David Hows is back with another ambitious tale and chapter of his exciting plans to expand Ocean Sailing Expeditions with the purchase of another 72-foot luxury expedition super yacht. The 3rd yacht to join Ocean Sailing Expeditions in less than 3 years, this is a great example of what's possible if you create a big vision and boldly go forward and execute on it (even when COVID gets in the way).  This is your chance to get involved, get onboard and sail to places you could normally only dream of, at a fraction of the normal cost. David is releasing his unique and innovative shareholder membership program for the 2nd time in 3 years, for just 35 new members in total. This makes it easier for everyday sailor’s to join his team on a range of new passages, races and expeditions at 20-100% below the normal crew cost.

Find out more: https://oceansailingexpeditions.com/membership

Ginny met Steve at a wooden boat festival in the 1990's when he was selling his book, Three Years in a 12-Foot Boat. She thought something like, “The crazy things people do!” Fast forward to 2022 and retired City Planner, Stephen Ladd (who married Ginny) shares an amazing story of the 5-years they spent exploring the coasts and inland rivers of South America in a 21-foot yacht and gave birth to a baby during their travels. They sailed from Florida to South America following coasts and islands, then they got into the big river systems down there. Using those rivers they went up and over a big hump called the Guyana Massif, which is the highland between the Orinoco and Amazon watersheds.

Then they went up and over another big hump: the high ground south of the Amazon and north of Argentina. Then they crossed that second hump again, coming back northwards into the Amazon, but following different rivers this time. Steve's approach to minimalist sailing, and the challenges of getting off the grid, should inspire anyone with big adventuring dreams and a small budget.

Find out more about podcast content and sailing opportunities: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com

Neil grew up sailing in the UK and quickly became accustomed to the range of weather conditions that it serves up. By the time he was a few months old, he completed his first English Channel crossing. He fell into maritime training as a teenager at his local sailing club, before emigrating to Australia and launching his own Sydney based training company 'Above and Beyond Boating'. Unlike some of the monotonous "death by powerpoint" courses that are run, Neil decided to pioneer a different approach to training through real life scenario, video based training, that people could complete remotely. When COVID came along, this went from a great idea to the "only show in town" as the traditional classroom trainers, shelved most of their courses for 2 years. Neil shares some great lessons from his decades clocking up tens of thousands of miles at sea and provides some great insights into the simple safety things we take forgranted.

Find out more about podcast content and sailing opportunities: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com

David Hows crossed the Tasman Sea for the first time in 2013, relieved to have survived a 1,500nm crossing that he never expected to repeat. 9 years and 13 Tasman Sea Crossings later, David has experienced winds as high as 55 knots, 10 metre seas, boat speeds hitting 24 knots and squalls tracked with radar moving at up to 106 knots. David shares 17 lessons that are applicable for anyone sailing offshore. David has clocked up more than 60,000 offshore miles between Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands over the past 11 years, including 25,000nm in the last 2 years alone.

Find out more about podcast content and sailing opportunities: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com

Derek Hamer has devoted his life to helping save seals and whales. It's a great insight into the impact that fishing has on our oceans and the work thats been done by a handful of people to change how fishermen think about sustainability.

Derek is passionate about protecting our oceans for future generations and has accrued decades of experience working on the management of marine mammal conservation with commercial fisheries in Australia, the sub-Antarctic, Samoa and Fiji.

Derek is a founding member of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) Marine Mammal Working Group and has worked with the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA; through the DevFish Project), the Alaskan Longline Fishermen’s Association (ALFA) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) on related projects in the western central Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea.

Find out more about podcast content and sailing opportunities: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com

Walter Van Lier finds a 1980's Beneteau yacht for sale online and flies half way around the world during COVID to buy it. This is the story of a crazy adventurer with a heart of gold and his remarkable journey from Spain to Hobart, Australia. From a broken forestay, to engine failure, shredded mainsail and steering failure this tale has it all. Walter is a full time vagabond and part time fruit picker who owns 3 yachts and has created a life of fun filled sailing adventures. Find out more about podcast content and sailing opportunities: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com

Imagine discovering a log that had just floated down a Tasmanian River in a storm and building an ocean going yacht out of it. Not just any log, but  a rare Huon Pine log, felled 40 years earlier from a tree estimated at 1,000 years old. Thats what Derek Shields set out to do, with no background in boat building. After years sailing on other peoples yachts, he had found a John Muir design in 1982 and he decided to build it.

3 years and thousands of hours later, ‘Sagan’ was launched. Following Sagan’s launch, Derek set off on an adventure that took him up the east coast of Australia and across the Indian Ocean to Africa where he spent 10 months travelling through 17 different countries by road. Derek’s shares his sailing story in the tranquil setting of the Gordon River It's an amazing tale of setbacks and perseverance.

Find out more about podcast content and sailing opportunities: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com 

Meet Suzie Christensen; sailor and CEO of the stunning Lord Howe Island. On my 4th visit to Lord Howe Island in 5 years I managed to catch up with the newly appointed island CEO for a chat about island life. Suzie shares her early experience on fitting into her new role after moving from Queensland, Australia to the tropical island paradise, 300nm off Australia’s East Coast.

We chat about the history, economy, wildlife, how the nutrient rich Lord Howe Island Rise creates healthy dolphins, the impact on native bird population since rodents were removed and some of the highlights for visiting sailors.

Find out more about podcast content and sailing opportunities: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com 

We catch up with Matt Harvey on the challenge of flying 32 hours to Tahiti, to pick up a rookie crew and prepare to deliver his new yacht ‘Salt Lines’ to Sydney, Australia to join Ocean Sailing Expeditions. Salt Lines (originally John Laing), had been parked up for 2 years in Tahiti due to COVID-19. Matt’s challenge was to fly in, prepare the vessel for departure and sail non-stop to Sydney on a journey full of the challenges that come with sailing a vessel you have just purchased and are still getting to know.

Matt discuss the hurdles faced on arrival in Tahiti, the battle with the heat, the mammoth effort required to bring Salt Lines home and the upgrades and refits planned.

Find out more about podcast content and sailing opportunities: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com 

Dan Farmer, owner and skipper of the Sydney 41 yacht ‘B52’, shares the story of his epic adventure in the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, where more than 40% of the fleet retired due to damage or injuries.

Dan explained crew selection, training, boat preparation and their strategy in the the first 36 hours of the race when more than 30 yachts retired in the tough ‘wind against current’, southerly conditions. Dan shares his thoughts on what went well, the importance of onboard leadership and an emotional crossing of the finish line. From 2 to 40 knots, this edition of this famous ocean race had everything.

Find out more about podcast content and sailing opportunities: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com 

I met Matt Harvey in June 2021 when he joined me onboard Silver Fern as Chief Mate on the 600nm passage from Southport to Hamilton Island, Queensland. With the various challenges that unfolded along the way, Matt proved himself as a capable and composed skipper, especially under pressure.

Fast forward 4 months and Matt has just completed the purchase (sight unseen) of a 70-foot expedition yacht, that’s been parked up in Tahiti for 18 months (thanks to COVID-19) after it was halfway through its second circumnavigation. With a 200,000nm and 30-year history of ocean sailing and adventure, the yachts previous expeditions include one to Antarctica by the British Army, who retraced Ernest Shackleton’s famous voyage.

Matt’s passion for sailing has him plunging headfirst into commercial yacht ownership and joining Ocean Sailing Expeditions, with his 70-foot expedition yacht to be renamed “Salt Lines”. This enables us to increase safety on remote expeditions with 2 yachts and expands the range of sailing adventures we can offer. This episode covers the journey so far for Matt, the sleepless nights and what lies ahead next for Matt and his delivery crew, including sailing 3,300nm across the Pacific to Australia for 2 months of upgrades and repairs, so she’s ready to go sailing from February 2022.

Find out more about podcast content and sailing opportunities: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com 

With a dream to sail the Atlantic one day, Maryanne (Scotland) met Kyle (USA) in 2002 and setting abut turning her dream into reality. They kicked their adventures on a 25 foot monohull on Lake Eerie and 19 years later they have not only crossed together but have also crossed the Pacific 5 times and have spent the last decade as live aboard cruisers. They share the tales of their travels including the strangest Customs border clearance ever experienced, in a tiny coastal town in Ireland.

They also share the sad story of the loss of their brand new catamaran in a storm, when a lee shore anchorage pushed them aground on the coast of Italy and the stress of flying home to the USA to find a replacement yacht and decided to restart their adventures on an 2001 Fountaine-Pajot Athena 38 named Begonia, which they live on today. 

Find out more about podcast content and sailing opportunities: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com 

David Hows shares an update on his 72-foot expedition yacht project - Silver Fern, with details of the last 6-months including the Americas Cup, the 10-month certification process with Maritime New Zealand, big budget blow-outs on the refit. David dives into some of his early sailing adventure challenges on Silver Fern including; a forced lee shore anchorage in a heavy weather, being grounded for 10-hours on the mud in crocodile country, black water pipe problems and rigging and steering failures. David shares his thoughts on lessons learned in these examples and prioritisation and decision making at sea.

Find out more about podcast content and sailing opportunities: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com 

I catch up with America's Cup analyst and expert - Jack Griffin from CupExperience.com and we dive into the AC75 class, the shocks and surprises to date and the rocky road to the America's Cup Match in Auckland, New Zealand in March 2021 and what the future holds for the Auld Mug.

This episode is packed with observations, thoughts and some bold predictions as to what's about to happen next, as Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli get ready to face the Defender; Emirates Team New Zealand on Aucklands Waitemata Harbour. With "Pistol Pete" facing "Jimmy the prize fighter Spithill" in Jimmy's 4th Americas Cup match in a row, this is sure to be an epic encounter and likely to contain shocks, surprises and disappointments - as is often the case with the world's oldest sporting trophy.

Check out: http://cupexperience.com 

Find out more about podcast content and sailing opportunities: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com 

In episode 100 of the Ocean Sailing Podcast, David Hows dives into his latest ‘Silver Fern’ 72-foot expedition yacht project and does a big update on the past 4 months of long days and unexpected obstacles, that included unplanned upgrades, Maritime NZ compliance challenges, a complete yacht rewire, making the decision to take the jump into full time adventure sailing and stories from his 7th Tasman Sea crossing in December 2020.

David also launches an Ocean Sailing Expeditions - Shareholder Membership release with details on how to take advantage of the limited opportunity to maximise your own sailing adventures.

Find out more about membership: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com/membership

In this episode I meet with Rodney Keenan, founder of Evolution Sails, at his incredible high-tech membrane plant in Auckland, New Zealand about sail planning for my new project: Silver Fern.

Rodney shares his advice on sail planning and the background story of how he built a global sail making business that sends sails to customers all over the world. As a 7-year client of Evolution, I was fascinated to find out first-hand about the latest trends in carbon/technora membrane sail technology and whether this next step up makes sense for my 72 foot expedition/racing project and I discover how sail making has changed over the past 20 years.

Find out more about podcast content and sailing opportunities: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com 

Vernon Deck is a great example of jumping headfirst into sailing and just figuring it out as you go along. We initially interviewed Vernon in episode 68 and discovered how he purchased a Sayer 37 yacht 'Schiehallion' and before heading offshore to Solomon Islands, then onto Papua New Guinea and then Indonesia.

This time we catch-up with Vernon to find out about cruising Indonesia and the challenges for cruising live-aboard sailors with COVID19 and the border issues. 

Find out more about podcast content and sailing opportunities: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com

David Hows and Phil Jarvis join the crew of Coastguard Nelson for a post-rescue debrief session, followed by a recorded podcast interview to discuss how yachties can learn lessons from previous Coastguard rescue case studies and tips on getting found and staying alive at sea.

It's easy to assume when sailing in calm weather, that it will never happen to you, but the chat with the crew of Coastguard Nelson reinforces that having the right safety equipment, keeping it serviced and knowing how to use it could save your life one day.

Help them fund their rescue boat: https://coastguardnelson.org.nz

Find out more about podcast content and sailing opportunities: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com

Jana McGeachy and Mick O'Keefe (Beef) are not your typical semi-retired cruising sailors. As young sailors, they've worked hard, saved up and sold up. I first found out about their ambitious cruising plans in Episode 73. Now 14-months later, I catch up with them at home in Australia to find out all about their sailing adventures through the Caribbean including; The Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Puerto Rico, Tortola, Antigua and The Virgin Islands. 

They share the challenges of COVID-19 for cruisers, hiring a private plane to get out of Antigua, their engagement, their first cruising baby on the way and some essential boat maintenance stories.

Find out more about podcast content and sailing opportunities: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com 

I have yet to meet anyone more inspirational than Dustin Reynolds when it comes to turning personal tragedy and financial ruin into a completely new path in life.

Hit by a drunk driver and left for dead on the side of the road with his arm ripped from his body and life multiple threatening injuries, Dustin survived but the mounting health bills buried him financially. He made the decision to sell up and walk away from the business's he had diligently built, to rediscover a new life on the ocean in a $12,000 yacht with a goal of circumnavigating the planet. His story, determination and passion for deep connections with people is powerful and inspiring.

Visit Ocean Sailing Podcast for offshore sailing opportunities and podcast extras and follow us on Facebook.

Geoff’s Wilson's life changed forever on Boxing Day 2004. Within days of the Banda Aceh earthquake and tsunami, he was working on the ground as a relief team translator. The death and destruction was a huge wake-up call for Geoff and what he has achieved since is nothing short of inspiring. From near death escapes and grand desert journeys to extreme Antarctic expeditions, Geoff now holds six world records;

1. Longest solo, unsupported Polar Journey in Human History
2. First summit of Dome Argus, solo and unsupported 
3. Fastest solo, unsupported crossing of Antarctica 
4. Fastest unsupported crossing of Greenland, South to North
5. First to cross the Torres Strait by kiteboard
6. First and only wind-assisted crossing of the Sahara Desert

Visit Ocean Sailing Podcast for offshore sailing opportunities and podcast extras and follow us on Facebook.

Involved in ocean racing as a teenager and competing regularly as crew in all the Australian Blue Water Classics, Mark first became part of the wooden boat community 25 years ago with the purchase of the 1964 Sparkman and Stevens designed 'Cotton Blossom'. His romance with classic boats established, it was the purchase of his second boat, the 1956 Philip Rhodes designed 'Fair Winds' in Auckland that found him with a seaworthy vessel ready for the demands of both adventure and racing.

Thousands of miles and many ocean crossings and races later, Mark also talks about the deep bond and lifelong friendships that you develop with your crew, especially when you sail together for decades.

Visit Ocean Sailing Podcast for offshore sailing opportunities and podcast extras and follow us on Facebook.

An inspirational interview with Dylan Magaster who flew to South America at the age of 21 with only $1,000 in the bank and his camera gear and decided to go traveling.

He backpacked for 6 months, converted a van into his home and began creating influential short documentaries showcasing ‘Alternative Living’. After nearly two years living in a van, Dylan

decided to move to the Mediterranean in pursuit of new adventure. With just 7 days of sailing experience, he bought a 1979 Morgan 382 sailing boat and has lived aboard the ‘Arianrhod’ since.

He has now sailed more than 6,000 nm to 3 continents and traveled to 27 countries, sharing countless inspiring stories of Alternative Living. With 100 million video views on YouTube, Dylan is proof of the hunger for adventure so many of us crave.

Dylan’s main passions are adventure storytelling and sustainable living ad he is also CEO of FLORB, a successful film production company he created based in Los Angeles, California.

Visit Ocean Sailing Podcast for offshore sailing opportunities and podcast extras and follow us on Facebook.

David Hows shares this sneak preview of his exciting new sailing expeditions that lay ahead and the 70-foot expedition super yacht he is acquiring to make it all possible.   This is your chance to get involved, get onboard and sail to places you could normally only dream of and at a fraction of the normal cost. David is launching a unique and innovative shareholder membership program, for just 20 members in total, to make it easier for sailor’s to join him on a range of new passages, races and expeditions at a fraction of the normal crew cost (including front row seats at the America’s Cup in 2021 in Auckland). If you have often thought about;

• Circumnavigating challenging locations
• Completing a Trans-Tasman crossing or Cat 1 Ocean Race
• Joining our crew for a Rolex Sydney Hobart Race
• Undertaking sailing expeditions to remote and rare locations

Then find out more by watching this pre-release video. https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com/membership

This episode is about sharing the lessons from an initial mechanical failure that occurred in the middle of the Tasman Sea, that set off a chain of events over the course of 520nm, resulting in the Coastguard rescue of a 45-foot Beneteau yacht and its crew of 6.

As a sequel to episode 88, skipper David Hows conducts a full post mortem with the crew, who share their thoughts on what they would do differently, how they would prepare and what they got right in this multifaceted, near disaster story that took place 4 days after departing Hobart, Australia to sail 1,250nm across the Tasman Sea to Picton, New Zealand. The crew of the Ocean Gem had to face a steering cable failure in the early morning hours, followed by two crash gybes that snapped the boom preventer and broke the boom in half. What followed 500nm later was the failure of the steel emergency tiller and then the autopilot, causing total steering loss and ultimately a call for a rescue tow from while mid Cook Strait and 53nm from Nelson.

Visit Ocean Sailing Podcast for offshore sailing opportunities and podcast extras and follow us on Facebook.

Parlay Revival is a story about a young man from New Zealand, Colin, who spend's his life savings from a 10 year career as a Super yacht engineer, to buy a Lagoon catamaran that was badly damaged and partially sunk during Hurricane Irma and repair it in Guatemala. 

With friends from all over the world they spent months fixing her up, to get her to sail around the world. The next mission was to sail across the Pacific from the Caribbean to New Zealand to make it to Auckland, Colin's home town, in time for the America's Cup, but the plans come unstuck as Covid-19 shuts down access to the Pacific Islands and the crew find themselves anchored up in Panama. 

Visit Ocean Sailing Podcast for offshore sailing opportunities and podcast extras and follow us on Facebook.

4 days after departing Hobart Australia to sail 1,250nm across the Tasman Sea to Picton, New Zealand the crew of the Ocean Gem had to face a steering cable failure in the early morning hours, followed by two crash gybes that snapped the boom preventer and broke the boom in half. What followed 500nm later was the failure of the steel emergency tiller and then the autopilot, causing total steering loss and ultimately a call for a rescue tow from while mid Cook Strait and 53nm from Nelson.

This is a tale of determination, resilience and creative thinking by a crew of six who faced 500nm of hand steering a 12 ton yacht in seas of up to 4 metres and winds up to 29 knots, using emergency steering constructed from 2 block and tackles, an emergency tiller and bow sprit before this eventually failed too. This episode was first recorded as a Facebook Live broadcast by Skipper David Hows.

Visit Ocean Sailing Podcast for offshore sailing opportunities and podcast extras and follow us on Facebook.

This is the inspirational story of Amanda and Darren who decided to, give up great jobs and sell up and go sailing while in their early thirties. Whats amazing is they did not grow up around boats, they new nothing about sailing and they had not even stepped aboard a sail boat until they took their Amel Sharki "SV Panda" for a test sail.

We catch-up with Amanda and Darren in Puerto Rico about the lead up to their decision to go sailing, the boat preparation required, the costs involved, their annual sailing budget and what its been like to adapt to living on a 40 foot boat on a big ocean!

After sailing from Florida to the Bahamas and then onto Puerto Rico, they are holed up waiting for COVID-19 restrictions to ease, before considering heading north for a clockwise Atlantic circuit. 

Visit Ocean Sailing Podcast for offshore sailing opportunities and podcast extras and follow us on Facebook.

On the eve of the 4 year anniversary of the Ocean Sailing Podcast and the 500,000 download milestone achieved this month, producer David Hows shares a big update on whats next for him. With exciting new plans for his Ocean Gem Sailing adventures he has just released in the Ocean Sailing Podcast sailing calendar, this is a bumper update from David. It also includes personal reflections on the changes and challenges he has experienced over the past 2 years and details of all of the sailing adventures and destinations he has planned ahead, to some very unique, remote and challenging locations that very few sailors ever get to. 

Visit Ocean Sailing Podcast for offshore sailing opportunities and podcast extras and follow us on Facebook.

Guest host Paul Trammell interviews Andrew Bishop of the World Cruising Club just prior to the 2019 Caribbean 600. Andrew completed his first Fastnet Race at age 15 and was later knocked unconscious in the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers in 1989, without a lifejacket on. Fortunately he survived and went on to meet Jimmy Cornell shortly after, offering to get involved in newly created World Rally for Cruisers. He joined the WCC in 1991 and helped launch and run the inaugural 16-month WRC for 35 yachts. If you are interested in joining a cruising rally, Andrew discusses the benefits that WCC cruising couples have found most valuable.

Andrew has spent a life on the water both in the Navy and as a sailor and he shares valuable advice on safety equipment for offshore cruisers, the rising safety standards that are required and he philosophy on being self-sufficient and not expecting to be rescued. 

Visit Ocean Sailing Podcast for offshore sailing opportunities and podcast extras and follow us on Facebook.

The inspirational tale of Dave and Gabes who act on their dreams, throw in their jobs and spend 7 months sailing 5,000nm up the east coast of Australia from their home port in Hobart, Tasmania to the Whitsundays in Queensland and home again. Its a great example of whats possible if you cut out the spending on unnecessary lifestyle costs, save hard, buy a boat that fits your budget and then invest your own time in preparing it for cruising as a live-aboard. 

Dave and Gabes are both passionate and practical sailors, who are living life on the water by 'working to sail' instead of 'living to work'. 

Visit Ocean Sailing Podcast for offshore sailing opportunities and podcast extras and follow us on Facebook.

In March 2019 David Hows sailed 1,250 miles from Southport, Australia across the Tasman Sea to Auckland, New Zealand via Opua in the Bay of Islands with his crew of 4 onboard a Beneteau 45 named Ocean Gem. A fantastic 7-day reaching / running passage was enhanced by a series of unexpected events, starting with a cast alloy anchor stem bow fitting that broke in two, a broken steering cable 400nm offshore, a parade of 150+ dolphins and finally a crew emergency requiring ambulance evacuation on arrival. This story reinforces that despite having great plans, you should always expect the unexpected and adapt to the challenges that occur along the way in almost every ocean passage. 

Visit Ocean Sailing Podcast for offshore sailing opportunities and podcast extras and follow us on Facebook.

Behan and Jamie left great careers in the USA 12 years ago to sail the globe with 3 young children in tow. They share some of the highlights, challenges and lessons from offshore cruising with kids, their roles as a sailing couple and what its meant for their relationship.

Behan and Jamie have developed the ability to earn income as they sail and they devote a lot of time to helping others start the cruising life. Recorded onboard Totem in Mexico, they have now travelled to 48 countries and are a glowing example of whats possible if you commit a date to paper.

Visit Ocean Sailing Podcast for offshore sailing opportunities and podcast extras and follow us on Facebook.

James & Kimmi have sailed and free dived together since shortly after James purchased the 38 catamaran; SV Zingaro in 2016 before they met in Mexico. They share the story of their Catamaran's structural failure 60nm off the coast of Hawaii and their desperate efforts to stay afloat for several long hours while awaiting the US Coastguard's arrival. They also highlight their earlier adventures from more than 3 years of sailing the coastline and islands of South America and the Pacific and the amazing communities their travels have taken them to.

On the technical front they dive into para-anchors and drogues and recount their personal experience of what works and what doesn't in strong winds and big seas. Visit Ocean Sailing Podcast for offshore sailing opportunities and podcast extras and follow us on Facebook.

David Hows shares his race experience from the inaugural 530nm yacht race from Brisbane to Hamilton Island up Australia's east coast. This unlikely tale of a 27 year old Beneteau 45 foot yacht named Ocean Gem and a rookie crew is an example of preparation, determination and seat of the pants sailing to take out the 1st place on both IRC and PHS in Division 2 and finish 7th overall in a fleet of 16, behind grand prix yachts; Wild Oats X and five TP 52's. This episode provides insights into the highs and lows of ocean racing and whats possible if you do the basics well, even when you are racing against superior yachts. Visit Ocean Sailing Podcast for offshore sailing opportunities and podcast extras and follow us on Facebook.

Andy Lamont interviews Matt Andrews who started sailing on Moreton Bay with his dad as an 8 year old in the 1970’s on a Mirror dinghy followed by a 125, before moving to Balmain in Sydney and buying a Sabot before making the jump, as a 15 year old, to 16 foot skiffs.

He then left school and started sail making in Sydney before moving to Denmark and talking his way into a job with North Sails and eventually making sails for 100 foot yachts.

Norths moved Matt to Spain, which opened up the opportunity to make sails for the Telefonica Volvo 70 campaign, before moving to the Americas Cup sail loft in Valencia in 2007. A chance introduction with an Emirates Team NZ (ETNZ) member, led to Matt being employed by ETNZ a year later. Matt shares first hand lessons about kiwi creativity, resourcefulness and leadership he learned from his time at ETNZ.

This led to his next campaign as sail maker with Ken Read’s Puma Volvo Campaign in 2008/9 and then Telefonica Team in 2011/12. Matt reflects on his time, incredible career, sailing lessons and his recent change of role to father, sail loft owner and dinghy sailor on the Tweed River in New South Wales, Australia.

Visit Ocean Sailing Podcast for offshore sailing opportunities and podcast extras and follow us on Facebook.

I catch up with David Hanton from Bradford Marine and get deep and technical about protecting whats under your waterline. We dive into the typical issues with hull maintenance, osmosis in fibreglass and what causes it, how to know if it’s a big vs small problem, how to prevent and repair it and we talk about how significant the damage and repair bill can be. 

David shares examples of shortsighted shortcuts boat owners and tradesmen take and the extra problems they cause. We talk about the product choices for owners when it comes to anti-foul paint and the differences between budget and premium and how the life expectancies differ, the paint thats better suited to warm and cold climates and racing versus cruising application options.

We discuss some of the ugly things that can happen to poorly maintained hulls and the construction materials to avoid when buying a second hand yacht. We finish up on rudders and keels and the warning signs you should pay attention to.

Visit Ocean Sailing Podcast for offshore sailing opportunities and podcast extras and follow us on Facebook.

With a father who went to 5 olympics as Flying Dutchman competitor initially and then as coach, Jon Bilger spent his early years around sailing. He bought is first boat after saving $250 and asking his dad to build him an optimist. In a P Class he then won New Zealand’s Tauranga Cup twice amongst a fleet of 120 dinghies that included young sailors such as Craig Monk. Then the move to the 470 and the Olympics followed along with competing in various European sailing regattas before the days of professional coaches.  Jon was thrust into the Tag Heuer 1995 Americas Cup Team as navigator and it opened the door to his newly found passion for weather analysis. From there a decade with the Swiss based, Russell Coutts led, Alinghi Americas Cup syndicate, Jon was responsible for weather modelling for the 2003 and 2007 winning Americas Cup team before the loss in 2010 to Oracle. The weather technology developed for this team led to the model that Predict Wind is based upon today and is now used all over the world by everyday sailors.

Visit Ocean Sailing Podcast for offshore sailing opportunities and podcast extras and follow us on Facebook.

A unique and personal insight into the reasons some of us are drawn to the sea. Taylor Grieger is a Navy Veteran that returned from 6.5 years of active service and resigned from the military, only to suffer the tragedy of his fellow veterans and buddies dying from suicide. Research shows military veterans commit suicide at a frequency of 20 per day in the USA. Taylor is a young veteran who decided to use his own painful journey to help create a smoother path for those who come after him.

Taylor Grieger and writer Stephen O’Shea set out on the sailing adventure of a lifetime, sailing around Cape Horn to raise awareness of and spark solutions for veterans' suicide. They never anticipated that their voyage would take them through 3 hurricanes and 2 tropical storms or the extreme cold and personal hardship they would suffer.

Their soon to be released documentary 'Hell or High Seas' captures the highs and lows of a personal path too often travelled. 

Visit Ocean Sailing Podcast for offshore sailing opportunities and podcast extras and follow us on Facebook.

Paul Willison spent his early days as an outdoor education teacher and quickly migrated to working on a square rig sailing ship teaching high school kids to sail. He then set off to travel around the world and sailed on lots of different boats in unusual locations. On his return to Australia he bought the hull and decks for an Imp 33 catamaran and spent the next 3 years fitting it out in his spare time. Next came a maritime training centre with feet of six 15 foot boats, then offshore again doing coastal and blue water deliveries.

Paul tells of his 20-year love affair with his Wharram Cat, modelled on a Polynesian voyaging canoe, which he sailed the West and East coast of Australia, through Papua New Guinea and to Indonesia. His tall ship adventures saw sail as Mate on the STS Leeuwin II, a 55m long, 500-ton steel 3-masted sail training ship, voyaging from the South Australian border to Darwin and across to Indonesia, hitting speeds of 16 knots in 35 knots of breeze. Next came the role of Mate on the Batavia, a replica of the 1628 Dutch East Indies ship. Paul has recently bought a 45 Kurt Hughes performance catamaran 'Queimarla' and has set up his own sailing school on West Coast of Australia.

Visit Ocean Sailing Podcast for offshore sailing opportunities and podcast extras and follow us on Facebook.

Jana and Mick are not your typical semi-retired Australian offshore sailors. Surviving a head on crash in the outback at 100 km/hr at a young age, made them think differently about turning their sailing dreams into reality sooner. They worked and saved hard for the next 2 years and I catch up with them onboard their dream yacht in Florida, waiting to sail to the Bahamas. Their yacht search led to a surgeon selling his 1986 Morgan 43 for $80k. They offered $58k and it was theirs.

After lots of maintenance, upgrades, groundings, engine headaches and weeks of toil they are on the eve of departure. With a plan to sail the Bahamas for a few months, then fly home to Australia to save more money for next legs to the Caribbean and onto the Pacific, it's a great story of whats possible with determination. We also discuss boat systems and handling and share some handy tips.

Visit Ocean Sailing Podcast for offshore sailing opportunities and podcast extras and follow us on Facebook.

From the moment Glenn Ashby won his first A-Class Cat World Title in Spain at age 18, he demonstrated an innate ability to understand the physics in play on the water and interpret them better than anyone else in his chosen class.

As the winning 2017 Americas Cup skipper and wing trimmer for Emirates Team New Zealand and now Cup Defender for the next edition on Auckland Harbour, Glenn shares insights on the design evolution to the new 75-foot foiling monohull and how the return to some of the traditional elements of Americas Cup match racing such as; upwind starts, larger sailing teams and tacking duels have driven the monohull design and created this hybrid of both ‘tradition’ and ‘futuristic’ design that even a ‘catamaran purist’ could love.

Glenn gets technical on the physics that drive the performance of this exciting new monohull and candidly shares his thoughts on potential speeds, likelihood of capsizes, the potential for 100% fly time and the changes to crew selection strategy with the new design.

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James and Patti Hunt are Australians who truly have the traveller’s spirit, having extensively backpacked as young Australians throughout Europe in the early 1980’s. They were introduced to sailing in the chilly conditions off the south coast of England and purchased their first yacht ‘Wanderlust’ a Hurley 24 in 1987.

By 1995 they made the decision to find the ideal cruising yacht to become their travelling home and subsequently purchased ‘La Aventura’ (Spanish for ‘The Adventurer’) from Jimmy Cornell. Over the next 25 years they sailed two-handed to 73 countries and covered approximately 50,000 miles, including a circumnavigation of the UK, two seasons in the Baltic, sailing to Eastern Europe, St Petersburg, Russia, on to the Mediterranean in 2000, where they spent the next 11 summers, then Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon and Israel. By 2012 they crossed the Atlantic to the Eastern Caribbean, before spending 6 years exploring the Eastern and Western Caribbean, Panama, Cuba and east coast USA. ‘La Aventura’ is now back in the UK and for sale, having just completed a voyage from the Western Caribbean, back across the Atlantic via Bermuda and the Azores.

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Andy Schell produces the sailing podcast: 'On the Wind'. With more than 250 episodes under his belt, along with a sailing calendar that sees him tick off more than 10,000 sea miles each year, Andy eats, sleeps and breathes 'all things sailing'. Andy shares his love of sailing and podcasting in a rare and candid interview, where he's on the other end of the microphone for a change.

Andy and his wife Mia, are renowned for their generosity in sharing sailing content, knowledge and hands on adventures. I was inspired by Andy's work to launch the Ocean Sailing Podcast in 2016, so its a privilege to spend an hour with Andy, drilling into what drives him and the things that keep him awake at night.

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Deborah Dalziel is both sailor and sailing technology entrepreneur. We explore the story behind the business idea, to find out what drove Deborah, as the Founder of www.MySail.Team to create a Web and App platform, designed to make race crew management easier for boat owners and skippers, while making it simpler for race crew to access and find crew positions on new yachts for races and regattas. With more than 500 yachts and 2,500 crew using My Sail, it's really gaining traction and proving that sailors love technology, that saves time and simplifies life.

As a Canadian immigrant to Australia, who has bootstrapped her start-up with a ton of grit and determination, Deborah shares her vision, the challenges, set backs and future growth plans for My Sail and what she hopes to achieve with the product enhancements that lie ahead. 

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Vernon Deck is a great example of jumping head first into sailing and just figuring it out as you go along. He learned by watching sailing videos and doing local racing as crew, then purchased a yacht, spent 3 weeks on preparation, then untied and departed. His first 3 seasons were spent sailing the 780nm passage between Brisbane and Cairn on the Australian East Coast on a S&S 34 before buying a much faster Sayer 37 yacht and heading offshore to Solomon Islands, then onto Papua New Guinea and then Indonesia.

After a lifetime of adventure and earning a living as a sports photographer, Vernon now spends half of each year in Austria earning a living and the other half onboard his yacht, cruising his way north through the Pacific. 

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Paul Trammel has a passion for surfing, sailing and free-diving. Paul shares his plans to sell up and head off for a life of solo sailing adventure, funded in part by his solo-sailing book writing. With plans to live on the ocean permanently, Paul talks about how has made his dreams a reality, along with tips on the content distribution platforms that budding new sailing writers can now use to monetise digital and printed content. 

Paul lives by the mantra: "Fear is here for us to face and adventure waits on the other side" and he talks about the solo adventures that inspired his new book: 'Journey to the Ragged Islands: Sailing Solo Through The Bahamas', which includes stories of his adventures, 67 photographs, visits to dozens of uninhabited islands, several shark encounters, six blue holes and three point breaks.

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Dennis Webster built his 37-foot plywood catamaran ‘Catalyst’ for just $27,000 and then set off with his family to sail from New Zealand to the Pacific Islands, Guam, Japan and Alaska before sailing down the west coast of Canada and the USA and westward across the Pacific on a 3 year journey packed full of adventures and crazy stories.

From frozen fuel, to working on fishing trawlers out of Dutch Harbour, to being hit by 60 knots at anchor, being arrested, a whale collision that almost caused a capsize, this family of five had the adventure of a lifetime on a tiny budget.

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The inside passage to Alaska has been paddled by native canoes since time immemorial. It’s in the spirit of tradition, exploration, and the lawless self-reliance of the gold rush that the Race to Alaska was born. R2AK is the first of its kind and North America’s longest human and wind powered race, and currently the largest cash prize for a race of its kind.

It’s like the Iditarod, on a boat, with a chance of drowning, being run down by a freighter, or eaten by a grizzly bear. There are squalls, killer whales, tidal currents that run upwards of 20 miles an hour, and some of the most beautiful scenery on earth.

You, a boat, a starting gun. $10,000 if you finish first, a set of steak knives if you’re second. Cathartic elation if you can simply complete the course. R2AK is a self-supported race with no supply drops and no safety net. Any boat without an engine can enter. Last year 37 teams were accepted and 21 finished. Graham Shaw was 1 of the 21 and he shares his story.

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An episode with the Ocean Gem crew, who recount their epic 1,000nm trip from Southport to Pittwater via Middleton Reef, Elizabeth Reef, Lord Howe Island and Balls Pyramid. These unique reefs and islands are 300nm off Australia's Coast and are steeped in a history of untouched reefs, shipwrecks, incredible sea and bird life and the chance to stand knee deep in water, in the southern most coral reef in the world, surrounded by a 5,000m deep ocean in every direction. 

This 9-day ocean passage initially took us 300nm upwind to Middleton Reef, a stopover at Elizabeth Reef and 2 days ashore at Lord Howe Island before sailing around the 'jurassic like' Balls Pyramid, en-route to Pittwater, NSW on a 10-25 knot, 3-day, downwind sleigh ride, in preparation for the Pittwater to Southport race in January. 

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A fascinating interview with New Zealand scientist and sailor; Josh Scarrow, who has spent time on the ice in Antartica on three different occasions, taking him to 85 degrees south, 2,800 metres high and temperatures below -20 degrees C. Josh is with the Antarctica NZ organisation and shares his sailing experience from Hobart to Antarctica on the 95m icebreaker Aurora Australis and his flying adventures both to and across Antartica.

Josh is also a sailor at heart and his Pacific adventures have taken him from Auckland to Port Vila on a 60 foot catamaran. Josh shares his perspective on the melting ice caps and what it would take to raise the sea levels as much as 60 metres globally. 

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Sytske du Crocq is a Netherlands based sailing entrepreneur who has turned her passion for racing in exotic destinations, into a global business. I met Sytske by chance at Hamilton Island in Australia when she was here to compete in the Sydney to Gold Coast Race and unearthed a great story, about what you can create if you have passion and determination. Sail Race Crew offer both grand prix yacht racing and cruising adventures on yachts as extreme as TP52's and Volvo 70's and as classy and Swan 65's. With destinations all over the world and access to 4,900 yachts, they create 'bucket list' experiences for sailors of all ages.

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Mark Gallick joins me onboard Ocean Gem for a 600nm ocean passage from Hamilton Island to Southport in Queensland. Its a challenging passage that takes in islands, reefs, whales, commercial and military traffic and a number of navigational challenges including the shallow 70nm passage down the western side of Fraser Island, the largest sand island in the world.

Mark shares the personal goals he wanted to achieve on our voyage south and his future plans for acquisition of a Seawind catamaran to go cruising with his family. We dive into Mark's 22 year career with the US Coast Guard including some colourful stories and being stationed on the US mainland, Hawaii and the Bahamas.

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Guest host Joe Richardson interviews Jason Ker, founder of Ker Yacht Design onboard his very own ‘Ker designed’ 19.2m (63 feet) racer/cruiser yacht “Dark Horse of England”. Jason Ker launched Ker Yacht Design than 20 years ago and he talks about how he got started in yacht design, his ocean racing experiences with both the Fastnet and Sydney Hobart Races under his belt. He lives by the design philosophy that “you are only as good as your last boat”.

With success all over the world, it’s a fascinating and technical insight into the mind of one of the world’s leading yacht designers with proven pedigree ranging from monohulls to cats, cruisers to grand prix ocean racers and he shares the highs and lows of the GFC and financial risks of designing for the Americas Cup. Jason talks about yacht design 10 years from now and what the future might look like.

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Guest host Paul Trammell is back and interviews David Young who lives in Jacksonville Florida on his Endeavour 35 yacht, built in 1984. He shares his experience on Pacific voyaging, using parachute anchors and drogues, 4 decades of ocean sailing; starting with pilot charts, radio direction finders and sextants and talks about evolution to GPS, the risks of GPS navigating and the explosive growth in confident technology-equipped cruisers. 

David met the famous sailor ‘Bernard Moitessier’ in the early eighties at a boat yard in Northern California, when was building his new steel yacht ‘Joshua’. David shares some of Bernard’s advice about handling storms and various sea states, along with staying well off the coast in onshore gales. 

David yacht was ship wrecked off the northern coast of San Francisco in a bad gale after rolling through 360 degrees and losing his mast. Bernard Moitessier new yacht ‘Joshua’ was also beached and wrecked in a subsequent Cabo San Lucas storm with 30-40 other yachts a few years later.

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David Hows set out from Hobart in Tasmania and sailed 1,300nm solo across the notorious Tasman Sea to New Plymouth in New Zealand in preparation for the 4-yearly 1,400nm Solo Tasman Yacht Race back to Mooloolaba on Australia's Sunshine Coast. David talks about race stratgey, sleep patterns, nutrition and sail performance management. He also shares his challenges and set backs which include; battery charging problems, bilge pump failure, loss of autopilot, tainted drinking water, dysentery, dropping a spinnaker into the sea, when a hoist went wrong and wrapping his spinnaker around his forestay for the 4 days of the race. He finished 3rd on line honours and 1st on IRC.

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Paul Trammel is one of the most down-to-earth, consummate sailors you will meet. With a passion for surfing, sailing and free-diving, the ocean is a big part of Paul's life. From cruising the Bahamas, to free diving into under water caves in Florida, to sleeping with alligators in the Okefenokee Swamp and surfing big waves in Puerto Rico.

Paul's tales of his free spirited adventures and his outlook on life is simply inspiring. Paul lives by the mantra: "Fear is here for us to face and adventure waits on the other side". Paul shares his adventures in his 1972 Dufour Arpege, named Sobrius and they were colourful from the get go.

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In this episode, we’ll hear from guest host Caroline Ballard from a fellow podcast called HumaNature, which tells stories where humans and our habitat meet. After passing Sable Island (a small island situated 190 nm southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia) on their first Atlantic crossing, this is a short story of a family who traded life on land for a 25,000nm sea adventure.

They share the tale of encountering strange noises in the middle of the night and how they were terrified at first, but eventually discovered the source, which turned into a unique, once-in-a-lifetime wildlife experience.

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Guest host Paul Trammell talks with Jim den Hartog and Helen den Dekker on board Gaia, a steel Colvin Gazelle designed yacht, that they spent a decade building from plans. Paul interviewed Jim and Helen at Conception Island in the Bahamas and they share tales of their lessons from sailing all over the world, including 22 years at sea and never experiencing a storm, along with sailing the intra-coastal waterway from Maine to Florida in the USA. Jim and Helen have circumnavigated the globe and draw on their many adventures in this episode.

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We catch up with Lena Padukova in Gothenburg, Sweden for finish of the penultimate leg of the Volvo Ocean Race. Lena is an experienced ocean sailor, mountaineer and leader of multiple ocean adventures and land expeditions. Lena shares stories from her years of sailing all over the planet from the Pacific to the Arctic and her lessons learned from leading teams and crews to high latitudes and high altitude destinations. In this candid chat we discuss leadership styles and the risks that come with taking people on adventures in extreme conditions. 

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David Hows, producer of the Ocean Sailing Podcast; shares his thoughts on his first 7 years of keel boat cruising, racing and ocean passages in his Beneteau 445 'Ocean Gem'. After 25,000nm and 400+ races, with the most recent adventure being a double solo Tasman Sea crossing of 2,800nm in total and lots of 'thinking time" David shares his plans to turn his passion for sailing into something bigger than a part-time pastime.

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An absolutely fascinating chat with Sonny Natanielu, about the revival of traditional Polynesian voyaging methods using waka (canoes) that go back several hundred years. It was a tremendous insight into the importance of the ocean and significance of waka (canoes). Maori has its roots in times past, when voyaging waka forged the links between the ancestral homeland of Hawaiki and New Zealand and waka also linked together all of the peoples of Polynesia. The skills these pacific ancestors required to build and navigate these vessels across the Pacific using only natural materials were beyond imagination.

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In this episode I spent a session with Rod West, owner/skipper of Another Painkiller (a Beneteau First 44.7) and Philip Bell, owner/skipper of She (an Olsen 40) and we reflected on our preparation and race experience and did a post mortem of our entries in the 2017 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, our race results and the things we all did differently.

2017 was the first year that the Southport Yacht Club had seen 3 of its members enter this iconic ocean race and the conditions were amongst the best in the 73 year history, with the line honours record tumbling by several hours for the second year in a row.

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Andy Lamont interviews Mike Sabin about his lifetime of adventures on the water. Mikes a boat builder, sail maker, has been a coastal patrol pilot and has sailed every part of the Australian coastline. At age 40 Mike sold everything and headed off in his new yacht 'Sly Fox' for 5 years of sailing and adventure all over the world, including sailing to Europe, where he removed his mast and spent 2 months cruising the French canals. Mike also shares tips on how to look after your sails and maximise their life expectancy.

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I caught up with my favourite maritime author - Rob Mundle in late 2017, on 'all things Jimmy Spithill' and his recent project writing Jimmy's biography 'Chasing the Cup - My Americas Cup Journey'.

After preparing my Beneteau yacht 'Ocean Gem' for our first ever Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, I decided to interview our crew 4 weeks after we completed the race and gather their thoughts on the project and their experience. It started in September 2017 when we assembled a crew of 10 and a prepared a long project list that grew to more than 200 items. In early December we departed the Gold Coast in Queensland for Sydney via Lord Howe Island (300nm off Australia's east coast). The 800nm delivery journey qualified our crew and yacht for the 630nm race of a lifetime.

This is a great episode for those thinking of pushing their local club racing and blue water sailing to the next level. It demonstrates that with good preparation, anything is possible.

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I check in with Andy Lamont after he successfully completed his solo circumnavigation in his S&S 34 named Impulse in August 2017. Andy reflects on life after his 250+ day voyage, some of the highs and lows, how he handled storms and big seas and whats next on his bucket list.

Its a bumper two and a half hour chat with Andy in which he shares advice on sail configuration for solo sailing, handling storms, what its really like being alone in big weather and how his time away from his family and business has changed how he looks at life.

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Ocean Sailing Podcast producer David Hows shares his thoughts and tips on PHS club racing, solo sailing and planning a successful regatta. David races his 1992 Beneteau 445 'Ocean Gem' and discusses how to succeed at a club racing level when you are racing under the PHS system. In preparation for the 1,300nm Solo Tasman race in 2018, David undertakes his first solo passage with a 580nm solo delivery trip from the Gold Coast to Hamilton Island in Queensland, Australia in preparation for his 2nd Audi Hamilton Island Race Week.

David shares his advice on how to put a regatta campaign together if you are a racer/cruiser to ensure you strike the best balance between racing and having fun.

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Guest Host; Dr Linus Wilson interviews a family living, traveling, learning and enjoying the world aboard the 38-foot catamaran Fata Morgana. Their names are Ivo, Mira and Maya. For them it’s a voyage into a new and unknown way of life. They left behind work, school, home and all those things that give us a false sense of security and comfort, in order to find alternative ways of learning and experiencing the world.

They are traveling and living aboard and produce their own solar power and fresh water and they sail as much as possible and also catch and eat a lot of fish. 

In November 2012, Ivo, Mira and Maya piled up a bunch of clothes, books, and tools on a 1988 motor home and left their house in Canada in search of a boat. After five months on the road, they found their version of the "perfect boat". ‘Fata Morgana’ became their new home and school for an unknown number of years. Ivo, Mira and Maya are traveling around the world and living full-time aboard Fata Morgana, a 2001 Robertson & Caine Leopard 38.

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Guest host Andy Lamont talks to Paul Ridley - rower turned sailor. He took up rowing in 2005 and within 4 years rowed 3,000nm across the Atlantic Ocean. Facing the worst nature had to offer, he was blown backwards 200 miles after a bad storm. Next came the Arctic Ocean, the only ocean that had never been rowed across. In August 2012, a team of four young explorers completed an unsupported, non-stop, record-setting voyage in one of the exploration world’s last great firsts. After 40 days and 1,000 miles, Collin West, Neal Mueller, Paul Ridley & Scott Mortensen powered their way along a dangerous section of the fabled Northwest Passage.

Paul then purchased a Lagoon 38 and took up cruising with his wife, sailing from the UK to Spain, Porto, Lisbon, the Canary Islands, Antigua, the Caribbean and the Panama Canal with plans to head to the Galapagos, Marquesas’, Tahiti and then Australia next.

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In this episode my guest host Andy Lamont talks with Chris Barnes on his Panama stopover about his 17 years of cruising adventures at sea. Chris's story is riveting from start to finish with tales of meteorites, bushfires, hurricanes and an adventure filled life on the ocean 

Chris started dinghy sailing when he was young on the Portsmouth Harbour in England and then crossed the Atlantic in 34 days from England to Barbados in the yacht 'Robert Spray' modelled on Josua Slocum's original design. Chris spent several years skippering yachts for various owners, including sailing the 110 foot Schooner 'America'. 'America' was built in 1851 and is the yacht The Americas Cup is named after.

Chris shares insights into the rise, demise and rise again of 'America' including a period where she was left to rot in a shed 50 years ago, before a full rebuild was commissioned to restore her to the full glory we know today. Chris tells a great story of Atlantic crossings, boat yard mishaps and doing up to 9 knots boat speed in 15 knots of wind in a yacht more than 150 years old. Chris's adventures continued to Africa and eventually Australia where tragedy struck his family, as summer temperatures hit 46 degrees celsius (115 F) as Australias "Black Saturday" bushfires swept through his new hometown taking his home and more than 200 lives that day.

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Cruising Pittwater (15nm north of Sydney) has got to be one of the top 10 cruising spots in Australia. With deepwater anchorages right up to the shoreline, free moorings, white sand beaches, private secluded bays and the 150 square kilometre Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park littered with hiking tracks, cruising the Pittwater, Cowan Creek and lower Hawkesbury River area is simply spectacular.

This episode is about our 2-week family sailing holiday on our Beneteau 445 yacht 'Ocean Gem' that included our 700nm return delivery trips sailing from the Gold Coast in Queensland, to Pittwater, New South Wales earlier this year and 8 days of fantastic cruising we enjoyed. We share the highs and lows of the the delivery trips and lots of sailing tips and recommendations about its magical cruising spots.

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In this episode my guest host Andy Lamont talks with Stuart Morton about his sailing adventures on his Panama stopover. After leaving England 11 years ago on his 39 foot sailing yacht Matador, Stuart and his wife Steph have cruised the Mediterranean, Lebanon, the Black Sea, Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Gibraltar, USA, Cuba, Bahamas and the Caribbean.

Then while sitting in his cockpit anchored in Shelter Bay in Panama a storm came through punching out 30-40 knot squalls. A loud crack followed by a puff of black smoke cloud off top of mast and the smell of frying semi-conductors and circuits downstairs led to Stuarts initial fear that his yacht was on fire. Stuart accounts what happened next after realising Matador had been struck by lightning.

This episode is packed with the highs and lows of cruising internationally and the many sailing challenges faced along the way.

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Its just 36 hours out from the start of the 35th Americas Cup and Oracle Team USA and Emirates Team New Zealand pick up where they left off 4 years ago in San Francisco. In this episode we explore what ETNZ has to do to upset a very dominant and confident defender in Jimmy Spithill's Oracle Team USA.

Will Oracles comeback from 8-1 down in 2013 come back to haunt ETNZ again or have they closed the door and moved on? We drill into the key differences between the boats and skippers, the battle of the press conference, the impact of the cyclists on sailing and exactly where Jimmy Spithill is likely to focus, to exploit weaknesses and gain advantage.

With inspiration from Al Pacino and Jimmy Spithill himself, its winner takes all time in Bermuda. As Queen Victoria was told by her attendant in 1851: ”Your Majesty, there is no second place”.

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On the eve of day one of the challenger semi-finals, we talk again with Cup Experience Founder; Jack Griffin on location in Bermuda about his take on the racing so far in the challenger qualifiers and 'all things' Americas Cup 2017.

We dive into the sailing differences between the teams to date, the surprises we have seen and what we have learned about the importance of 'the start' and the quality of your 'boards' (foils). This 35th edition of the Cup is unfolding into one of the most competitive events ever with close racing, multiple lead changes, collisions, penalties and of course the sailing personalities. 

With speeds in excess of 40 knots and teams now foiling up and down wind for 100% of the race, simple mistakes cost you hundreds of metres. This cup is not just about pure boat speed, its also about consistency in execution, winning the start, foil and rudder selection and how you mode your boat for the conditions each day.

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On the eve of the 35th edition, we talk with Cup Experience Founder and Americas cup sailing commentator; Jack Griffin from his home in Geneva, Switzerland about 'all things' Americas Cup. From the venue differences between San Francisco and Bermuda, to which teams are most likely to make the Louis Vuitton Cup Finals, to Jack's pick for the Americas Cup 2017 winner. This episode recaps the final moments of each of the last 30 years of Americas Cup finals and then Jack drills into who the form teams are for this years event, who is most likely to surprise us and whether Emirates Team New Zealand's cycle powered sailing innovation will be the difference.

With major changes in the course format and weather in Bermuda, we could see the return of the upwind tacking duels of old - but this time in high speed catamarans, doing almost 50 knots and up on foils for 100% of the race. 

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Nick Williams is an unassuming, but naturally talented 14 year old sailor who sets out from New Zealand and heads to California to compete in the William Koch International Sea Scout Cup and achieves a result he and his sailing partner Nick Gardiner could only have dreamed of. 

Bill Koch’s relationship with the Sea Scout program pre-dates his career as a successful international businessman and winning America’s Cup skipper. It began more than 50 years ago when the Wichita, Kansas native enrolled in a summer sailing program at Culver Military Academy in Indiana. Modelled after the Sea Scout Program, Koch cites his early sailing experience as one that would alter the course of his life. “I learned then that the true art of sailing required teamwork, discipline and leadership,” he said. “If I could fine tune those skills, then I would be better able to manage the surprises that the sea constantly throws at you.”

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We track Andy Lamont down in St. Lucia in the Caribbean during his unplanned stopover for repairs to his self-steering and electrical systems. Andy left the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia in October 2016 for his non-stop westward bound solo circumnavigation and world record attempt sailing his S&S 34 yacht 'Impulse'.

We find out all about his sailing voyage so far, the set backs and forced change of plans, during his stopover prior to heading north to the Panama Canal before crossing the Pacific Ocean on his final leg home. Andy candidly shares his thoughts about solo sailing, his adventure so far and the roller coaster of highs and lows he has experienced.

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We catch-up with Lisa Blair 65 days into her world record attempt to circumnavigate Antarctica solo as the first female and fastest sailor ever. Lisa shares the challenges and set backs to date, talks about weather, icebergs, repairs and leaks. A few days after the interview by Sat Phone, disaster strikes and Lisa’s mast comes crashing down. Working in the dark sailing into 9m seas, we share a narration of Lisa's blow-by-blow account of her courageous efforts to save her hull from sinking, and her epic battle to cut her rig free. This is an episode about seamanship and the determination of one hell of a sailor, as she battles fatigue and hypothermia to overcome her biggest challenge yet sailing her Open 50, named Climate Action Now.

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We check in with Lisa Blair a few days prior to her departure to find out how her shake down trip form Sydney, NSW to Albany, WA went. Lisa tells us how "Climate Action Now" stood up to 60 knots of wind and a sizeable storm. We find out whats left to complete on her endless task prior to her departure, as she sets off to become the first female to complete a sailing circumnavigation of Antartica solo.

Lisa will be the second competitor in history to take on the Antarctica Cup Ocean Race (ACOR). Originally based on the Open 50 racing design, Climate Action Now (AKA Funnel-Web) was purpose built to race in the Double Handed Melbourne to Osaka Yacht Race. Lisa Blair began sailing professionally in 2006 after completing a Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Visual Arts at university and has since clocked up more than 50 000 nautical miles of ocean sailing. 

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A sailing day on the water with the Wild Oats XI Sydney Hobart crew in their ninth and final consecutive day of on-the-water training, in the lead up to the 72nd edition of the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. This episode captures the anticipation beforehand of Rod Routh and David Hows as they fly to Sydney to join Mark Richards, Iain Murray and the Wild Oats XI team sailing on Sydney Harbour, followed by a debrief on the return trip home after an exciting day of action on and off the water. 

Wild Oats XI is the most successful Sydney to Hobart yacht ever with eight line honours victories from 10 starts and is the current holder of the race record in just over 1 day, 18 hours for the 628nm race.

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Disaster struck the first week of Andy’s non-stop westward bound solo circumnavigation and world record sailing attempt in his S&S 34 yacht 'Impulse’. By day 3 he hit challenges he had not expected during a 40-knot storm, while sailing 150nm offshore. From genoa failure to electrical problems, water ingress into his food storage and a bizarre EPIRB activation.

After months of preparation and years of planning Andy Lamont’s first days, created challenges he did not expect. We catch up with Andy after he sailed into the CYCA in Sydney where he has undergone repairs, and upgrades to ensure that when he departs Sydney this month, he is ready for round 2 of ‘Andy Lamont sails around the world’ in the biggest adventure of his life.

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Mike Horn is globally acknowledged as the world’s greatest modern day explorer. From swimming the Amazon River solo and unsupported to an unmotorised circumnavigation of the globe at the equator, Mike’s list of accomplishments as a solo explorer is unparalleled. 

In two decades, he has seen more of the Earth than possibly any other human. He walked to the North Pole during darkness and has scaled the world’s 8,000 metre peaks, including a recent attempt to paraglide K2.

In 2008 the yacht “Pangaea” was born so that young adults could experience sailing and explore the natural world. Over 200,000 miles and multiple sailing circumnavigations later, Mike has created a great environmental initiative to educate a global network of youth.

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David Hows shares his story of preparing and sailing to a 45 foot Beneteau yacht named ‘Ocean Gem’ across the Tasman Sea from Auckland, New Zealand, via Norfolk Island to the Gold Coast in Australia in late 2013. 

This second of a two-part episode is a step-by-step summary of his extensive preparation and substantial refit and it will help and inspire any blue water cruiser who is preparing to sail across a large ocean. This personal insight into the highs and lows of voyage planning is a great story for every cruising sailor.

Originally published in iTunes as the 200+ page iBook: ‘Sailing the Tasman Sea’, it has been narrated into audio for this podcast.

Visit Ocean Sailing Podcast for offshore sailing opportunities and podcast extras and follow us on Facebook.

David Hows shares his story of preparing and sailing to a 45 foot Beneteau yacht named ‘Ocean Gem’ across the Tasman Sea from Auckland, New Zealand, via Norfolk Island to the Gold Coast in Australia in late 2013. 

This first of a two-part episode is a step-by-step summary of his extensive preparation and substantial refit and it will help and inspire any blue water cruiser who is preparing to sail across a large ocean. This personal insight into the highs and lows of voyage planning is a great story for every cruising sailor.

Originally published in iTunes as the 200+ page iBook: ‘Sailing the Tasman Sea’, it has been narrated into audio for this podcast.

Visit Ocean Sailing Podcast for offshore sailing opportunities and podcast extras and follow us on Facebook.

In this episode we chat with Martin Vaughan about his epic sailing adventure and lessons learned from competing in the 5,500nm 2-handed 2013 Melbourne to Osaka Race.

As a long distance South to North Ocean Race, it’s a unique Pacific Ocean journey and it crosses multiple weather systems and seasons. The course starts in Portsea, Melbourne, heads into Bass Strait, up the east coast of Australia, into the southeasterly trade winds then through the Solomon Islands and the doldrums of the equator.  It then heads into the southeasterly trade winds and the equatorial current before fighting the Kuroshio (Japan current), which flows up the Pacific Coast of Japan to finish in the port of Osaka on Japan’s Honshu Island. Its a yacht race and sailing adventure like no other.

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In 2015, after three South African sailors went missing after sailing into the vastness of the Southern Ocean and their families desperately tried to trace their final movements. Their determination to uncover the truth, would require going to war with the world’s largest tourism conglomerate, a €20 billion-a-year monolith that had no interest in fielding questions.

In this episode we share a narration of the 10,000+ word story of sailing tragedy and loss, followed by a candid chat with its author, Kevin Bloom about the missing pieces of the puzzle that led to the deaths of three sailors and the eventual relocation of the missing 44 foot Leopard Catamaran several months later.

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After months of preparation and years of planning we check in with Andy Lamont a few days before he leaves the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia for his non-stop westward bound sailing solo circumnavigation and world record attempt in his S&S 34 yacht 'Impulse'.

We find out what's gone to plan, what’s changed, his set backs, his final departure plans and Andy's final thoughts before leaving for the biggest sailing adventure of his life.

Andy: “May the wind always be at your back, may the sun shine warm upon your face and rains fall soft upon your sails. And until we all meet you again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand.” From all of your friends at the Southport Yacht Club.

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Following the 2015 Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race Lisa Blair is taking sailing to the extremes and aims to set the world record for becoming the first female to compete in the Antarctica Cup Ocean Race, circumnavigate Antarctica, circumnavigate below latitude 45° south and break the current speed record of 102 days, 1 hour, 35 minutes and 50 seconds.

Lisa will be the second competitor in history to take on the Antarctica Cup Ocean Race (ACOR) that was founded by Chairman Robert Williams and will be racing the clock sailing around the Antarctica Cup Racetrack, a three-lane racetrack circling Antarctica between 45 South and 60 South. Lisa is both a Clipper round-the-world race winner and solo Tasman competitor, but her next challenge takes sailing to a whole new level.

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Back from competing at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week for the first time, we do a race crew debrief and share the highs and lows of sailing at one of the most spectacular regattas on the planet. From trailer boats to 100-foot super maxi’s, a record fleet of 252 yachts competed across 14 divisions, racing in challenging weather and strong tidal currents while sailing around the Whitsunday Islands.

This candid debrief with some of the team off my Beneteau 445 (Ocean Gem), covers the highs, lows, challenges and set-backs of the week and what we would have to do differently next time round.

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Ian Mackenzie has spent more than 30 years valuing and selling yachts. As a specialist yacht broker he shares his knowledge on how to import, buy, maintain and sell your yacht. His lessons are relevant to both first time and experienced boat owners and sailors and his advice on the critical areas to be diligent, with maintenance and upgrades are insightful.

We also drill down into the benefits and risks of buying offshore, the import process and the costs you need to be aware of when comparing buying locally to importing from abroad. Ian's hands on sailing experience and passion his craft make his advice highly relevant to all aspiring yacht owners.

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Dr. Roger Badham spent 10 years at university to complete a PHD in meteorology. He has devoted the last 40 years to marine meteorology. Known as ‘Clouds’ in the yachting world, he is one of the most respected meteorologists in the sailing business. 

Clouds has forecast nine America’s Cups, seven Olympic Games, 30 around the world yacht races and countless yacht races and sailing regattas all around the world, with more than 35 Sydney to Hobart race forecasts and during the past 30 years he has assisted as many as 500 vessels, sailing across the Tasman Sea.

He is also retained by Ferrari’s Formula One racing team. His insights into weather for sailors are fascinating.

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Fresh from completing the 384nm Sydney to Gold Coast Race last week, we join my race crew for a post-race debrief, of what turned out to be the slowest edition of this race in history. Even 100-foot super maxi Wild Oats XI only averaged 8 knots for the course, taking 100% longer than their race record.

This debrief with the crew of my Beneteau 445, covers the highs, lows, challenges and set-backs of ocean racing and we talk about what we need to improve, in the build up to our first ever Sydney to Hobart Race in December 2016.

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Elise Currey heads up a ‘volunteer army’ at the Coffs Harbour Marina, north of Sydney on Australia’s East Coast. With her office smashed to pieces by a storm, that sent 14 metre swells surging through her marina a few weeks ago. Elise as marina manager is literally running her operations out of a shipping container as we speak to her, while the damage repairs that will take a few months, get underway.

When your office backs onto the Tasman Sea, sometimes a breakwater is not enough to keep nature out. In this contrasting story to episode 16, we find out the challenges of being situated in a ringside seat, with a wild ocean as your backdrop.

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Gerry Fitzgerald is your consummate mariner. We dive into a lifetime of sailing on the ocean; from Queensland catamaran racing, to Antarctica expeditions, being boarded by hostile natives in the Solomon Islands, competing in the fatal 98 Sydney to Hobart Race, sailing an 1,800 ton tall ship out of Sydney Harbour and exploring the worlds seven oceans. Gerry has a lifetime of maritime sailing stories to share.

Gerry’s experience, wisdom, advice and observations are second to none and no one is better equipped than he is, to offer marine safety and training courses, a passion he has turned his hand to, in recent years and he starts to spend more time on land, after decades sailing worlds seven oceans.

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We check in with Mark Stephenson, Commodore of the Mersey Yacht Club in Devonport, Tasmania just weeks after the biggest storm they have seen in 50 years, swept away their marina and the vessels berthed at it.

In this candid chat, Mark shares details of the people and vessels rescued and sad stories of those that were lost. This interview provides a graphic insight into the forces of nature and the major impact a 24-hour storm can have on people’s lives. Nestled on the edge of Bass Strait, one of the most treacherous passages of ocean for sailors in the world, Mark tells us first hand what it was like to see his marina swept away.

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In this episode we catch up with Ian Thomson, organiser of the 6,350nm Around Australia Yacht Race. Its set to start in August 2017 with competitors sailing out of Sydney and this will be the first event held, since Sir Peter Blake won it sailing his catamaran around Australia in 1988.

Ian is the current solo sailing mono-hull record holder, after circumnavigating Australia in 2012. From Ian’s live aboard yacht in the marina at Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron, we delve into what’s driven him to organise the 2017 race and find out more about the Ocean Crusaders; an organisation that Ian founded that has taken its ocean preservation education program into 18,000 schools so far.

Visit Ocean Sailing Podcast for offshore sailing opportunities and podcast extras and follow us on Facebook.