Chapter 688 - 301: Z-Pattern Wave Navigation Method (Part 2)

This all tests Li Younan’s judgment as the captain.

Initially, Qin Yue intended to steer the yacht himself, but Li Younan didn’t give him the chance to showcase his skills.

And being a former soldier, his professional habits made him follow Li Younan’s orders without any hesitation.

After sailing this way for over ten minutes, the wind speed continued to increase, soon reaching level 8, with the swell height exceeding three meters.

Li Younan immediately gave the order: "Activate the ballast water control system, inject 20 tons of seawater into the left ballast tank, discharge 5 tons from the right, maintaining a side-to-side tank difference of no more than three tons."

Subsequently, Li Younan saw the yacht had sailed into the narrow channel between Dongji Island and Miaozihu Island, where wave overlap appeared in some regions.

Li Younan said decisively, "I’ll steer."

Qin Yue paused, hesitated a bit, but eventually gave way and let Li Younan take the helm.

Li Younan’s eyes were fixated on the changing wave formations, making minor adjustments every time a wave approached the vessel.

Qin Yue watched in some amazement at Li Younan’s micro-adjustments, as when the windward lateral waves were about to strike the ship’s side, Li Younan could precisely angle the vessel for a slight smooth slide along the wave, reducing rolling; and once the wave passed, he could return to the original course with equal precision.

Meanwhile, Li Younan’s commands were continuously transmitted through the command system to the engine room, synchronously adjusting the ship’s ballast.

As the wind and waves got stronger, Li Younan’s mood became more composed.

This is because the longer he steered, the more the skills he acquired from practice brought him a feeling of unity with the vessel.

Next to him, Qin Yue grew increasingly astonished.

Because... Li Younan’s navigation posture was truly too graceful.

Li Younan’s stance at the helm remained relaxed.

Qin Yue noticed Li Younan’s hands lightly grasped the steering wheel, unlike how he tightly gripped it before.

Even now, as the wind and waves intensified, Li Younan’s gaze became calmer, his command delivery more steady, with evenly timed intervals between each directive.

This meant all of Li Younan’s directions were confidently planned.

Qin Yue previously thought he had the ability to be the captain, and indeed he thought so, being the first mate on this vessel, while Li Younan was the ship owner, and the captain seemed like a nominal position.

However, it was Li Younan’s displayed abilities at this moment that truly made him understand that Li Younan was surprisingly skilled in vessel maneuvering.

Yet he inevitably wondered: isn’t experience more crucial for a captain? How is Li Younan doing it?

In steering the ship, Li Younan also used the opportunity to assess other crew members’ capabilities and qualities.

Most surprising to him was the chief engineer, Old Chen, who always checked the main engine status report one minute in advance, requiring no instructions.

Meanwhile, Qin Yue honestly took on the lookout’s role, and during bends, his alerts and Li Younan’s operational predictions were virtually synchronized without any delay or redundant instruction.

This sailing experience was exceedingly flawless, indicating that everyone onboard had formed an orderly whole.

Qin Yue couldn’t have imagined that despite it being the first voyage and facing such windy and wavy conditions, the crew coordinated so seamlessly, filling him with confidence for the journey ahead.

Though the waves grew larger and the wind stronger, soon exceeding level 9, instead the vessel became more stable.

At this moment, Li Younan noticed a shattered white wave zone ahead, with wave heights suddenly increased by nearly a meter.

Without waiting for Qin Yue’s lookout alert, Li Younan preemptively adjusted the course, simultaneously reducing speed to 6 knots.

Qin Yue’s alert was stuck deep in his throat, and subsequently, the vessel’s hull sliced through the edge of the white wave zone without a single bump.

In his mind appeared the words "perfect operation."

Yes, perfect operations don’t require post facto remedies but preemptively mitigate risks.

Li Younan’s foresight ability was seriously sophisticated, fluid and without any superfluous maneuvers.

Looking again at the dashboard data, all critical data remained within ultra-safe thresholds, especially the roll angle, stabilized at two degrees since Li Younan took control.

It’s worth noting that even seasoned professional captains can usually only control within five degrees.

Qin Yue was still quite confident in his steering ability but considered himself able to control within only four degrees at best.

Now indeed amidst strong winds and waves, even with some areas having crosswaves of three to four meters, the hull maintained a slight tilt but without wobble.

Even the cup of coffee Li Younan brought up earlier rested steadily on the dashboard table without non-slip mats and didn’t slide off.

Above the sky, an industrial research drone was capturing this scene: as the vessel slanted on the wave face, the spray smoothly slid down the wave guard on the gunwale, forming a neat white waterline, the entire vessel’s posture seemed as if gliding on wave crests rather than cruising through them.

A lookout aboard one of the research ships was also somewhat amazed: "The helmsman of this ship is quite skilled, this Z-shaped trajectory is practically textbook-like, in my 20-plus years I’ve never seen a 55-meter yacht maintain such stability under these sea conditions."