Offshore Sailing and Cruising with Paul Trammell

Matt is the only person ever to have circumnavigated the Americas nonstop and singlehanded. He now runs a sailing research vessel in the arctic. We talk about sailing as an escape from street life, falling in love with nature, arctic research and exploration, setting up a boat for long journeys, reefing, Blondie Hassler, his Bruce Roberts 650 research vessel, and much more. Explicit language warni...

Robin Davie is a veteran of three solo circumnavigations in the BOC races. He has been preparing for the GGR for six years. We talk about getting his boat ready, past circumnavigations, storm tactics, safety, getting through difficult times, wildlife encounters, whales, bottom paint, propellers, and much more.

Planning for my passage from The Bahamas to St Augustine Florida, including stowing the dinghy on deck, preparing the boat for passage, my go-bag, weather, navigation, and sleep.

In this second part of our discussion, we talk about UFOs, books, writing, cruising, fishing, publishing, and much more.

Julie is the author of "Escape from the Ordinary," "Crossing Pirate Waters," and "May Day May Day, Mariners Guide to VHF Radio." We talk about transitioning between a military life to a cruising life, marinas, gear, ketches, safety, Amel sailboats, when not to abandon ship, UFOs and much more.

This is the second part of the interview with Kirsten (part 1 is the previous episode). We talk about sailing from Prince Edward Island to Cape Town, South Africa. She left Canada in December, in conditions most of us would not consider leaving in. We also talk about equipment, books, spearfishing, avoiding sharks, Bernard Moitessier, who will win the race, bottom paint, and much more.

Kirsten is an entrant in the 2022 Golden Globe Race, a solo circumnavigation race that starts this September. She just completed a journey in her boat from Prince Edward Island, Canada, to Cape Town, South Africa. We talk about the journey, which started in a gale under storm trisail, and her preparations for the race.

In this mid-week mini-episode, I talk about painting my propeller, sailing plans, writing a book with Tapio Lehtinen, and the bonus episodes I am putting on Patreon. Patrons can ask me to talk about anything they are curious about, and I will discuss it in a bonus episode, accessible only to Patreon patrons. This week's bonus episode on Patreon is in response to Jay, who wanted me to talk about se...

Guy Waites is a competitor in the upcoming Golden Globe Race - a solo circumnavigation in traditional cruising boats limited to 1968 technology. We talk about his sailing experience, his boat, sailing from Panama to the UK, safety, reefing, rigging, heavy weather, who is going to win, and much more!

Lia is a solo sailor and a long-distance rower, and she recently rowed all the way from California to Hawaii. We talk about being an athlete, training, meal replacements, sleep, rowing, navigation on the rowboat, yoga, breathing, fear, sharks, solitude, solo sailing, and much more!

Amy Alton, aka Liz Alden, has circumnavigated on a catamaran and written 4 books. We talk about anchoring in The Bahamas, her catamaran, sailing the new boat to Miami from France, using radar, obstacles in SE Asia, safety gear and protocols, Nova Scotia, writing as a way to earn money while cruising, octopuses, making time to write, writing technique, learning to write, and much more.

Chuck is one of the most successful sailboat designers of all time, and has been at it since the 1970's. We discuss old designs vs. new, the pros and cons of heavy full-keeled boats, weatherhelm, modern designs, translating sailing experience to design, good and bad sailing memories, his beautiful wooden daysailors, his early racing days, Herreschoffs, how to select an offshore sailboat, and more.

In this, my second interview with Roan and Karrie Poulter, we talk about their experiences in The Bahamas, as compared to the Great Loop, and in a small inexpensive boat with limited experience. 

I met Harry because we are both sober sailors. Harry was an alcoholic and a Biker in California, and is now 29 years sober and an accomplished sailor. We talk about his Malo 39, B&G instruments, watermakers, Puerto Vallarta, the Sea of Cortez, learning to sail in California, getting sober, hitting the bottom, being a sober sailor and navigating the social scene, advice for anyone who wants to get...

Roan and Carrie Poulter, aka The Wayward Travelers, spoke to me from Key West after completing the Great Loop in their 1988 Gemeni 3000 catamaran. We talk about their route, storms, friendly locals, the Erie Canal, selecting a boat for the loop, budgeting for the loop, their 5 great adventures, shade, showering, surfing, the Great Dismal Swamp, and much more.

Gary French was sailing his brand new Amel 50 off the coast of Spain in 2020 when his boat was attacked by Orcas. We talk about the boat, the orca attack, repairing the boat, the ARC 2020, safety, and more.

Matt is refitting the classic Open 60 formerly known as Duracell and turning it into a cruising home for he and his wife. We talk about learning to sail, racing in Puget Sound, living aboard in the Pacific Northwest, why he took on this project, his inspirations, Mike Plant, designing the interior, diesel/electric hybrids, Steve Dashew, Coyote the movie, the Duracell Project, designing a new keel,...

Simon Curwen will be sailing around the world solo and nonstop in his Biscay 36 in the 2022 Golden Globe Race. We talk about racing, his boat, tiller vs wheel, full keel vs modern designs, headsail configurations, roller furling vs hank-on, dual mainsheets, Hydrovane vs Aries, selecting lines, antifouling, reefing, safety, solo sailing vs sailing with crew, what he is looking forward to and what h...

An interview with Donna, the Marina Manager at the Errol Flynn Marina in Port Antonio, Jamaica.

I discuss my singlehand passage of 8 days and 900nm from Bocas del Toro, Panama, to Port Antonio, Jamaica.

John and his wife took their first sailing class in March of 2020 and later that year bought a Tartan 37. His story is a good example of how to move quickly from landlubber to cruising sailor. We talk about sailing education, buying a boat, the survey and haul-out, Tartan 37's, dealing with bad weather, insurance, hurdles that stop people from leaving the dock, making mistakes as a beginner, dingh...

This is my second interview with Guy deBoer, an entrant in the 2022 Golden Globe Race. We discuss the refit of his boat, Spirit, a Tashiba 36, including details like bottom paint, bilge pumps, the mast, solar panels, and reefing. We also discuss sail training, communication, fin keel vs full keel, the other competitors, killer whales, and sextant navigation.

John, Jennifer, and their son Wilson Stark live on a Tartan 41. I interviewed them in Bocas del Toro, Panama. We talk about their boat, safety, sailing through a 2-day gale in the Gulf of Mexico, sailing from Jacksonville, Florida, to Panama, whales, swimming offshore, Panamanian residency, working while living aboard, homeschooling, boat kids, mooring screws, and much more.

This is my second interview with 2022 Golden Globe Race competitor Gaurav Shinde. We talk all about his preparations for the around-the-world singlehand race, including his own mental and physical preparations, as well as the ongoing refit of his boat Good Hope, a Baba 35. We also talk about his relationships with other competitors, meditation, and how he has already altered his sleep schedule.