on the gonna-break list? ^_^ I hope it's all smooth sailing for you. Thanks for awesome videos.

Whoa doggy! What a helluva ride!

Love your Aura man... huge fan of your videos. Keep up the content brother. Sending good vibes from Iowa!

Well done bro you never know with our weather her in nz good one day shit the next .I do appreciate your correct pronunciation of our Maori names much respect bro

Excellent episode. Around Cape Jackson an incoming tide flows out, west towards Tasman Bay, and an outgoing tide flows in, towards Tory Chanel, so back to front to what you expect. Wind against tide, as here, normally to be avoided. I go around 2 boat lengths out from the point, missing most of the turbulence. Bit late to tell you now so well done.

Most awesome Man. Greatest respect and totally humbled by his journey

Love the Santa Cruz hat James 🤘🏼man that was a rough watch I can’t imagine how choppy that must have been now you have another great story to tell

Great job hanging on to her James. Nice work buddy. Way to move!!!

Gut wrenching! Thank f*ck for Hydrovane.

Glad you got control back, it’s never just one thing, and in this particular situation it’s stunning how quick things got progressively worse simultaneously, wind, waves, boat speed and the coast getting closer. Please try not to scare the holy crap out of us, please, I know and am pretty sure you’ll never get yourself caught in a situation like this again. Stay safe and keep doing what you’re doing! Fair winds to you sir.👍🏼

Great sailing and save. You could of course fix it so the tiller never breaks but that means the gimbal will be the breaking point. Might be better to make a socket for the 'stick' so a couple of bolts, poke in the replacement. The S curve laminated wood shouldn't be that difficult to make. I don't think it's steam bent. You can make as many laminate layers as needed to get it to bend easily. I'd glue it with epoxy and if there's some glass between a couple of the layers, it might not be as pretty, but it'll never split. (Do keep in mind epoxy is stronger than the wood, but that just means if the wood swells it pops off the epoxy leaving the top layer of wood behind.) You could shave down the end of old one, insert a plug for the split and holes, and then put a carbon fiber sleeve over the top. then add more heavy filler. Sleeves are great. Just get it oversized. They pull and push bigger and smaller like Chinese fingercuffs. Lesson for me.: Get off my ass and use my Hydrovane. Also figure out how to put on the rudder while underway. & a stick autopilot came with my boat, but I have no idea if it's ever been set up. Time to find out.

That was intense. Even though I knew you had to have survived it because I'm watching the video from it, it was pretty suspenseful.

super work bra

nicely saved!! Im a little disappointed tho, that you havent had to swim ashore to find a branch. Then hew it for your new tiller..keep posting and I'll keep watching. Nice one!!

Well done mate you are a weapon. You can survive anything! Keep up the great footage it’s the best.

You are good at mitigating/navigating unforseen circumstances. Been a while since I stopped by your channel. Glad to see you're still out there living the dream. I remember when you did the first sit down with Sam Holmes. You said then that you would be doing a circumnavigation. I never doubted you for a second. Though I did think for a moment that trio to Hawaii may change your mind. 😂

You are major inspiration in my life

Great work and great content James. Thank you for sharing! Take care, John

You rocked it! Well done.