NanoCruising : the small boat cruising podcast (dinghy cruising & trailer sailing)

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the NanoCruising Podcast, I sit down with André-François Boudreau—sailor, adventurer, survival expert, and designer of the unique Gorfnik NanoCruiser. Although we planned to cover a range of topics, the conversation naturally wandered—as good conversations often do. We spent a lot of time exploring the thinking behind Gorfnik, why André-François believes small b...

Send us Fan Mail Boat designer and builder Sam Devlin   has spent decades creating some of the most recognizable small cruising boats around. But behind the hundreds of designs is a remarkably simple philosophy: he just likes boats. In this episode, Sam shares how he got his start, what drew him into designing and building boats, and the principles that have guided his work throughout his career....

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the NanoCruising podcast, I sit down with Flavien Gaulard, founder of Kaori Concept , to talk about small boats, sustainable boatbuilding, and designing for real-world adventure. We dive into Flavien’s experience building boats in the Philippines, how he started Kaori Concept, and the philosophy behind the Kaori 550. Along the way, we explore the advantages of s...

Send us Fan Mail Eric Dahlkamp has been chasing small boat adventures for years—from building and updating his own boats to taking on some of the most challenging small-boat events out there. In this episode of NanoCruising, we talk with Eric about how he got started sailing, the boats he’s built and upgraded—including the legendary 13’ trimaran Squirt—and his experiences in the Texas 200 . He sha...

Send us Fan Mail The West Wight Potter 15 has a bit of a cult following—and for good reason. In this episode of the NanoCruising podcast, I sit down with Larry Rumbol, the UK builder of the Potter 15, to dig into the story behind the boat. From its original designer, Stanley Smith, to the real-world experiences that shaped how the boat evolved over time. Larry shares historical insights, lesser-kn...

Send us Fan Mail Sailing doesn’t have to be fast, extreme, or complicated. In this episode of the NanoCruising podcast, I sit down with Brian Clauson, the voice behind the Ruddy Duck Sailing Adventures YouTube channel. If you’ve come across his videos, you know the feeling—calm, unhurried, and quietly immersive. We talk about how he found his boat, what pushed him to start filming in the first pla...

Send us Fan Mail Learning to sail is one of those things that’s harder to explain than it should be. You can read about it, watch videos, listen to podcasts—but at some point, you just have to go. In this episode, I sit down with my friend Peter—80 years young and sailing for over six decades—to talk about how people actually learn to sail. We dig into his early days, the mistakes, the small break...

Send us Fan Mail The Race to Alaska is one of the most unusual and demanding events in modern sailing: roughly 700 miles from Washington State to Alaska with no engines allowed. In this episode I’m joined by Jeff Williams , who along with teammate Mike VanHoy will be competing in the next Race to Alaska as Team Snowflakes aboard a 20-foot Tornado catamaran. Their boat is fast, light, and uncomprom...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I sit down with Luc Mehl , author of The Packraft Handbook , to explore a small craft many sailors may not know much about: the packraft. At first glance, it’s a lightweight inflatable boat that fits into a backpack. But beneath that simplicity lies something very familiar — self-reliance, route planning, weather awareness, risk management, and the quiet satisfact...

Send us Fan Mail In Part 2 of our conversation with the organizers behind three Great Lakes RAIDs, we move beyond introductions and into the deeper questions: how do you design adventure that is challenging — but not reckless? How do sailors grow into events like these? We talk about designing safety into expedition-style sailing, and how participants can gradually build the skills and confidence...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I’m joined by the organizers behind three major Great Lakes small-craft adventure events to explore what makes each one unique — and what unites them. - Eric Miller for the Erie Expedition Challenge and Raid Erie ( Facebook )  - Jeff McPheeters for the GLEC and RB950 ( RB950 Instagram , GLEC Instagram ) - Kelly Trafford with CanAm on facebook We start with introdu...

Send us Fan Mail In Part 2 of my conversation with John Harris of Chesapeake Light Craft , we wander off the beaten path — and that’s very much the point. We talk about some of CLC’s more fringe and less-discussed designs, including Autumn Leaves , and why certain boats exist more as ideas, experiments, or personal projects than as polished kits. John shares the designers who shaped his thinking —...

Send us Fan Mail Chesapeake Light Craft (CLC) has been shaping the world of small boats and home boatbuilding for more than three decades. In this first of two episodes, I sit down with John Harris , founder of CLC Boats, to explore how a passion for small craft turned into one of the most influential boatbuilding companies in the world. We talk about the early days of CLC, the challenges of build...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a bold small-boat idea finally leaves the dock? In this follow-up conversation, Perry returns to NanoCruising to share the results of real-world sea trials of his Ocean-Capable Small Sailboat. After months of building and planning, the boat has now logged serious miles offshore, offering honest feedback that no design software or dockside discussion can replace....

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I sit down with Graham Byrnes of B & B Yacht Designs —the designer whose Core Sound 17 became a legend in small-boat adventuring. Graham shares his early days growing up and sailing in Australia, how meeting his wife led him to the United States, and the origins of B & B Boats. We dive into his first WaterTribe Everglades Challenge and his second attempt—t...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I’m joined by Geoff Macqueen — sailor, adventurer, and author of Cruising Wild , his newly released account of circumnavigating Tasmania in his self-built Welsford Houdini dinghy. Geoff takes us deep into the story behind his boat, the spark that led him to attempt a Bass Strait crossing, and the moment everything went wrong: an unexpected capsize in notorious wat...

Send us Fan Mail In this special episode, we talk with Serge Testa , the Australian sailor who set a world record by circumnavigating the globe in an 11-foot boat — the Acrohc Australis . Serge shares how he designed and built his tiny aluminum yacht, what life was like during his 500-day voyage, and the lessons learned from years at sea. We also hear from his wife, Robin , who offers her candid p...

Send us Fan Mail In this second part of our conversation with legendary sailor Howard Rice , we journey with him deep into the wilds of Tierra del Fuego — where he sailed through the same treacherous channels that once confounded Joshua Slocum. Howard recounts the intense reality of navigating the “Milky Way,” his unexpected rescue in one of the most remote regions on earth , and the untold story...

Send us Fan Mail Few sailors embody the spirit of small-boat adventure like Howard Rice . In this first of two episodes, Howard shares what drives him to journey to the ends of the Earth — from his early training expeditions in a Klepper kayak to the careful preparation of his SCAMP dinghy for one of the most remote and demanding sailing challenges on the planet: Tierra del Fuego . We dive into hi...

Send us Fan Mail Roy Schreyer has spent a lifetime exploring the waterways of Georgian Bay and beyond, but his journey took a new direction when his wife found traditional sailboats less than comfortable. The result? The Dianne Rose , a compact, towable houseboat that combines practicality, comfort, and simplicity — proof that great design comes from real-world needs. In this episode, Roy shares h...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when you combine adventure, advocacy, and a paddleboard? Dan Rubinstein set out on a Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) journey from Ottawa to New York and onward to Lake Erie, and along the way discovered more than just miles of water — he found community, kindness, and a deeper understanding of how “blue space” can transform our mental and physical health. In this inspiring...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we sit down with Eric Miller , the energetic sailor and organizer behind Raid Erie 2025 . Eric shares how he first fell in love with small boat sailing and why he felt compelled to create a small-boat event in northern Ohio—a place he calls a “desert” for dinghy sailing. We dive into the story of how Raid Erie came together, what made it such a success, and the le...

Send us Fan Mail From anchors to outboards, trailering to the galley, Kelly Trafford joins us to walk through his tried-and-true cruising checklist—packed with practical tips, safety must-dos, and lessons learned the hard way. This episode is a goldmine for small-boat cruisers who want to be ready for anything on the water, and it comes with a downloadable copy of Kelly’s checklist so you can put...

Send us Fan Mail Wayfarer guru, teacher, cruiser, innovator—Matt Sharman shares a lifetime with one iconic boat. In this episode, we sit down with Matt Sharman—a lifelong Wayfarer sailor whose journey began with a hand-me-down boat from his uncle and evolved into a deep, lifelong connection with one of the most beloved dinghies ever built. Matt shares stories from his cruises, his work introducing...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the NanoCruising Podcast, we sit down with Sean Petterson, co-founder and CEO of SuperSede , to explore a game-changing innovation in boatbuilding: a sustainable, recycled-plastic alternative to marine plywood. Sean shares his own journey into boating and how it led him to help develop SuperCede Marine Board —a structural material designed for boats and marine p...