Around the Buoy

In Ep. 14, we talked to SailCargo about their mission to provide a zero-emission shipping alternative & their plans for a wooden cargo ship named, Cieba. Four years later, the crew is busy finishing Cieba's hull but in order to start delivering products sooner, the company has purchased the 1909 cargo schooner Vega. With fully booked cargo holds, Vega sets sail early in '23 & we are excited to wel...

We are about two months away from the start of the 2023 Ocean Race in Alicante Spain and there have been many changes since the last time the fleet visited Newport in 2018. Volvo is no longer a title sponsor, there are four fewer legs, but the biggest change is the addition of a second class of one-design boats. This new class greatly expands the fleet opens the door to a whole host of new teams,...

     The Iowa Class Battleships are some of the most powerful ships to sail into battle and represent the end of an era in naval warfare. The USS New Jersey was launched a year after Pearl Harbor and immediately went into battle; playing a role in the largest naval battles ever seen. She continued to serve for nearly five decades before being decommissioned in the early '90's. In this episode, we...

    When Sir Edmund Hilary was asked why he climbed Everest, he famously responded, "Because it's there." These words have fueled explorers and adventures to risk everything to break ground and push human endurance to new heights.     Next May, Andrew Bedwell will be setting out to smash a record that has stood for nearly thirty years; crossing the Atlantic in the smallest vessel. We sit down with...

Next September, a group of single-handed sailors will leave France for the Caribbean in the Mini Transat, a regatta that celebrates the adventurous sprit of the early Trans-Atlantic races. In a fleet dominated by European skippers, one Mini will be flying the Stars and Stripes, PGN Ocean Racing skippered by our guest Peter Gibbons-Neff.  Peter has been sailing in offshore races all his life and as...

In 1906, a small fleet of vessels left New York City on their way to Bermuda to prove to the world that an open ocean race in a yacht under 80' could be run safely. Over a century later, a much larger fleet is set to sail toward the start line at the mouth of Narragansett Bay in the 52 nd of the Bermuda Race.  It stands as one of the most iconic blue water races and we are excited to be talking wi...

Shortly after the Revolutionary War, it was apparent that the United States needed a new Navy to protect its interests overseas. The USS Constitution along with five other warships were built and immediately sailed into battle. After 225 years of service, it's amazing that she can still be making history. This January, CDR Billie Farrell became the first female to take command of the Constitution...

When the world came to a screeching halt in 2020, The Clipper Race fleet pulled into Subic Bay and the race was put on hold after sailing only half the journey. Just over two years later, the teams are back in the Philippines to finish the lap. In this episode we are honored to be talking with Sir Robin Knox-Johnston (yes, that Sir Robin) who is among many things the brainchild behind The Clipper...

When Dustin Reynolds, also known as The Single-Handed Sailor, pulled into his home port on the Big Island of Hawaii last December, he became the newest member one of the most exclusive maritime clubs, sailing alone around the world. With a membership around 300 sailors, this achievement is made even more remarkable considering that he is a double amputee: the result of a horrific motorcycle accide...

Chantale Begin fell in love with the ocean as a teenager on a submersible 800ft below the St. Lawrence Estuary and this passion led her far and wide researching as a marine biologist. No stranger to adventure, she has sailed the world as a teacher for Seamerster and then with her family. With this background, it's no surprise that she jumped at the chance when asked to row the Talisker Whiskey Atl...

Situated on Puget Sound and only 42 miles from Mt. Rainier, Tacoma, Washington is a beautiful city. But decades of industrial abuse at the turn of the century turned the pristine waters into an EPA Superfund Site. This episode's guest is Dean Burke. Dean is the head of Travel Tacoma and has chronicled the healing of the region's waterways over the past two decades through his stunning photography....

Elizabeth Beisel achieved athletic notoriety at age of 15 when she became the youngest member of the US Olympic Team in Beijing. She earned two medals in London and served as the swim team's captain in Rio, but in 2020, when her father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Elizabeth decided to do something no woman has done before.  In this episode, we talk with Elizabeth about her Block Cancer Sw...

Wooden boats have long been a Siren song for many, drawing them in with irrational decisions, only to have their dreams dashed on the rocks. When Emmy award-winning actor, Matthew Rhys, purchased one of the few remaining Hemingway boats, he found himself in dire straits and needing help. Thankfully, he reached out to our guest, Capt. Kelli Farwell, who worked along alongside Matthew to complete he...

Since 2003, the C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta has hosted many of the best sailors in international competition. To make it even more special, these sailors have had to overcome challenges that few others have had to face. The mission behind this regatta is to provide athletes with disabilities a platform to complete against other adaptive sailors, and provide an opportunity to...

Sailing solo around the globe is an exclusive club to be a part of; more people have climbed Everest or traveled into space than completed a lap alone. During the 2018 Golden Globe Race as the fleet was deep into the Southern Ocean, a fast-moving storm wreaked havoc on the competitors, including our guest CDR Abhilash Tomy. A knockdown and dismasting left him injured, immobilized and adrift for th...

Newport Harbor is a busy place in the summer with fleets of boats ranging from modern go fasters to classic wooden hulls racing around the buoys every afternoon. The Gamecock Sailing team is unique because they can be found racing in not one but all those fleets. Gamecock Sailing, named after the fleets' flagship a 96-year-old Herreshoff R Boat, was founded by Peter McClennen to teach teamwork and...

In 1940 John Steinbeck was at the top of literary world, but fame came with a backlash. His depiction of migrant workers in 'The Grapes of Wrath' labeled him as a communist, and protests were held to burn his books. Wanting to escape, Steinbeck chartered a fishing vessel named Western Flyer for an expedition to Mexico; a trip recounted in his book, 'The Sea of Cortez'.  Seventy-five years later, a...

Living on the North Fork of Long Island, Trent Preszler is a long way from his upbringing on a ranch in South Dakota. The CEO of a local vineyard, Trent never had the time or inclination to be a craftsman until his father's toolbox was passed down to him. Inspired to build a canoe, what follows next is a soul-searching odyssey that includes coming to grips with his past, learning how to build a bo...

It was a lot a late nights watching Emirates Team New Zealand defend the Auld Mug by defeating Luna Rossa on their home waters of the Hauraki Gulf in the 36 th America's Cup, and Tucker Thompson stayed up to watch it all. Tucker is back with us to recap all of the action–from the quick evolution of the AC75 during their time in Auckland, to the match racing clinic put on by both teams during the f...

Submarines are the silent counterweight in the balance of power. With nuclear weapons and classified materials on board, their secrets would be devastating to a country's national security if they were ever lost.  So, in 1968 when a soviet sub disappeared in the Pacific, the CIA recognized the opportunity for an unprecedented intelligence grab. Josh Dean is the author of "The Taking of K-129", the...

Edson Marine made their name by developing the first diaphragm pump used to keep the bilges of commercial fishing fleet dry in 1859. Since then, innovation has been their hallmark, and today they provide hardware that can be found everywhere on a boat-- from stem to stern, and top of the mast, to the bottom of the keel.  In this episode, we talk with Edson's CEO, Adam Cove, about his extensive sai...

11 th  Hour Racing promotes healthy oceans by providing financial grants worldwide, but it's one thing to talk the talk and another walk the walk. They are also taking a lead by sponsoring world class programs and demonstrating to other teams how to responsibly run a competitive team. 11 th  Hour's Managing Director Todd McGuire joins us in this episode to talk about the new IMOCA 60, The Ocean Ra...

For too long, our oceans have been used as a trashcan, and it has become too common to see videos of yachts sailing past large clumps of trash in the open ocean. 11 th  Hour Racing was founded by a group of sailors who are on a mission to team up with the sailing community, the marine industry, and the biggest names in the sport to promote healthy ocean practices. Michelle Carnevale is the directo...

This summer, when COVID-19 restrictions prevented crewed ships from conducting the yearly Alaskan Pollock survey in the Bering Sea, NOAA called on an unmanned surface vessel from Saildrone to gather data on the population. With long on station times, zero emissions, and specialized onboard sensors, Saildrone is revolutionizing the way we gather data about the world's oceans.  In this episode, Cart...

From the America's Cup, countless World Championships, and The Ocean Race, the world's best sailors have shoved off from the docks here in Newport. When the National Sailing Hall of Fame announced that they were looking for a new home, it only made sense that this history would play a role in Newport's selection. Construction is underway at the historic Armory Building in the 'City by the Sea', bu...