Offshore Sailing and Cruising with Paul Trammell
Interviews with offshore sailors and those in the industry sharing exciting stories and useful information so we can better enjoy and better prepare for our own adventures.
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Bouncing Back from Losing a Boat, Dave and Beth Mortell, Sailing Life Warriors
10/19/2026
Bouncing Back from Losing a Boat, Dave and Beth Mortell, Sailing Life Warriors
After many years of preparation, Dave and Beth Mortell bought a catamaran and took off with their daughter Landon and their two dogs. But tragedy struck early and they lost their boat to a fire in The Bahamas. Instead of giving up the dream, they bounced back, bought a Leopard 45 and took off from Florida again, sailing the Caribbean, Panama, and the South Pacific. They were in New Caledonia when I interviewed them. We talk about New Caledonia, clearing in to the Loyalty Islands, Sail Time and learing to sail, starting a boat fund with $200, kids on a boats, homeschooling, international travel, getting rid of stuff in order to leave land for good, monohulls and catamarans, comfort vs speed, if boats have souls, sailing with a schedule, working with a weather router, heaving-to in a catamaran, heavy weather, a boat that hit a whale and sank, life rafts, loosing their first catamaran to a fire, deciding to buy another boat and try again, bouncing back, confidence, kid boats, finding your people, making friends while cruising, loneliness and community, favorite passages, finding growth outside our comfort zones, and more. Photos and links are on the Support the show through Shop for or sell sailboats at Get marine electrical help from Shop LED navigation lights at
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Colm Walker, Pacific Mexico to France, The Mental Components of Sailing Offshore
10/12/2026
Colm Walker, Pacific Mexico to France, The Mental Components of Sailing Offshore
Colm Walker was signed up to race in the Golden Globe Race (GGR), but was not able to make the start. He was in Mexico the last time he was on the show, then sailed to Panama, through the canal, and all the way to France, solo and nonstop, in his Tayana 37. We talk about the GGR competitors, Matthew Wright's Galicia a Galicia circumnavigation, the mental strain of being stuck in light air, sailing through squalls, suffering from the desire to be somewhere else, his decision not to do the GGR (this year), sailing into the Sitran fleet on his way in to Les Sables d'Olonne, leaks in his boat, plans to do the 2030 GGR, the Golden Globe Race family, solitude, solo sailing - who enjoys it and who does not, GGR history, the point at which we feel the exhale, the passage from Mexico to Panama, sailing with an incomplete sail wardrobe, building confidence offshore, the Panama Canal, using an agent to transit the canal, the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, Guy Waites, the pass/fail mental aspect of the GGR, his passage from Panama through the Caribbean and on to France, the Windward Passage, Cuba, rough weather, sailing downwind, slowing down and dealing with difficult situations, lightning, navigation, celestial navigation, sailing without modern instruments, different reasons people enjoy sailing, a solar eclpise, listening to the boat, letting the boat swing, the zen of sailing offshore, meditation, letting go of attachment and suffering, preparing mentally for long offshore passanges like the GGR, having an external dialogue with yourself, the importance of not rushing, Spain and Portugal, a dream boat, the Mini Globe Race, and more.
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The Mental Strain of Solo Sailing, GGR Compilation
10/05/2026
The Mental Strain of Solo Sailing, GGR Compilation
The Golden Globe Race (GGR) is underway again. Many of the skippers from past and present races have been on the podcast. In this episode, I have made a compilation of past GGR racers talking about the mental strain of the race, storms, and other difficult situations. Included are Ertan Beskardes, Guy Waites, Simon Curwen, Kirsten Neuschafer, Elliot Smith, and Pat Lawless. Photos and links are on the Support the show through Shop for or sell sailboats at Get marine electrical help from Shop LED navigation lights at
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Ambre Hasson, Sailing Solo Across the Atlantic in the 2025 Mini Transat and Returning in a Class 40
09/28/2026
Ambre Hasson, Sailing Solo Across the Atlantic in the 2025 Mini Transat and Returning in a Class 40
Ambre Hasson learned to sail in 2020, then after owning a small cruising boat, she decided to train for the Mini Transat. She got the ball rolling, but lost her boat while qualifying for the 2023 Mini Transat race. Ambre persisted, got a new boat, prepared it, qualified, and completed the 2025 Mini Transat. She then sailed acrtoss the Atlatic back to France, her home country, in a Class 40. We talk about the 2025 Mini Transat, hiding from a hurricane in Peniche, Portugal, whales, hand-steering, tuning your autopilot, hand-steering pros and cons, why planing boats don't use windvane autopilots, beautiful moments on the ocean, the stars and bioluminescense, getting in tune with the weather, predicting wind shifts, squalls, thermal winds, clouds, sailing from Martinique back to France in the winter, comparing the mini 6.50 to a class 40, sailing two-handed, hallucinations, a visit from JarJar Binks, symptoms of sleep deprivation, losing her boat on the rocks in 2023 and lessons learned, and more. Photos and links are on the Sail in New England with List or browse sailboats on Shop tankless dive systems from Shop sailing navigation lioghts from
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Tim Skillman,"Looped," Sailing in Search of a Mid-Life Awakening
09/21/2026
Tim Skillman,"Looped," Sailing in Search of a Mid-Life Awakening
Tim Skillman is a long-time sailor and author of "Looped: from the Staits of Mackinac to the Bitter End," a book about his mid-life-crisis journey from the Great Lakes down the Illinois, Ohio, Tennessee and Tombigbee rivers to the Gulf of Mexico and on to the Virgin Islands on a Cheoy Lee 53. We talk about growing up racing small boats in Michigan, buying an Erickson 46, the secret to not getting burned out on maintaining a boat, lunch with Richard Branson, meeting his future wife on the beach, the journey down from the great lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, walking away from his career and family, dealing with the locks and river traffic, why he avoided the Missisippi River, entering the Gulf of Mexico, Key West, crossing the bank between Key West and Nassua, sailing to a foreign country for the first time, a shark encounter while spearfishing in The Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, guns on the boat, the Virgin Islands, an awakening, the San Blas Islands, the Guna people, aliens, and more. Photos and links are on the Support the show through Shop for or sell sailboats at Sail in New England / Canada with Get marine electrical help from Shop LED navigation lights at
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Sailing around New York City, Maintenance, Licensing and Operating an Offshore Charter Business, Capt. Ryan Rayfield, Sail Libra
09/14/2026
Sailing around New York City, Maintenance, Licensing and Operating an Offshore Charter Business, Capt. Ryan Rayfield, Sail Libra
Captain Ryan Rayfield runs , an offshore sailing charter operation aboard a 60' ketch built in 1969 by Abeking & Rasmussen and designed by William H. Tripp Jr. Based in Newport, RI. They sail around New England, to Bermuda, to the Caribbean, and will sail to the Azores and Portugal in 2027. Ryan is a USCG-licensed STCW A-2 Internationally endorsed captain. We talk about sailing from Newport around Long Island Sound and New York City, the East River closure when the UN is in session, anchoring in NYC, a failure of the exhaust anti-siphoning valve and fixing the resulting problem with water in the engine, champagne sailing, flying a spinnaker, racing vs cruising, sail changes, roller furling, dealing with the general public and taking them aboard, sailing upwind (or not), maintaining a 60' offshore sailboat, licensing required for an offshore charter operation, STCW certification, whether or not you need a USCG license to operate a charter operation in a foreign country, other certifications, chartering laws, endorsements, insurance, openings for Bermuda to St. Thomas, orcas, and more. Photos and links are on the Sail in New England with List or browse sailboats on Shop tankless dive systems from Shop sailing navigation lioghts from
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Pure Yachts, Jan von der Bank, Top-Shelf High-Performance Aluminum Cruising Yachts
09/07/2026
Pure Yachts, Jan von der Bank, Top-Shelf High-Performance Aluminum Cruising Yachts
Pure Yachts is a new German shipyard based in Kiel, northern Germany, building high-performance aluminum cruising yachts featuring hydraulic-lift keel systems, modern planing hull lines, and the use of lightweight composite materials for the interior components. Their boats use the highest quality aluminium and top-shelf components to make them long lasting, secure and fit for world-wide bluewater cruising and high-latitude expeditions. We talk about sailing in the Baltic Sea, the details of the yachts they build, custom hatches, precision design and boat building, boat performance in various conditions, the advantages of fast high-performance boats, their design philosophy and market niche, the expected lifespan of a Pure Yacht, things owners need to know about aluminum boats, the portlights, bulkheads (or not), construction of the aluminum hull, the lifting keel, dual rudders, drying out, customization, and more. Photos and links are on the Support the show through Shop for or sell sailboats at Sail in New England / Canada with Get marine electrical help from Shop LED navigation lights at
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Richard and Judith Crigan, Spain, the Balearics, Sailing Naturally in the Mediterranean
08/31/2026
Richard and Judith Crigan, Spain, the Balearics, Sailing Naturally in the Mediterranean
Richard and Judith sail a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 410. They were on the show in June of 2025 and have a YouTube Chanel "Sailing Helios" and a Vimeo chanel "Sailing Helios Naturally," where they may or may not be clothed. Richard and Judith were in Cartagen, Spain when I spoke with them, and we talk about Cartagena and the marina, learning foreign languages, the people and culture in Spain, whether to stay longer in the Med or go to the Caribbean, the pros and cons of visiting new places vs familiar places, the Balearics, Air B&B and how it's changed the tourism industry, storms in the Med, a windlass problem, dragging anchor in a storm, ditching the anchor to save the boat, an angle grinder, the friendliest people, dinghies, outboards both gasoline and electric, watermakers, induction stoves, Lookout mast cameras, Sailproof tablets, Smartboatia, their YouTube channel, their OnlyFans channel, and more. Support the show through Links and Photos are at Shop dinghy lights at Sail with Shop or list sailboats at Shop tankless dive systems at
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Olivia Wyatt, Namibia, the Skeleton Coast, and Seven Years of Bliss on a Panda 34
08/24/2026
Olivia Wyatt, Namibia, the Skeleton Coast, and Seven Years of Bliss on a Panda 34
You might remember Olivia Wyatt from . She sails a Robert Perry Panda 34 solo and has been sailing around the world visiting remote places and documenting indigenous people in her . We talk about Namibia and why she loves it, the magical landscape, the wildlife, Walvis Bay, language, clearing in to various countries, a roller-furling problem and how she dealt with it, foul weather in the Indian Ocean, locking the wheel while using the Hydrovane, a spirit that lives in her boat, guiding voices, freediving, nitrogen narcosis, the lemurs of madagascar, sailing solo and when a second person would be ideal, The Golden Globe Race and her alternate plan, the indigenous people of Namibia, a proposition from a chief, the friendliest people, the places she would live if she had to pick from places she has been, modifications and additions she has made to her boat, her Hydrovane, a UFO sighting, alien abductions, finding adventure every day, why she chose to back out of the GGR, seven years of bliss, cold water, and more. Photos and links are on the Support th show through Shop for or sell sailboats at Sail in New England / Canada with Sail California / Hawaii with Get marine electrical help from
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Diana Vega, First Mate in The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race
08/17/2026
Diana Vega, First Mate in The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race
Diana Vega was the first mate aboard Team UNICEF in the 2025-2026 Clipper Round The Wolrd Yacht Race, a circumnavigation on one-design 70' ocean racing yachts with professional skippers and amateur crew. Diana grew up sailing in Cowes, started sailing professionally during the pandemic, and went on to crew in the Solent and Caribbean. She co-skippered the Clipper Race with skipper Guy Waites. The race started in Portsmouth, UK, then stopped in Spain, Uruguay, South Africa, West Australia, East Australia, The Phillipines, China, South Korea, Seattle, Panama, Washington DC, Scotland, and back to Portsmouth. We talk about completing the race and what it was like to finish, the accomplishment of circumnavigating and taking 50 amateur crew safely around the world, an injury and medical evacuation during heavy weather off Japan, a rogue wave, tethers, their sail wardrobe, safety, when to clip in with a tether, things she learned from her skipper Guy Waites, the crew, the stars, how sailing humbles us, the mysterious green flash, UFO's, hand-steering, not helming to the instruments, the North Pacific, books, heavy weather, the Bay of Biscay, future sailing plans, cruising vs racing, navigating the high-traffic of the South China Sea, dealing with fleets of fishing boats, transfering to another boat, managing a crew, and more. Support the show through Links and Photos are at Shop tankless dive systems at Shop dinghy lights at Sail with Shop or list sailboats at
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Cruising Cuba
08/10/2026
Cruising Cuba
MIke and Danielle live aboard their Catalina 34 in La Paz Mexico. They recently bought another boat, a 1999 Catalina 42, in Virginia and sailed her to Panama, where I met them. On the way, they were forced to stop in Cuba to fix their motor and were able to explore and cruise a bit. We talk about their boat, Panama, poisonous snakes, immigration in the US and the current political climate, discovering surf breaks, sailing down the US East Coast, sailing to Cuba, entering and clearing in to Cuba, the Cuban people, the embargo, politics, Castro, propaganda, Cuban fishermen, generosity, home-made boats, spearfishing for sharks, lobster, Mexico, and more. Photos and links are on the Shop for or sell sailboats at Sail in New England / Canada with Sail California / Hawaii with Get marine electrical help from
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Exploring Alaska with Allison and James
08/03/2026
Exploring Alaska with Allison and James
Allison and James bought a Catalina 30 just a few years ago, taught themselves how to sail, and took off to explore Alaska. We talk about meeting and deciding to make plans to buy a boat, learn to sail, and explore Alaska by boat; their boat, a 1979 Catalina 30, Uintah; going from an airstream to a sailboat, setting sailing goals, learning by the school of hard knocks, wheel vs tiller, towing the sailboat by rowing a dinghy, sinking and on fire, Desolation Sound, making the call to go on the first adventure, solar and batteries, lifting the anchor without a windlass, sheet-to-tiller steering, hand steering, foulweather gear, sailing around glacial ice, anchoring in deep water and stern-tying, challenging anchorages, orcas, bears, an encounter with a grizzly bear, their dream boat, and more. Support the show through Links and Photos are at Shop dinghy lights at Sail with Shop or list sailboats at
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Sailing a Norseman 447 from Florida to The Bahamas and Panama, Brendan and Channel Moore
07/27/2026
Sailing a Norseman 447 from Florida to The Bahamas and Panama, Brendan and Channel Moore
Brendan and Channel Moore live aboard and sail a Norseman 447. They recently sailed from Florida to The Bahamas and on to Panama. We talk about sailing across the Gulf Stream to The Bahamas, a leaking hatch, clearing in to The Bahamas in Great Cay - Berry Islands, other islands in The Berrys, fishing, the new fishing permit in The Bahamas, sharks, the San Blas islands, barracudas, trouble with the starter, a fierce squall while at anchor, trouble at Highbourne Cay, anchoring and scope, setting 2 anchors, sailing from Great Inagua to Panama in June, losing the autopilot, trees and fishing gear in the water, big seas in the Caribbean Sea, scary moments, a whisker-pole incident, dream boats, selecting a boat, dream upgrades, and more. photos and links are on the support the show through shop or sell a sailboat at get electrical help at sail New England and Canada with sail California/Hawaii with to sail on Galiana with Tapio Lehtinen email Paul Trammell at and put "sailing" in the subject line
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Brian Hathaway, Circumnavigating on a Hunter 44DS
07/20/2026
Brian Hathaway, Circumnavigating on a Hunter 44DS
Brian Hathaway was in Marina del Rey, California, where he left from in February 2022 at the beginning of his circumnavigation, during this intervierw, after completing a circumnavigation on his Hunter 44 DS. We talk about how a circumnavigation changes you, what it's like to complete one, readjusting to life in civilization, staying at a marina in California vs Mexico, haul-out facilities, an incident with a crazy doc worker at a marina, choosing a Hunter to circumnavigate and all the doubters, the pros and cons of a production boat, running warps, drogues, weather routing, weather forecasting, squalls, lightning, sailing in the Gulf Stream, crossing the Panama Canal, the Las Perlas islands, Golfito Costa Rica, insurance, the peril of disregarding the laws in foreign countries, we debate about tethers, EPIRB's and PLB's, other safety gear, a problem with the rubrail, the importance of officially finishing the circumnavigation, finding happiness, meditation, anxiety, love of sailing, and more. links and photos are on the support the show through sail New England and Canada with shop tankless dive systems at browse or list sailboats for sail at
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Gaurav Shinde, Lake Ontario, India, and a Life-Changing Shoulder Injury
07/13/2026
Gaurav Shinde, Lake Ontario, India, and a Life-Changing Shoulder Injury
Gaurav Shinde lives and sails on Lake Ontario in Toronto, Canada. He was entered in the 2022 GGR with "Good Hope," his Baba 35, but injured his shoulder on the way to France and had to drop out of the race. His need for adventure was cultivated by his late grandfather at a very early age, starting with climbing and hiking in the Western Ghats of India. Gaurav was introduced to sailing at the Sea Cadet Corps Training Ship Jawahar and found what he was born to do. After winning several offshore sailing championships in India, Gaurav decided to take on the challenge of the Clipper Round The World Yacht Race in 2013-14. He sailed on the Mission Performance team and was part of the team in their highest finishing position in the race. We talk about recovering from his shoulder injury that kept him out of the 2022 GGR, sailing in Bombay, racing on Lake Ontario, dealing with a broken jib halyard in a storm, making important decisions, adventure, what works on Lake Ontario, converting hisboat back to a family cruising yacht from a GGR boat, varnishing, sailing in India, his plans to sail to India, helping frineds get miles, the route from Toronto to India, the beauty of a forgiving boat, electronics, Starlink, the 2026 GGR and the skippers, dream boats, he tells the story of how he injured his shoulder before the 2022 GGR, finding the silver lining behind injuries, and more.
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James Banemalo, Sailing a Wharram Catamaran
07/06/2026
James Banemalo, Sailing a Wharram Catamaran
James sails a Wharram catamaran with two free-standing masts side-by-side and Chinese junk rigged. I met him in Bocas del Toro, Panama, and later in San Blas, in 2023. When I interviewed him, he was in Madeira. We talk about San Blas (Guna Yala) Panama, the jungle, leaving Panama without clearing out, arriving in Colombia without a zarpe from Panama, rescuing a friend, sailing from Panama to Colombia, squalls, Islas de Rosario, the boat Banemalo - a Wharram Tiki 46, what a Wharram is, tarred nylon line, sailing a junk rig, sailing the boat on different points of sail, tacking angle, the difficulty of sailing upwind in the boat, Cartagena, trading goods, meeting people, sailing north from Colombia, Jamaica, breaking a batten, Port Antonio - Jamaica, the Windward Passage, the Ragged Islands, running aground, the family of Wharram owners, building a doghouse on the deck, cooking without gas, Bermuda, the Azores, Galicia, Spain, extending his EU visa, Porto, Potrugal, a storm in the anchorage, dragging anchor, Madeira, almost losing the boat in a flood on a river, and more. Photos and links are on the Support the show through Shop for Sailboats at Shop for tankless dive systems at
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Matt Rutherford Circumnavigating the Arctic Solo, Nonstop, and Unassisted
06/29/2026
Matt Rutherford Circumnavigating the Arctic Solo, Nonstop, and Unassisted
Matt Rutherford set off from Aasiaat, Greenland June 25th in effort to circumnavigate the Arctic Ocean solo, nonstop, and unassisted in a Valiant 42 ketch. If he succeeds, he will be the first solo sailor to have done it in one season. Matt has been on the show twice before, and is still the only person to have circumnavigated the Americas solo and nonstop. We talk about Greenland and Assiat, the port, the people, his route around the Arctic, maximizing the motoring range of a sailboat, wind conditions in the Arctic summer, diesel engines, sleep, currents and ice, the Valiant 42, Baffin Bay, ice and fog, icebergs vs pack ice, fiberglass boats in the ice, ice trends in the Arctic, Russia and their territorial waters, Starlink, Irridium, ice charts, the spirit of exploration, storms in the Arctic, the importance of friends, dragging anchor, williwaws, and more. photos and links are on the support the show through shop for boats at get remote electrical help at sail California/Hawaii with
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Ollie Bergquist, The Beginning of a Circumnavigation on a Contessa 32
06/22/2026
Ollie Bergquist, The Beginning of a Circumnavigation on a Contessa 32
Ollie Bergquist recently sailed his Contessa 32 from California to Hawaii solo and plans to continue on around the world. We talk about Hawaii, arriving at a city after a long passage alone, learning to sail, preparing for the journey, learning on a Laser, YouTube favorites, books, the Contessa 32, the Dufour Arpege, the 1979 Fastnet, Fiji, California, sailing offshore for the first time, sailing from British Columbia to California, learning the Hydrovane, developing the confidence to pull the trigger and buy a boat and take her on a long journey as a novice, sleeping while offshore, autopilots, electronics, safety, seasickness, loneliness and solitude, Starlink, making videos during a passage, Matt Rutherford and his coming attempt to cirumnavigate the Arctic, the cold, fishing, taking on water, dolphins, catching a buoy on the Hydrovane, expectations, making landfall, heaving-to, destinations, dream boat, perfect moments offshore, freedom, and more. Links and photos are on the Support the show through List or shop sailboats at
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Antigua to Nassau on Galiana with the crew: Jillian Feberwee, Nick Tait, William Edelman, and Michael Youngling
06/15/2026
Antigua to Nassau on Galiana with the crew: Jillian Feberwee, Nick Tait, William Edelman, and Michael Youngling
Jillian Feberwee, Nick Tait, William Edelman, and Michael Youngling sailed with Tapio Lehtinen aboard Galiana, his 1972 Swan 55 yawl from Antigua to Nassau, The Bahamas. We talk about what everyone hoped to get out of the passage, Galiana and other sailboats, sailing with and learning from Tapio, highlights of the passage, fishing, hand steering, seasickness and getting over it, sailing downwind at 9 knots, preparing for the trip in Antigua, cooking in the galley, difficult situations, comparing Galiana to other boats, sails, the Swan's companionway, sail trim, swimming in deep water, reefing, working with and getting along with a crew, a Spanish ghost, not having cell service, goals, singlehanding, dream boat, wildlife, and more. Photos and links are on the Support the show through If you are interested in sailing on Galiana in her upcoming passages, email paulwtrammell at hotmail.com and put sailing in the subject line
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Ertan Beskardes, GGR and MGR Competitor
06/08/2026
Ertan Beskardes, GGR and MGR Competitor
Ertan Beskardes is a lifelong sailor entered in the 2026 Golden Gobe Race. He recently completed the Mini Globe Race, in which he circumnavigated in a 19' Class Globe 5.80 sailboat. He started both the 2018 and 2022 Golden Globe Races, but retired in each. His GGR boat is a Rustler 36, formerly Matmut, Jean Luc Van Den Heede's winning boat form the 2018 GGR. He also sails a Jenneau Sun Odyssey 33. We talk about the difficulty of being suddenly disconnected from all communication with family in the Golden Globe Race, learing through experience, an electrical fire, the Mini Globe Race, Starlink, beautiful moments, getting into harbors with inadequate motors, the new one-way broadcast-only Starlink in the coming GGR, cameraderie in the MGR, buying Matmut, propellers, windvanes, single-line reefing, his qualifying passage, a transmission coupling problem, sailing by compass vs chartplotter, heavy weather, running with a storm under bare poles, comparing the MGR and the GGR, what makes the suffering worthwhile, his love for boats unsuitable for the job, and more. Photos and links are on the support the show through
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A Sea Vagabond's World
06/01/2026
A Sea Vagabond's World
In this episode, I talk about Tapio Lehtinen's recent Bahamas trip and lessons we can take from it, using Google Maps to find coordinates of anchorages or dive spots and transfering them to Navionics, I read select passages from Bernard Moitessier's "A Sea Vagabond's World" and discuss them, including why it is advantageous to learn to sail in a dinghy, learning to sail offshore, anchoring, chain vs rope, snubbers, secondary anchors, things to do before heading out to sea, getting to know your boat, making landfall, sailing without a schedule, weighing anchor, using clouds to forecast weather, hurricanes and signs they are coming, maneuvering out of a hurricane and avoiding the eye, heaving-to, a GGR announcement, and how I broke my foot. Links are on the Support the show through
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Will Sofrin, USCGC Eagle: The Legacy of America’s Tall Ship
05/25/2026
Will Sofrin, USCGC Eagle: The Legacy of America’s Tall Ship
Will Sofrin is a lifelong sailor and the author of the book "USCGC Eagle: The Legacy of America’s Tall Ship." The book tells the story of a German naval training ship seized at the end of World War II and transformed into the U.S. Coast Guard’s flagship, training generations of officers. Rather than a conventional history, it is told through firsthand accounts from those who sailed her, with each chapter capturing a different decade of the ship’s life, from her dramatic 1946 delivery to America, to Cold War voyages behind the Iron Curtain, to surviving a near-loss in a hurricane. He is also the author of the book "All Hands on Deck," a memoir about sailing the tall ship Rose 5,000 miles from Rhode Island to California so she could become HMS Surprise in the feature film Master and Commander. We talk about sailing a J-70, his book all hands on deck, sailing a tall ship, what all the crew did, maneuvering a tall ship, sails on a tall ship, climbing the mast of a tall ship, tall-ship sailors of old, the book "Two Years Before the Mast," sailing the tall ship Rose from Rhode Island to California for the movie Master and Commander, chain of command on a tall ship, a force 12 storm, going aloft in the storm, freeclimbing rigs, crew dynamics on Rose, sailing upwind in a tall ship, the motion of the boat, ballast on a tall ship, the ship's carpenter, the daily routine, tools, varnishing exterior teak on a sailboat - tips and best practice, his new book "USCG Eagle: The Legacy of America’s Tall Ship," Will's dream boat, and more. Photos and links are on the Support the show on
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Matt Steverson, The Duracell Project, Converting an Offshore Racer to a Fast Family Cruiser
05/17/2026
Matt Steverson, The Duracell Project, Converting an Offshore Racer to a Fast Family Cruiser
Matt Steverson has been rebuilding an offshore racing sailboat and converting her into a fast family cruising liveaboard, and doing a fantastic job of it, which he and his wife Janneke document on their . Duracell, the boat, was built and sailed by legendary American sailor, Mike Plant, who beat the American record for solo circumnavigation in the first Vendee Globe in 1989. We talk about wiring, organization, Matt's electrical-system philosophy, batteries, the generator, the electric motor, appliances, having a child and adding him to the sailing plans, making a YouTube channel, the buffer battery, keeping up with advancements in electrical-system gear, inverters, grounding, induction stoves, preparing holes for through-bolts, water tanks and coatings for the inside, bladders, varnishing, building the new keel, and more. Photos and links are on the Support the show on Browse or list sailboats at Sail to Hawaii with Get electrical help at
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Sail Trim with Carl Damm
05/11/2026
Sail Trim with Carl Damm
Carl Damm is the owner or Damsel Marine, a yacht management, maitenance, and consulting company. He is also a sailing instructor with ASA and Nautic Ed. We talk about how to properly install and bed deck hardware, filling the bolt holes with epoxy, backing plates, sail trim, setting halyard tension, how to use a cunningham, setting proper leech tension, reading tell tales, moving jib cars, adjustable jib cars vs pin-stop vs twings with low-friction rings, why a sailor should carry a knife, mast bend, using the traveler, vang, and mainsheet, barber hauls, the proper way to set a whisker pole, the foreguy, afterguy, and pole lift, the staysail and when to use it, spinnakers, the boom topping lift, sail twist, when to reef, heeling, how to know when to reef a catamaran, whether or not you should learn to use a sextant, paper charts, essential electronics to have, radar, AIS, Damsel Marine, sailing instruction, keeping it simple, minimizing integration, and more.
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Sharks! Cristina Zenato, Professional Shark Diver
05/04/2026
Sharks! Cristina Zenato, Professional Shark Diver
Cristina Zenato is a shark ecologist and behaviorist who grew up between the savannah and the rainforest of the Congo, where she developed a passion for the outdoors and an understanding and appreciation for the wilderness and our relationship to the environments around us. Today, she lives in The Bahamas and offers scuba-diving courses and shark dives. She is a PADI Course Director, NSS-CDS Advanced Cave diving instructor, TDI Technical Instructor, Rebreather instructor, educator, speaker, writer, and photographer. Cristina is a proud member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame, The Explorers Club, the Ocean Artists Society and a Platinum Pro5000 recipient. The belief that fuels her work is that “knowledge is power and through knowledge we can conquer and defeat unfounded fear to better connect to our oceans and our environment and strive to live in a mutual benefit." Cristina is an active supporter of OWUSS scholars, the WDHOF scholarships and training grants and an active volunteer and diver for the Bahamas National Trust. We talk about growing up in Africa, getting into scuba diving, cave diving, similarities between cave diving - sailing - and mountaineering, shark behavior, spearfishing, a bull shark story, an oceanic whitetip encounter, different species of sharks, what sailors need to know about sharks, the positive role sharks play in ecology, catch-and-release fishing, shark identification, nurse sharks, Bahamas liveaboard shark-dive catamaran trips, the power of one, and more. Links and photos are on the Support the show through
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Colm Walker
04/27/2026
Colm Walker
Colm Walker is entered in the 2026 Golden Globe Race. He was in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico when we talked, on the way from San Diego to France via the Panama Canal. He is a dual citizen of the United States and Ireland, an Airborne Ranger and combat veteran of the 82nd Airborne Division, and a lifelong waterman. His boat, Mo Chuisle (“My Pulse” in Irish), is a Tayana 37 cutter. He sails in support of veteran mental health, raising awareness for those still fighting unseen battles long after the guns have gone quiet. For Colm, the Golden Globe Race is not an escape from life, but a commitment to it. It is a test of self-reliance, resilience, and surrender. A chance to show that stillness can be strength, and that sometimes, the way forward is to go alone. We talk about Mexico, clearing in to Mexico, the benefits of traveling internationally, the passage from San Diego to Puerto Vallarta, boatyard woes, racing on a Swan, the feel of sailing his boat - a Tayana 37, the Hydrovane and the Raymarine qutopilots, a spinnaker-pole failure, how military experience is beneficial in sailing, PTSD, rites of passage, Taoism, why the Golden Globe Race is Important, moving from digital back to analog sailing, safety, physical and mental preparations for the race, the Wisdom Dojo, and more. Photos and links are on the Support the show through Shop or list sailboats at Shop tankless dive systems at
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Kevin Wasbauer, Shearwater Sailing
04/20/2026
Kevin Wasbauer, Shearwater Sailing
Kevin Wasbauer runs Shearwater Sailing out of Monterey Bay, California. He sails a Farr 53, sometimes with clients, sometimes solo. He is currently offereing berths on a sail from Monterey Bay to Hawaii, and from Hawaii back to Monterey Bay. We talk about sailing in Monterey Bay, whales, marine protected zones, gaining experience before buying a boat, his boat Atalanta - a Farr 53, adjusting the backstay tension and how this affects performance, buying a boat through a charter sale, rebuilding the rudder, the autopilot and other electronics, weather-helm vs asymetry in the rudder, Starlink, Hydrovanes vs hand-steering, his watermaker, power generation, batteries, racing, starting an offshore charter business, sail trim habits learned while racing, using the babystay, the ASA 106 class, books, solo sailing vs with crew, sailing small boats vs larger, the value of staying calm in a difficult situation, open berths on a sail to Hawaii and antoher sail back, and more.
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Dan Turner, Circumnavigating in a 19' Boat
04/13/2026
Dan Turner, Circumnavigating in a 19' Boat
Dan Turner recently took second place in the Mini Globe Race, in which he circumnavigated in a home-built Globe 6.50. We talk about completing a circumnavigation, Antigua, stopping in 17 different countries, Cape Town to St. Helena, St. Helena to Recife, Recife to Antigua, squalls, the strength and construction of the boat, collisions, the state of the boat after the race, doubters, how much of the race was fun, what it feels like to be out at sea in a tiny boat, how sailing changes us, fear, the sky at night, hand steering, hallucinations, future dreams, favorite boats, and more. Photos and links are on the Support the show through
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Christian Lobel, Circumnavigating Newfoundland
04/06/2026
Christian Lobel, Circumnavigating Newfoundland
Christian Lobel is an RYA Yachtmaster Instructor and captain of Saga, a Swan 47 on which he sails offshore, often with paying crew. I met Chris in Newfoundland in a fjord on the south coast in 2022. Last year, he returned circumnavigated Newfoundland. We talk about sailing to Cuba, Tierra del Fuego, Port Antonio Jamaica, Newfoundland, Greenland, cruising Ireland, the Azores, sailing upwind, using the staysail, sail combinations, reefing, a unique way of setting up running backstays, hand steering and why it is an important skill, using the Hydrovane, watch schedule, cooking onboard, identifying whales, circumnavigating Newfoundland, moose, the generosity of Newfies, hurricanes, icebergs, foul-weather gear, Newfoundland anchorages, Vikings, the south-coast fjords, interesting people he met there, the Madeline Islands, Prince Edward Islland, Nova Scotia, Eastport Maine, future plans to sail down the coast of South America through Tierra del Fuego and into French Polynesia, gear failures, man-overboard procedure, PLBs, and more.
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Alison Gieschen, Circumnavigating on a Taswell 43
03/30/2026
Alison Gieschen, Circumnavigating on a Taswell 43
Alison Gieschen wasin Nuku HIva when I spoke to her, sailing a Taswell 43 on a circumnavigation with her husband. She is also the author of 7 books, including Riding the Waves of Reality I and II. We talk about dealing with an engine problem and a leaking fuel tank, various other problems, Nuku Hiva, selling everything on land to sail around the world, the transition, sailing in cold places, a heavy-weather passage with John Kretschmer, getting boarded by the US Coast Guard, weather routing gone bad, losing a dinghy off the deck in a storm, cruising Ireland and Scotland, sailing in the Mediterranean, where they found the friendliest people, the Azores, things that make the boat more comfortable to live on, in-mast furling, fear, writing, a story about Gigi - the Contessa 32, her book Riding the Waves of Reality, checking into Greece, finding solitude, and more. Links and photos are on the Support teh show through List or browse sailboats for sale at
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