Ep 1, Andreas Kuchta and Ginger Cat
I met Andreas at San Andres, Colombia. He is a very knowledgeable sailor with many stories and a fine catamaran - a Lagoon 45. we talk about sailing in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, his boat and its electronics, anchoring, heavy weather, and much more.
Andreas relaxing after a long sail to Guatemala
Ginger Cat
From L to R: Yolanda, myself, Maddy and Rick Moore from SSL, Andreas
Yolanda and Andreas in Guatemala
In the intro, I mentioned the Port Captain in Bocas del Toro, Daniel. She can be contacted on WhatsApp at +507 6558 0587. The customs agent I mentioned in San Andres is Julian Javier Watson Maturel, and can be found on Facebook
Ep. 2, The Sailing Horror Stories of Paul Thornton
Sailing in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, crime and piracy hotspots in the Caribbean, sailing upwind in 75 knots, losing steering offshore, Haitian pirates, heaving-to, trailing warps, paying bribes, Caribbean culture, the San Blas Islands, Kuna culture, a swimming thief in Cartagena
Ep. 3, Capt. Rick Moore of "Sailing Sophisticated Lady"
I met Rick at Isla San Andres, Colombia, while on my way to Panama. We talk about his sailing background, his previous boats, how he made the decision to sail away from terrestrial life, how he chose and negotiated for Sophisticated Lady, how he made her self-sufficient and comfortable, air conditioning, lithium batteries, solar power, his electric galley, surviving Hurricane Iota while at anchor, his YouTube channel, and more.
Ep. 4, Carin Trimbach, Sailing Footloose Solo
I love when episodes are full of laughter, and this one is the fullest! While we are not laughing, we talk about sailing in The Netherlands, crashing into the Queen's boat, sailing in the Mediterranean, choosing a steel boat, falling in love with a heavy steel boat, losing the headstay while under sail, Isla Mujeres, using an ATN Mastclimber, siglehanding and why we love it, making decisions when alone, sailing intuitively, safety, San Andres and the Armada National, running from hurricane Iota, the South Pacific, leaking water tanks, solar panels, sewing, air conditioning vs fans and open windows, sailing in strong wind, noises, and living close to nature.
Ep. 5, Panama Update 1
Sailing from the Bahamas to San Andres, and San Andres to Bocas del Toro, Panama, clearing customs in Panama and the fees, Bocas Town, Bastimentos, surfing, freediving, ciguatera, Red Frog Beach
Bastimentos
Carenero
Bocas Town
the empanada girl
Ep. 6, Joe Richardson, Dark Horse of England, part 1
Joe's boat, Dark Horse of England, is a Jason Kerr designed 63' ocean racer with a luxury cruising interior. In addition to talking about his magnificent boat, we discuss sailing from Barcelona to the Caribbean, breaking the carbon fiber boom and rebuilding the engine due to saltwater intrusion along the way, various destinations in the Caribbean, his Williams jet tender, the hydrogenerator, seeking safe harbor in St Kitts during a storm, and clearing in at Bocas del Toro.
The tank on the beach at Culebra
Ep. 7, Dark Horse of England, Part 2
This is the second half of my interview with Joe Richardson onboard his Jason Kerr 63. We talk about his sailing and racing history, sailing in the Mediterranean, safety precautions for singlehanders, smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, liferafts, AIS, radar, sleeping while singlehanding, sharks, setting up a high-performance sailboat for singlehanding, climbing the mast alone, reefing, self-tacking jibs, spinnakers, and the banana boat.
Ep. 8, Erick and Jenny VanMalssen 3
Surfing and spearfishing in The Bahamas, sharks, deciding as a couple to sail to Panama from The Bahamas, preparing for the crossing and dealing with anxiety, selecting a weather window, clearing out at Matthew Town, the Windward Passage, crossing the Caribbean, almost getting run over by a Navy ship, trouble clearing in at Bimini, the beginning of Covid in The Bahamas, clearing in at Shelter Bay, surf spots in Bocas del Toro, trees in the water, Escudo de Veraguas
Bahamas Secret Spot!
Erick getting barreled!
big spiney lobster at Clarencetown
"The Musician" at Rudder Cut Cay
Windsong at Escudo de Veraguas
somewhere in The Bahamas
hogfish speared in Exuma Sound
going surfing at Careneros from Bastimentos in the Pota Bote, AKA the "Pangita" AKA the Flounder
Conception Island
Ep. 9, Kirsten Neuschafer, GGR Competitor, Pelagic Skipper
Kirsten is an extremely accomplished blue-water sailor, with extensive experience in the high latitudes. She is an entrant in the 2022 Golden Globe Race, and a skipper of Skip Novak's expedition sailboat Pelagic. We discuss her sailing history, working for Skip Novak, South Georgia Island, anchoring, heavy weather, heaving-to, dressing for the Southern Ocean, the Golden Globe Race, safety, her Cape George 36 Minnehaha, catching rainwater, dual mainsheets vs a traveler, and singlehand sailing.
Kirsten at the helm of Pelagic in Cierva Cove, Antarctic Peninsula
Grytviken, South Georgia Island. Pelagic is tied alongside Golden Fleece, of the legendary high-latitude sailor Jerome Poncet
Pelagic Australis in Port Lockroy, Antarctic Peninsula
Minnehaha arriving at the work-shed in Prince Edward Island
Kirsten hard at work refitting Minnehaha
old whaling ship, South Georgia Island
Iceberg, off South Georgia Island
King penguins and SV Pelagic at South Georgia Island
Minnehaha en route from Newfoundland to Prince Edward Island
Ep. 10, Michael Date, Golden Globe Racer
Losing a mast in the Sydney Hobart; setting up his boat, a Thomas Gilmer Aries 32, for the Golden Globe Race; safety protocols; the selection and refit of Harmony; bottom paint; training for the big race; and much more
Michael's boat, Harmony, is a Thomas Gilmer Aries 32.
Ep. 11, Sailing Through the Lockdown via Scotland, John Passmore
Avoiding the lockdown by sailing north around Scotland to the Azores on a Rival 32, the 1988 OSTAR, capsizing a catamaran in the North Sea, the rescue, cruising around Scotland, provisioning, avoiding old age, and more.
Samsara, John's Rival 32
John enjoying a sail on Samsara
John holding onto the keel in the North Sea
Ep. 12, Pete Currier, Sailing a Formosa 51 from Grenada to Ireland
Pete recently bought a Formosa 51 in Grenada, worked on her enough to make the passage home, and took off for Ireland. Along the way, he had a few mechanical difficulties, including loosing use of his engine, but made the trip regardless. Upon arrival, he accepted a tow into the harbor at Kinsale, which prompted two newspaper articles about his being "rescued at sea," an over-dramification to say the least.
Sea Symphony, a Formosa 51
Sea Symphony on arrival at Kinsale, Ireland
Pete Currier, enjoying the ride, with or without an engine.
Ep. 13, Brian Hancock, Sailmaker and Offshore Legend
Capsizing an open 50 off the Azores, hitting a reef off Bermuda, three Whitbread races, re-entering society after sailing solo, mast trouble on an open 40, his book "Maximum Sail Power," sailmaking, basic sail trim tips, sailing into old age, writing and self-publishing, why he loves the Azores, Newfoundland, and more.
USSR Whitbread boat Fazisi
Brian's Open 50, Great Circle
Rounding Cape Horn aboard Alaska Eagle in the 1981 Whitbread, shortly before capsizing
Ep. 14, Katie McCabe, 14 Years Old and Sailing Solo around Great Britain
Katie is currently trying, at 14 years old, to become the youngest person to sail singlehanded around Great Britain. She is doing so on Falanda, a beautiful wooden 26' Morgan Giles built in 1950. We talk about her inspirations, her preparations, her boat, the route, the journey so far, and much more.
Ep 15, Expedition Glacialis: Greenland!
Expedition Glacialis is a team of scientists aboard a 43' custom steel Koopmans sailboat. Virginie Wyss, Matthew Ryle, Arnaud Conne, and Richard Mardens are collecting data on wildlife, plastics, and the chemistry of the ocean. Their project has taken them to Greenland, where they were when we spoke. We talk about the magic of Greenland, the difficulties and rewards of sailing in the arctic, their boat Atlas, dressing for the cold, heaters, safety gear, heavy weather strategies, wildlife, the marriage of art and science, preparing for the journey, sailing with a purpose, citizen science, micro and macro plastics, listening to whales, and the crew's favorite species.
Atlas and the majestic mountains of Greenland
an old wooden fishing boat, still in use
the team, from R to L: Arnaud Conne, Matthew Ryle, Virginie Wyss, Richard Mardens
Ep. 16, Margie Woods, Sailing in the Moment
Margie Woods sailed her Catalina 34, Haunani, in the 2016 Singlehanded Transpac, from San Francisco to Hawaii, and she did it with minimal offshore sailing experience. We discuss preparing herself and her boat for the race, the good days and the hard days, the worst weather and the best weather, dealing with difficulties, being present and sailing in the moment, the mental challenges of singlehanding, tethering and safety gear, getting back onboard from the water, women in sailing, sailing education, the importance of reading, the Hydrovane, and much more.
Ep. 17, Robert Perry, Designing Beautiful Things that Make People Happy
Robert Perry has been designing boats since he was 14, and is one of the most well-respected and prolific sailboat designers of all time. We discuss his career, feedback from sailors, boats in the GGR, double-enders, different keel shapes, balanced rudders, draft, his new Carbon Cutter, Sail Drive, the Valiant 40, roller furling, staysails, his book, books he loves, and a final word to his supporters and boat owners.
The Carbon Cutter
Bob on the bass at the 2017
Perry Rendezvous
Ep. 18, Stephanie Shuldt, Freediving and Spearfishing in The Bahamas
Stephanie left a corporate job just a few years ago to chase her dream of living a nomadic life on a catamaran, sailing, freediving, and spearfishing. We talk about the obstacles she overcame, her boat (a 46' Fountaine Pajot Bahia), The Bahamas, freediving, spearfishing, freedive training, sharks, ciguatera, coral reefs, and more.
Ep. 19, Adventureman Dan, Part 1
Ep. 20, Adventureman Dan, Part 2
Adventureman Dan is a spearfisherman, freediver, and solo sailor, currently in the Bahamas. As a nice coincidence, Dan ran into Stephanie Shuldt, from the previous episode, right after I invited him to be on the podcast. As I interviewed him, he was rafted up with Sail La Vie and two other boats in her entourage. Dan and I talk about spearfishing, the Bahamas, surviving a 70-knot storm on a paddleboard, meeting other cruisers, acquiring freshwater, sharks, sobriety, future plans, and much more.
cubera snapper jaw
reef sharks!
SV Adventureborn, a Beneteau Idyllic 38
Adventureborn entering Hatchet Bay
Ep. 21, Panama Update 2
This one is just me talking about my time here in Bocas del Toro, Panama. I talk about the anchorages, the town, my new dinghy, spearfishing, surfing, some of the other islands, rip currents, my plans of going to Cartagena next and The Bahamas after that.
Paul paddling into a wave at Paunch
Empanada Girl was one of my favorite visitors
Playa Uva, Cusapin, Paul and Erick
the trail on Isla Carenero
Ep. 22, Pat Lawless 2, Shakedown Cruise to Iceland
Pat is preparing his boat, a Saltram Saga, for the 2022 Golden Globe Race, a singlehand, non-stop circumnavigation that allows only pre-1968 technology and old-fashioned boats. He recently sailed from Ireland to Iceland for a shakedown. We discuss his list of tasks, the cruise, and the upcoming race.
You've got to have a survival suit if you're going to Iceland.
puffin
passing Fastnet Rock
You know the breeze is strong when you're throwing this much wake with just the staysail up.
Pat's boat, still unnamed, in Iceland
The Saltram Saga proudly flying all her sails
Ep. 23, Dr Rikki Grober Eriksen, Coral Reef Ecology
Dr. Rikki Grober Eriksen is a PhD Marine Biologist and the Director of Marine Programs for the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation. She lives on a sailboat in the Caribbean and is a wealth of information on coral reef ecology. We talk about her boat, spotted eagle rays, a magical dolphin encounter, coral reef decline, overfishing, where to and not to anchor, spearfishing, ocean acidification and its repercussions, microplastics, and much more.
Ep. 24, Brian Russell 2, Caribbean to Azores to Scotland
Brian Russell and his wife Helen, who you might remember from season 2, recently sailed Helacious, the boat the Brian built, from the USVI to the Azores and then to Ireland and Scotland. We talk about sailing from the USVI to the Azores, swimming in the open ocean, downwind sailing, arriving in the Azores, the Portuguese language, his wind generator, sailing from the Azores to Ireland, cruising Scotland, weather routing, charts, bugs, hiking in Scotland, hurricanes, and much more.
Helacious at Sao Jorge, Azores
Castle Tioram
Helacious and Castle Tioram
Scotland
Ep. 25, Peter Lawless 2, Solo Circumnavigation
I spoke with Peter as he was anchored in Portugal fixing a steering breakdown. He is on his way around the world in a solo, nonstop, unassisted circumnavigation via the five capes in his Rival 41, Waxwing.
Ep. 26, Simon and Sally Currin, Icebergs, Williwaws, Polar Bears, and Vikings
Simon and Sally recently sailed from Greenland to Labrador to Newfoundland to Nova Scotia. We talk about high-latitude sailing, staying warm, anchoring, radar, icebergs, bugs, clearing customs, Vikings, polar bears, williwas, hiking, favorite places in Newfoindland, Bras d'Or Lake, and much more.
Shimshall 2 at Francois
one of the many fjords on Newfoundland's south coast
Francois from above
dolphin at Burgeo
Ep. 27, Punk rock Carl 2, Bahamas to Luperon
Carl Schultz, a former bicycle messenger in New York City, is a solo sailor exploring the tropics on his Shipman 28. We talk about his adventures sailing through the Bahamas, to Turks and Caicos, and the Dominican Republic.
Ep. 28, Carin Trimbach 2, the Panama Canal
In this second interview with Carin, we discuss sailing from Bocas del Toro to shelter Bay, preparing to transit the Panama Canal, going through the canal, the Pacific side, and preparing for the coming passage to French Polynesia.
Ep. 29, Maikel Galindo Yanes, Rebuilding an Aluminum Sailboat
I met Maikel in Bocas del Toro when he sold me a dinghy that he built. He invited me into his shop, where he had built an aluminum dinghy from scratch. Also in the shop was a dismantled 34' aluminum sailboat, which he was rebuilding. In this episode, we discuss this project, which includes building a lifting keel, as well as how he finances his nomadic life working on other boats.
the cockpit where the dinghy will fit
the electric motor
the box for the lifting keel
the dinghy
Ep. 30, Ricardo Diniz pt 1, Rescued by a Cruise Ship
Ricardo Diniz is a Portuguese singlehand sailor, author, coach, actor, businessman, and inspirational speaker. We talk about growing up in Portugal, learning to sail, building a mini-transat boat, running into a container and sinking in this boat, surviving 26 hours at sea in a lifejacket, being rescued by a cruise ship, hitting a second container a year later, sleeping when singlehanding, safety at sea, reefing, seasickness, and more.
Ep. 31, Ricardo Diniz pt 2, Survival at Sea
In part 2, we go deeper into Ricardo's experience surviving the sinking of his mini-transat boat, what went through his mind while floating 26 hours in a lifejacket, how he contacted the cruise ship that rescued him and talked them to his location, how he was received on the ship, and how this turned into his career as an inspirational speaker. Other stories we get into include almost hitting a whale and a UFO encounter. We also discuss the coast of Portugal, anchorages and surfing locations, future plans, and more.
Ep. 32, 200 Days of Fun, Gaurav Shinde 2
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.
Good Hope, Gaurav's Baba 35
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A Family on a Tartan 41, John, Jennifer, and Wilson Stark
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.
First Light, a Tartan 41
