Liveaboard Sailing Podcast

Who hasn't dreamt about sailing around the world at some point in time? My guest, Amy Alton from Out Chasing Stars followed that dream and made it a plan, and circumnavigated over 5 years. Amy has also spent a good amount of time in the Bahamas, and we talk about some of the practical aspects of sailing in the Bahamas, like provisioning, Internet and finding shelter. In addition to being a cruiser...

This week it’s time for a deep dive into all things insurance. This episode will cover a high-level overview of the current insurance market, what exactly do insurance companies require from first time boat owners and how do we make ourselves and our boats more insurable.  My guest is John Neal from Mahina Offshore Services, and he reached out to a number of insurance companies in different c...

Living on a sailboat under the California sun with a comfortable climate and amazing islands to explore nearby sounds phenomenal, and my guests Marissa and Chris from Sailing Avocet admit that the liveaboard life in California is indeed pretty darn nice. However, there are inherent frustrations that come with this lifestyle no matter how nice the setting is, and of course I ask Marissa and Chris t...

This week we go to Hawaii, to see what the liveaboard life is like in a place that many think as paradise - turns out, living on a sailboat in Hawaii is not as dreamy as you might think! Larissa and Tim from Sailboat Kolea are two adventurous free spirits, who sail the islands of Hawaii with their two ducks, and in this episode they share their experiences with all the ups and downs that comes wit...

How did a three-year sailing trip turn into a 12-year circumnavigation? David Haigh left on his sailing trip after retiring from his job at a university, and sailed around the world and in some unusual places like the great European rivers, and to St Petersburg in Russia - and by the way there's a cautionary tale attached to this story! David shares great advice about choosing crew onboard and he...

Wouldn't it be wise and fun to learn the cruising lifestyle before you spend a very large sum of money on your own boat? This is exactly what Sarah Fingarson and Andrew Hosford did. In this interview, they share their approach to the liveaboard life, and what they have learned so far - and what they'll look out for in their own boat. You'll also learn what got this young photographer couple (and t...

After well over a decade of sailing, what are the highlights of the cruising life? What is Mexico like as a liveaboard destination? What are some of the common boat shopping mistakes to avoid? I had A LOT of questions for Behan and Jamie from Sailing Totem, and they had all the answers. One of their key messages is that the sailing dream is achievable, and thankfully Behan and Jamie are here to te...

This week I’ll take you to Australia, to hear about the liveaboard life on a small catamaran, starting with absolutely no sailing experience and learning on the go.  My guests are Kyle and Hayley from Sailing Eden, and you might know them as the brains and creative minds behind the Wholesome Sailors community. We had a lovely chat about what drew this couple to a life on the ocean, what they...

Three generations, two boats and one dream - now this is a winning combination! This is the approach the crew of Cruising Meraki has taken to the liveaboard life, and their crew consists of two kids, two adults and two older adults, also known as the grandparents. This adventurous group started their adventure from Victoria, BC and is making their way south to warmer waters and new adventures. Wha...

Boat shopping in the Caribbean sounds like a dream but as today's episode will reveal, it's not exactly straight-forward. My guests, Brioni and Iain from Red Seas, share their wild adventure of hunting for the perfect boat, with plenty of tips and advice. We also talk about how they got involved with Watts on Water and participated in disaster relief after the volcano eruption in St Vincent and th...

Buying a sailboat far from home is something that many of us may have considered, especially if the goal is to start sailing somewhere different or if there are more sailboats with better price points elsewhere. Today's guests, Patricia and David from Sailing Milagros, are from Switzerland and they went all the way to Mexico to buy their sailboat. They are now in the middle of refitting the boat a...

This week I will take you to the Pacific Northwest, to chat with a couple who has tried a few forms of non-conventional living and of course now they live on their sailboat. My guests are Danielle and Ryan from SV Bangarang, a professional couple who share their story of why they want to live their lives to the fullest, with their little 4 year old. We talk about working from a sailboat and w...

❗️Expert interview! ❗️Today we dive into the world of search and rescue with Royal Canadian Marine Search And Rescue (RCMSAR), a not-for-profit, volunteer-based organization that operates along the coast of British Columbia and in-land waters. My guest is Simon Pearce, who has volunteered with RCMSAR for 20 years and he happens to be a liveaboard sailor himself. Simon and I talk about common boa...

This episode is all about sailing in the Pacific and liveaboard life in Mexico ☀️My guests are Sarah and Will Curry, who have a lot of experience in sailing the Pacific Ocean, from the Pacific Northwest to Mexico and the Pacific Islands all the way to Australia. We also talk about what's the process like for selling a boat in Australia and how Sarah and Will ended up becoming liveaboards in Mexico...

What is it like to live on a sailboat and raise a family? Not just for a few years, but for over a decade. And not just one or two kids, but five. If you think this set up might result to some interesting stories, you would be right!  Today’s guest, Tanya Hackney, has written a book that is full of stories that give a good look at an adventurous life onboard. In this episode we talk about som...

While many of us dream of setting sail with no end date in mind, it's probably more common (and more realistic!) to plan for a shorter sailing adventure. My guest this week is Julie Height who put her work as a lawyer aside for two years and during that time she, her husband and their two boys explore all that their home country Australia has to offer. Julie and I talk about how they made this hap...

Growing up on the water gave Kayleen VanderRee an early connection to sailing but choosing it as a long-term way of life required intention, adaptation, and resilience. In this episode, Kayleen shares how she moved from boat to boat with purpose, eventually choosing a Tartan 42 that could support both her cruising ambitions and a very different reality than she had originally planned for. After a...

❗️Attention all boat shoppers! ❗️In this episode I chat with Sonya and Jack from Two the Horizon. In addition to a boat shopping misadventure and cautionary tale, this lovely couple shares their story of becoming liveaboards and business owners in sunny California ☀️We also talk about what it means to be environmentally friendly and do our part to fight climate change 🌿 How to follow Two the Ho...

Anyone who has researched some sailing literature or been inspired by the phrase 'go simple, go small, go now' will be familiar with my guest in this episode: Lin Pardey. She spent decades exploring the world and circumnavigated twice with her late husband Larry Pardey. In this interview Lin shares some lovely memories from those adventurous years but we also talk about Lin's current sailing plans...

If you have ever travelled in a foreign country and wished you could help the stray animals living on the streets - this episode is for you. I had the pleasure of chatting with Dr. Sheddy, an Australian veterinarian who lives on her sailboat and travels in Central America and Mexico while offering free medical services to animals in need: stray cats and dogs, pets whose owners cannot afford expens...

How do you get started with sailing when you don't have a clue how to sail and you're not part of the sailing community? All you know is that it is the right thing to do.... but how? In this interview I ask Ryan and Sophie to take me way back to the beginning of their sailing adventure and we retrace their steps on how they learned to sail and got started with the lifestyle. We also talk about the...

Today's guest, Amanda Swan, has decades of sailing experience and she has a wealth of knowledge about all things sailing. It’s not often that I talk about so many different things in one interview but in this one we cover: things to know about rigging, her sailing experience in both polar regions, and in all the amazing places in between. We also talk about what stands out to her from her experien...

Today's episode is a story about a family who believed there had to be more to life than jobs, school and 'the usual'. After learning about the sailing lifestyle by pure coincidence, they have since sailed the Caribbean, Europe and the Mediterranean and have turned their sabbatical into a permanent lifestyle. Their journey includes making sacrifices to be able to realize their dream, buying a boat...

As someone who has embarked on this sailing adventure by herself, Liz Riley has experienced the support and positive power of the sailing community. Before she became a liveaboard sailor, she joined the Ocean Cruising Club and crossed oceans on all different kinds of boats before buying her own sailboat. What a great way to gain some valuable experience! We talk about all this and more (like being...

You think you have found your dream boat, but how do you know you're not buying a lemon? You have an expert do a boat survey! As a key part of the boat purchasing process, there's actually quite a bit to know about pre-purchase surveys in particular. In this episode I interview Sarah White from Yacht Associates International based out of Vancouver, Canada. Sarah explains what are the different kin...