Sampson Boat Co
patreon
Say hi to our newest crew-member (and SAVIOUR), Jake!
🕑 Added 2026-01-21 17:40:00 +0000 UTCIf you saw our last video you will know that we currently have an issue with one of the electric motors in our hybrid system - which means we can't charge our main battery bank.
However, we realised that if we had a shorter belt on board, we could just run ONE of the motors until we can pick up a replacement for the broken one in Panama.
I made a couple of calls, and against all odds a good friend of this project managed to source this unusual belt, at short notice, on a public holiday... then, finding that there were no guaranteed fast shipping options, he convinced his son to hop on a plane to Costa Rica to meet us!
Only a few days after the motor broke, Jake arrived with the belts in his bag to a very happy crew. We had never met him before, but we quickly realised that that as well as new belts we had also gained a friend and a valuable crew member!
We are very grateful to everyone involved :)
...next - fit the belt and get going.
Comments
Michel Bertoux
Leo you are a good sailor, and also a good leader... you can achieve great things.... Bravo!
James Miller
I like that you post an update every Saturday, even if it isn’t a video.
Kurt Lysne
Maybe you made an engineering design error by relying on a single source electrical service? Incorporating a genset and split inverter setup may have been better?
Michael Ottenbruch
Leo, you have built a community that gives hope that even nowadays not everything is as lost as it seems. Thank you for that!
Tom and Barbie McEwen
Good man! I hope you will have a stock of belts, with spare ones around the drive shaft so that they can be fitted without any taking the drive train apart.
Til Henze
… the power of an amazing community!!!!!
MN Healey
If I show up with ale & cookies, can I join too? 😉
Bruce the Moose
Hi Jake, welcome aboard!
George Tibbetts
Is Jake a close relative, Leo? The resemblance it there from the hair to the smile on both your faces!
Nick DiJulio
A big welcome to Jake! Now that the Canal transit is imminent, Leo, I am wondering if the authorities (government?) will allow you to fly your drone during the transit? A drone's views of that could be very spectacular, no es verdad?
