Offshore Sailing and Cruising with Paul Trammell

A Sea Vagabond's World 01.06.2026 1j 4mnt

In this episode, I talk about Tapio Lehtinen's recent Bahamas trip and lessons we can take from it, using Google Maps to find coordinates of anchorages or dive spots and transfering them to Navionics, I read select passages from Bernard Moitessier's "A Sea Vagabond's World" and discuss them, including why it is advantageous to learn to sail in a dinghy, learning to sail offshore, anchoring, chain vs rope, snubbers, secondary anchors, things to do before heading out to sea, getting to know your boat, making landfall, sailing without a schedule, weighing anchor, using clouds to forecast weather, hurricanes and signs they are coming, maneuvering out of a hurricane and avoiding the eye, heaving-to, a GGR announcement, and how I broke my foot. Links are on the podcast shownotes page Support the show through Patreon

Will Sofrin, USCGC Eagle: The Legacy of America's Tall Ship 25.05.2026 1j 16mnt

Will Sofrin is a lifelong sailor and the author of the book "USCGC Eagle: The Legacy of America's Tall Ship." The book tells the story of a German naval training ship seized at the end of World War II and transformed into the U.S. Coast Guard's flagship, training generations of officers. Rather than a conventional history, it is told through firsthand accounts from those who sailed her, with each chapter capturing a different decade of the ship's life, from her dramatic 1946 delivery to America, to Cold War voyages behind the Iron Curtain, to surviving a near-loss in a hurricane. He is also the author of the book "All Hands on Deck," a memoir about sailing the tall ship Rose 5,000 miles from Rhode Island to California so she could become HMS Surprise in the feature film Master and Commander. We talk about sailing a J-70, his book all hands on deck, sailing a tall ship, what all the crew did, maneuvering a tall ship, sails on a tall ship, climbing the mast of a tall ship, tall-ship sailors of old, the book "Two Years Before the Mast," sailing the tall ship Rose from Rhode Island to California for the movie Master and Commander, chain of command on a tall ship, a force 12 storm, going aloft in the storm, freeclimbing rigs, crew dynamics on Rose, sailing upwind in a tall ship, the motion of the boat, ballast on a tall ship, the ship's carpenter, the daily routine, tools, varnishing exterior teak on a sailboat - tips and best practice, his new book "USCG Eagle: The Legacy of America's Tall Ship," Will's dream boat, and more. Photos and links are on the podcast shownotes page Support the show on Patreon

Matt Steverson, The Duracell Project, Converting an Offshore Racer to a Fast Family Cruiser 17.05.2026 1j

Matt Steverson has been rebuilding an offshore racing sailboat and converting her into a fast family cruising liveaboard, and doing a fantastic job of it, which he and his wife Janneke document on their YouTube Channel . Duracell, the boat, was built and sailed by legendary American sailor, Mike Plant, who beat the American record for solo circumnavigation in the first Vendee Globe in 1989. We talk about wiring, organization, Matt's electrical-system philosophy, batteries, the generator, the electric motor, appliances, having a child and adding him to the sailing plans, making a YouTube channel, the buffer battery, keeping up with advancements in electrical-system gear, inverters, grounding, induction stoves, preparing holes for through-bolts, water tanks and coatings for the inside, bladders, varnishing, building the new keel, and more. Photos and links are on the podcast shownotes page Support the show on Patreon Browse or list sailboats at https://sailboatsforsale.com/ Sail to Hawaii with https://www.shearwatersailing.net/ Get electrical help at https://www.meridian-marine-electrical.com/

Sail Trim with Carl Damm 11.05.2026 1j 17mnt

Carl Damm is the owner or Damsel Marine, a yacht management, maitenance, and consulting company. He is also a sailing instructor with ASA and Nautic Ed. We talk about how to properly install and bed deck hardware, filling the bolt holes with epoxy, backing plates, sail trim, setting halyard tension, how to use a cunningham, setting proper leech tension, reading tell tales, moving jib cars, adjustable jib cars vs pin-stop vs twings with low-friction rings, why a sailor should carry a knife, mast bend, using the traveler, vang, and mainsheet, barber hauls, the proper way to set a whisker pole, the foreguy, afterguy, and pole lift, the staysail and when to use it, spinnakers, the boom topping lift, sail twist, when to reef, heeling, how to know when to reef a catamaran, whether or not you should learn to use a sextant, paper charts, essential electronics to have, radar, AIS, Damsel Marine, sailing instruction, keeping it simple, minimizing integration, and more.

Sharks! Cristina Zenato, Professional Shark Diver 04.05.2026 1j 21mnt

Cristina Zenato is a shark ecologist and behaviorist who grew up between the savannah and the rainforest of the Congo, where she developed a passion for the outdoors and an understanding and appreciation for the wilderness and our relationship to the environments around us. Today, she lives in The Bahamas and offers scuba-diving courses and shark dives. She is a PADI Course Director, NSS-CDS Advanced Cave diving instructor, TDI Technical Instructor, Rebreather instructor, educator, speaker, writer, and photographer. Cristina is a proud member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame, The Explorers Club, the Ocean Artists Society and a Platinum Pro5000 recipient. The belief that fuels her work is that "knowledge is power and through knowledge we can conquer and defeat unfounded fear to better connect to our oceans and our environment and strive to live in a mutual benefit." Cristina is an active supporter of OWUSS scholars, the WDHOF scholarships and training grants and an active volunteer and diver for the Bahamas National Trust. We talk about growing up in Africa, getting into scuba diving, cave diving, similarities between cave diving - sailing - and mountaineering, shark behavior, spearfishing, a bull shark story, an oceanic whitetip encounter, different species of sharks, what sailors need to know about sharks, the positive role sharks play in ecology, catch-and-release fishing, shark identification, nurse sharks, Bahamas liveaboard shark-dive catamaran trips, the power of one, and more. Links and photos are on the podcast shownotes page Support the show through Patreon

Colm Walker 27.04.2026 1j 17mnt

Colm Walker is entered in the 2026 Golden Globe Race. He was in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico when we talked, on the way from San Diego to France via the Panama Canal. He is a dual citizen of the United States and Ireland, an Airborne Ranger and combat veteran of the 82nd Airborne Division, and a lifelong waterman. His boat, Mo Chuisle ("My Pulse" in Irish), is a Tayana 37 cutter. He sails in support of veteran mental health, raising awareness for those still fighting unseen battles long after the guns have gone quiet. For Colm, the Golden Globe Race is not an escape from life, but a commitment to it. It is a test of self-reliance, resilience, and surrender. A chance to show that stillness can be strength, and that sometimes, the way forward is to go alone. We talk about Mexico, clearing in to Mexico, the benefits of traveling internationally, the passage from San Diego to Puerto Vallarta, boatyard woes, racing on a Swan, the feel of sailing his boat - a Tayana 37, the Hydrovane and the Raymarine qutopilots, a spinnaker-pole failure, how military experience is beneficial in sailing, PTSD, rites of passage, Taoism, why the Golden Globe Race is Important, moving from digital back to analog sailing, safety, physical and mental preparations for the race, the Wisdom Dojo, and more. Photos and links are on the podcast shownotes page Support the show through Patreon Shop or list sailboats at sailboatsforsale.com Shop tankless dive systems at Blu3

Kevin Wasbauer, Shearwater Sailing 20.04.2026 1j 20mnt

Kevin Wasbauer runs Shearwater Sailing out of Monterey Bay, California. He sails a Farr 53, sometimes with clients, sometimes solo. He is currently offereing berths on a sail from Monterey Bay to Hawaii, and from Hawaii back to Monterey Bay. We talk about sailing in Monterey Bay, whales, marine protected zones, gaining experience before buying a boat, his boat Atalanta - a Farr 53, adjusting the backstay tension and how this affects performance, buying a boat through a charter sale, rebuilding the rudder, the autopilot and other electronics, weather-helm vs asymetry in the rudder, Starlink, Hydrovanes vs hand-steering, his watermaker, power generation, batteries, racing, starting an offshore charter business, sail trim habits learned while racing, using the babystay, the ASA 106 class, books, solo sailing vs with crew, sailing small boats vs larger, the value of staying calm in a difficult situation, open berths on a sail to Hawaii and antoher sail back, and more.

Dan Turner, Circumnavigating in a 19' Boat 13.04.2026 1j 5mnt

Dan Turner recently took second place in the Mini Globe Race, in which he circumnavigated in a home-built Globe 6.50. We talk about completing a circumnavigation, Antigua, stopping in 17 different countries, Cape Town to St. Helena, St. Helena to Recife, Recife to Antigua, squalls, the strength and construction of the boat, collisions, the state of the boat after the race, doubters, how much of the race was fun, what it feels like to be out at sea in a tiny boat, how sailing changes us, fear, the sky at night, hand steering, hallucinations, future dreams, favorite boats, and more. Photos and links are on the podcast shownotes page Support the show through Patreon

Christian Lobel, Circumnavigating Newfoundland 06.04.2026 59mnt

Christian Lobel is an RYA Yachtmaster Instructor and captain of Saga, a Swan 47 on which he sails offshore, often with paying crew. I met Chris in Newfoundland in a fjord on the south coast in 2022. Last year, he returned circumnavigated Newfoundland. We talk about sailing to Cuba, Tierra del Fuego, Port Antonio Jamaica, Newfoundland, Greenland, cruising Ireland, the Azores, sailing upwind, using the staysail, sail combinations, reefing, a unique way of setting up running backstays, hand steering and why it is an important skill, using the Hydrovane, watch schedule, cooking onboard, identifying whales, circumnavigating Newfoundland, moose, the generosity of Newfies, hurricanes, icebergs, foul-weather gear, Newfoundland anchorages, Vikings, the south-coast fjords, interesting people he met there, the Madeline Islands, Prince Edward Islland, Nova Scotia, Eastport Maine, future plans to sail down the coast of South America through Tierra del Fuego and into French Polynesia, gear failures, man-overboard procedure, PLBs, and more.

Alison Gieschen, Circumnavigating on a Taswell 43 30.03.2026 1j 10mnt

Alison Gieschen wasin Nuku HIva when I spoke to her, sailing a Taswell 43 on a circumnavigation with her husband. She is also the author of 7 books, including Riding the Waves of Reality I and II. We talk about dealing with an engine problem and a leaking fuel tank, various other problems, Nuku Hiva, selling everything on land to sail around the world, the transition, sailing in cold places, a heavy-weather passage with John Kretschmer, getting boarded by the US Coast Guard, weather routing gone bad, losing a dinghy off the deck in a storm, cruising Ireland and Scotland, sailing in the Mediterranean, where they found the friendliest people, the Azores, things that make the boat more comfortable to live on, in-mast furling, fear, writing, a story about Gigi - the Contessa 32, her book Riding the Waves of Reality, checking into Greece, finding solitude, and more. Links and photos are on the podcast shownotes page Support teh show through Patreon List or browse sailboats for sale at sailboatsforsale.com

Guy deBoer, GGR Tactics 23.03.2026 59mnt

Guy deBoer is preparing for the Golden Globe Race, which starts in September, and will try to be the first American to win a solo nonstop circumnavigation race. He was in the 2022 GGR, but went aground on a reef on Fuerteventura. He has since repaired the boat, Spirit, a Tashiba 36 and is entered in the race again. We talk about the preparations he has been making to his boat, his two different windvane autopilots, his rig, his sails, bottom paint, different racing strategies (compared to 2022), his GGR tactical handbook - which he developed, the other skippers, the evolution of the race, the GGR compared to the Vendee Globe, how to win the race, avoiding bad decisions, avoiding ships, AIS, the rules, repairing his boat, The Canary Islands, delivering a Swan 57 from the Exumas to Rhode Island, celestial navigation, and more. Photos and links are on the podcast shownotes page Support the show through Patreon Shop or list sailboats at sailboatsforsale.com Get electrical help at Meridian Marine Electrical

Mara Lovenskiold Kveseth, GGR 2026 Entrant 16.03.2026 1j 11mnt

Mara is a Norwegian sailor entered in the 2026 Golden Globe Race. She was doing her 4000nm qualifier for the GGR, sailing from Morocco to St Martin in the Caribbean in her 2001 Saltram Saga 36. We talk about the journey she was on, her boat, the refit, roller furlers, staysails, solo sailing, livestreaming, sleeping while underway alone, spinnakers, how sailing changes us, her routine, exercise, sailing technique and lessons learned, biminis, whales, safety, tethers and jacklines, a difficult moment, a beautiful moment, what comes after the race, and more. Photos and links are on the podcast shownotes page Support the show through Patreon

Dudley Dix, Designing Sailboats Since the 1970's 09.03.2026 1j 7mnt

Dudley Dix has been designing sailboats - monohulls, catamarans, and trimarans - since the 1970's and is still at it. His designs incorporate wood, fiberglass, steel, or aluminum, and he is the developer of the radius-chine plywood method. His latest design is the Didi 120 GSC, a 40' monohull designed specifically for the Global Solo Challenge. We talk about his sailing history, sailing in South Africa, how he got involved in sailboat design, his design philosopy, sailing in the Cape to Rio Race, flying a spinnaker in 35 knots, the radius chine plywood method, capsizing in a storm, plywood construction, the Didi 120 GSC, sailing in giant swell, single rudder vs dual rudders, how to select a bluewater sailboat, comparing different materials for building boats, heavy vs light masts and the effect on stability, his two books "South Atlantic Capsize and Shaped" by "Wind and Wave," surfing, and more. Photos and links are on the podcast shownotes page Support the show through Patreon List or Browse sailboats for sale at sailboatsforsale.com Get electrical help from Meridian Marine Electrical Shop dinghy navigation lights at ShowMeYourDinghy.com

Africa! Tim Good and Emmie van Biervliet, Sailing in Senegal and The Gambia 02.03.2026 1j 36mnt

Tim and Emmie sail a 1996 Seastream 43 and are at the beginning of a circumnavigation starting in England. They were in Cape Verde when I interviewed them and had recently been to Senegal and The Gambia. We talk about a rough introduction to offshore sailing, sailing to Norway, Mindello Cape Verde, carnival, Dakar, Senegal, dodging fishing nets in Africa, the Saloum Delta National Park in Senegal, The Gambia, hippos and crocodiles and other wildlife, clearing in to Dakar, navigating with Google Earth, finding drinking water, clearing customs in The Gambia, the season to visit Senegal and The Gambia, whether to sail to Patagonia or the Caribbean next, The Bahamas, Canada, the Northwest Passage, wildlife in Panama, their boat, Coppercoat, anchors, dragging, a dream boat, refitting, Emmie's art, making decisions as a couple, and more. photos and links are on the podcast shownotes page support the show through Patreon list or browse sailboats for sale at sailboatsforsale.com shop tankless dive systems at diveblu3.com

Amy and MJ of Motherload Sailing, moving onto a Catamaran 23.02.2026 1j 22mnt

Amy Cobb and MJ Sizemore of Motherload Sailing are back in Bocas del Toro after sailing their Bavaria 50 back to Florida to sell. They replaced her with a Lagoon 410 catamaran, on which they live with their 5 sons. We talk about their new catamaran and compare her to their monohull - both living aboard and sailing, upgrades, lithium batteries, sailing from Florida to The Bahamas, clearing in at Great Harbor in the Berry Islands, the Exumas Land and Sea Park, the Bight of Acklins, Long Island, Great Inagua, Navasse Island, sargassum seaweed, sailing from The Bahamas to Panama, jacklines, safety, tips for raising kids on a boat, provisioning for a family of seven, tips for getting along as a couple on a boat, catamaran escape hatches, bucket-list destinations, dream boats, and more. photos and linka are on the podcast shownotes page support the show through Patreon list or browse sailboats for sale at sailboatsforsale.com get electrical-system help from Meridian Marine Electrical

Cruising with Gretchen and Tim of GnT Sailing 16.02.2026 1j 26mnt

Gretchen and Tim were in the same anchorage as me when I met them, and John Kretschmer recommended them as guests. They sail a Catalina 42 with an added staysail and have a YouTube channel called GnT Sailing. We talk about meeting while racing Rhodes 19's, learning to sail offshore, sailing with John Kretschmer, a heavy-weather passage with JK, sailing downwind with just a staysail in strong wind, handsteering, man-overboard drills, crossing the Gulf Stream, living aboard full-time vs part-time, motor-predjudice, arriving in the daylight or heaving-to until sunrise, anchoring, swivel failure, mistakes, things we say that make us feel better in rough conditions, couple difficulties and how to avoid arguments and drama, staying out of each other's way, heavy weather situations, their boat, things that make living aboard more comfortable, dream boats, steering in reverse in a full-keel boat, and more. Photos and links are on the podcast shownotes page Support the show through Patreon Browse or list sailboats for sale at sailboatsforsale.com shop tankless dive systems from Blu3 If you are interested in sailing with Tapio Lehtinen on offshore training passages, email paulwtrammell (at) hotmail (dot) com and put "sailing" in the subject line

Closing the Loop on a Circumnavigation, Brian Hathaway 09.02.2026 1j 26mnt

Brian Hathaway was in Panama when I interviewed him, near to completeing his circumnavigation. While sailing, he has been filming a documentary "The Healing Power of the Ocean." Brian is five years sober. He also directed a short documentary "Adrift." Brian sails a 2004 Hunter 44DS. We talk about fixing leaking portlights, fixing the cone clutch on his transmission, sailing from St Helena to Recife, Recife to Martinique, running aground, squalls, Puerto Rico to Panama (the worst passage of his circumnavigation), crew difficulties, dual headsails, losing both headsails, cutting a line caught in the propeller while at sea in rough conditions, climbing the mast while offshore, using a gaff on a halyard to catch a headsail halyard, motoring vs not motoring, whether or not to officially close the loop on the map to complete the circumnavigation, AIS vs Radar, zarpes, San Juan Puerto Rico, Hydrovane vs electronic autopilot, Wajag Islands, Madagascar, jacklines, tethers, saftey, fixing stuff, and more. Photos and links are on the podcast shownotes page Support the show through Patreon

Sailing the Sea of Cortez, Hawaii, and Alaska, Mike Kalil and Stephanie Propp 02.02.2026 1j 13mnt

Mike and Stephanie were in the Sea of Cortez when I interviewed them, aboard their Saga 43, Stella Blue. They bought her in British Columbia and sailed her south to California and Mexico, then to Hawaii, Alaska, down the west coast, and returned to the Sea of Cortez. We talk about Mexico and the Sea of Cortez, wildlife, their boat, the solent rig, electronics, radar, anchor lights, how they selected the Saga 43, sailing from Mexico to Hawaii, flipping a dinghy duing a beach landing, the kindness of the Mexican people, anchoring in Hawaii, sailing from Hawaii to Alaska, cruising in Alaska, Glacier Bay, glaciers, swimming moose, staying warm in the north, dealing with mold, cleaning the rigging with vinegar, mounting a Hydrovane, bucket-list destinations, and more. Links and photos are on the podcast shownotes page Support the show through Patreon Browse or list sailboats for sale at https://sailboatsforsale.com/ Shop tankless dive systems at https://www.diveblu3.com/

Sailing in Heavy Weather with Ryan Rayfield, Sailing Libra 26.01.2026 1j 28mnt

Ryan Rayfield recently sailed with novice crew from Block Island to Bermuda in November and faced some heavy weather, which he dealt with effectively in his 60' ketch, Libra. Ryan learned to sail on Lake Martin in Alabama, and now runs Sail Libra, an offshore charter operation in the North Atlantic Ocean. He is a USCG-licensed captain, father, and lifelong mariner. We talk about learning to sail on a makeshift Sunfish in Alabama, the advantages of sailing a ketch, light-air sails, his boat - a 1969 60' Bill Tripp center-cockpit ketch built by Abeking & Rasmussen, centerboards, replacing the centerboard, hurricanes, sailing from Rhode Island to Bermuda in November in foul weather, crossing the Gulf Stream, wind against current, planning to cross the Gulf Stream, watch schedules, sailing in 40-50 knots with 20' seas, the details of heaving-to and coming out of heaving-to safely, bucket-list destinations, and more. Links and photos are on the podcast shownotes page Support the show through Patreon

Sailing from the POV of a Former Commercial Fisherman, Joe Drago 19.01.2026 1j 12mnt

Joe Drago used to be a commercial fisherman in New England and now sails a Cape Dory 45 ketch based in New York and runs Sailing Resolution, a sailing adventure charter business. We talk about how he got involved in commercial fishing, lessons about seamanship learned from commercial fishing, fishing in foul weather, being washed overboard while longlining in the Gulf Stream, his rescue, safety gear, responding to a mayday, things commercial fishermen wish sailors did differently, towing signals, radar and AIS, sleeping while singlehanding, communication with commercial vessels, the Gulf Stream and wind against current, his boat Resolution - a Cape Dory 45 ketch, Airex foam coring, sailing a ketch, redundant and simplified systems on his boat, personal MOB AIS beacons, bronze deck fitting, chain plates, dragging anchor, sailing and climbing in Newfoundland, tips for staying warm and dry in cold wet weather, St Pierre (French island near Newfoundland), favorite anchorage in Maine, and more. Photos and links are on the podcast shownotes page Support the show through Patreon