#267. Meg and Morgen are the couple behind Ocean Racers, sailing a Pogo 12.50 (think cruising 'Class 40') on the Atlantic racing circuit and taking paying crew along for the adventure. They earned their chops - and met each other - as young 20-something's sailing as crew on the Clipper Round the World race, the same year that friend of the podcast Ollie Cotterell was skipper. That adventure inspired them to start their own racing team, which evolved into the Ocean Racers business. Mia & I spoke to them in person onboard their boat HERMES in Bermuda. What follows is one of the most inspiring episodes yet, so get ready to enjoy the ride!
#266: Ben Doerr Returns // ISBJORN Mate & Sail 2 Ski
#266 Ben Doerr is the owner of Sail Bainbridge, which operate charters is the region Bainbridge Island Region. He is also a husband, father of two, and professional musician with the indie-folk band, St. Paul de Vence. Andy and Ben sit down to discuss the recent passage from Key West to Bermuda. On the Wind is presented by Costa Sunglasses And also supported by Buldano Towels, and Offshore Passage Opportunities
#265: Chris Stanmore-Major Returns // Solo Round-the-World Ambitions
#265. Chris Stanmore-Major returns to the podcast for another super-inspiring chat about ocean sailing. Chris is hugely accomplished, having sailed over 300,000 miles offshore, mostly racing. In the last episode with Chris, # 227, we discussed his sailing history and philosophy; this time, we talk about his latest ambition to try and break the east to west solo circumnavigation record, sailing nonstop round-the-world AGAINST the wind & seas, and his plan to launch a Canadian team in the next edition of The Ocean Race. Learn more about Chris at spartanoceanracing.com.
#264: Bruce Schwab Returns // Diesel v. Electric Propulsion
#264. Vendee Globe sailor Bruce Schwab returns to the podcast with guest hosts (and now Isbjorn skippers!) Ben Doerr & Simon Borjeson, to discuss the power management refit options for ICEBEAR, our Swan 59. Bruce runs Ocean Planet Energy in Maine and specializes in power generation, and we discussed diesel versus electric propulsion, lithium batteries, gensets, AC/DC power and lots more.
#263: Øyvind Vedvik // Helly Hansen Sailing
#263. Øyvind Vedvik is the Sailing Category Managing Director at Helly Hansen, who have been a longtime supporter of 59 North. Øyvind grew up sailing in the fjords of Norway and along the Scandinavian coastlines and has had a passion for the sport since his early days. He invited Mia & I to sail ISBJORN up to their annual sales meeting last April and we had a chance to talk to him about his personal sailing career and his time developing sailing gear at Helly Hansen.
#262: Pawel Motawa // Antarctic Sailor & Media Producer
#262. Pawel Motawa is one of the first guests I ever interviewed WAY back in my 'Two Inspired Guys' days in 2012. Then, he had just completed the ARC rally in St. Lucia, and I was drawn to his bright yellow steel sloop MALAIKA, with it's proud Polish flag flying, and thought there had to be a story here. When Mia & I sailed ISBJORN into Las Palmas in January, there was MALAIKA again, on the pontoon just a few slips down from us. Pawel immediately said hello and we reconnected for another chat in the saloon of his lovely boat.
#261: Gerard Dykstra // Iconic Yacht Designer
#261. Gerard Dykstra is one of the world's iconic yacht designers. He's most notable to me as the designer of the Bestevaer 53, by far my favorite of all the aluminum expedition yachts which are now so popular. And he designed the first one for himself as a very simple, robust personal cruising yacht. He's also designed some of the most iconic superyachts like the Panamax ketch HETAIROS and the infamous MALTESE FALCON. Not to mention a few tall ships to boot. I first met Gerard in Isafjordur, Iceland and later talked to him on Skype about his career as a sailor first, then as a designer.
#260: Mark Jablow // ISBJORN Crew & B-1 RIO
#260. Mark Jablow is a sailor and former Air Force B1 Bomber 'RIO' - that's Radar Intercept Officer (think Goose from Top Gun, the guy who sits in the back seat). Mark sailed with us on ISBJORN last summer from Ireland down to Portugal and we immediately made a connection. Put it this way - Mark is still active duty Air Force, and if I had met someone of his caliber when I was young, I may just have joined the forces. Mark & I discussed his Air Force and sailing career, and dove into some technical stuff about radar & systems onboard boats at sea, how he handles fear and stress, and more.
#259: Senor Brady & Alex Blue // SV Delos
#259. Alex & Brady are the other half of SV Delos. After meeting them for the first time up in Svalbard, Mia & I reunited with the whole Delos crew in Antigua after our Atlantic crossing on ISBJORN. We spent 3 weeks chillin' on the beach and hanging out in shorts! While Brian & Kazza were off on their honeymoon in New York City, Mia & I recorded a long meandering chat with Brady & Alex aboard Delos about their side of the Delos story.
#258: David Hows // Ocean Sailing Podcast Host
#258 David Hows is the host of the Ocean Sailing Podcast. He sails his own Beneteau 44.5 “Ocean Gem” and has raced it extensively between Australia and New Zealand. He has now crossed the Tasman Sea three times, two of those single handed. David interviewed Andy for his podcast - they spoke of the podcasting business, filming and photography, and the anxiety that comes with running a boat offshore.
#257: Alvah Simon // Happier at Sea
#255. Alvah Simon is best known for his extraordinary voyage to the Arctic that he documented in 'North to the Night,' a highly philosophical, almost spiritual book about his over-wintering in the Canadian Arctic, alone, on his steel sloop, the ROGER HENRY, frozen in the ice. Alvah and I of course discussed this adventure, but today's show really covers his whole career and touches heavily on his personal philosophy, not just with sailing, but life in general. Alvah is one of these rare humans who really seems to have it figured out. He's a sailor's sailor, happier at sea than ashore, and our conversation is filled with wonderful anecdotes and bits of advice he's learned through the years.
#256 : August Sandberg // Norwegian Sailor and Filmmaker
#256: August Sandberg is a young Norwegian sailor and filmmaker. After being inspired at a young age by the Norwegian sailing greats, he bought a boat with his friend and sailed it across the Atlantic and down to Panama. He now works as a teacher, professional filmmaker and sailor. Andy caught up with him at his home on the west coast of Norway.
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On the Wind is presented by Rutgerson Marine. And also supported by Offshore Passage Opportunities and Sun Powered Yachts.
#255: Oda Pedersen Taule // Single-Handed Sailor
#256: Oda Pedersen Taule is a 20-something Norwegian sailor who set out single-handed on her little sloop SNUPPA, bound for Australia. Self-taught at ocean sailing, Oda learned the hard way, getting badly beaten up on her first Bay of Biscay crossing, even needing to call the coast guard for help, and tearfully sharing some emotional moments with the crew who came to her rescue. The experience didn't discourage her though - on the contrary. Oda & I met in Bergen in December to record the podcast in person, and despite her youth, I discovered that Oda is wise beyond her years and can teach us all a lot about patience, perseverance, and the passion to follow your dreams.
#254: Simon Borjeson Returns // ISBJORN's New Skipper
#254: Simon Borjeson returns to the podcast as ISBJORN's new skipper for the first few two-boat passages later this year. Simon & I became friends when we met during the ARC Europe rally a few years back, and bonded on our love of sailing, skiing and endurance sports. Back then he was sailing his dad's X-42 EUPHORIA across the Atlantic, while simultaneously training for the 70km OtillO Swimrun World Championships. Simon came out to the farm in Sweden in December for a weekend of planning, and we sat down to discuss his love of sailing & adventure, the cutting-edge foiling motorboats he's currently involved in building, how he got involved with ISBJORN, his thoughts on leadership and more.
#253: Jessie Z & Luke Y Return // Trans-At Stories
#253: Jessie Zevalnkink & Luke Yeates were on the podcast back in October 2017, right after they'd crossed the Atlantic in their 37' yawl DESIREE. Mia & I caught up with them in person aboard their boat in Lagos, Portugal, as we were getting ISBJORN ready to cross the Atlantic. We sat in their cockpit as the sun went down, hearing stories of their dramatic knockdown off Cape St. Vincent, their 6 weeks rebuilding their rudder here in Lagos, life as a married couple and what their future plans are as sailors. Jessie is a professional portrait photographer and also came by ISBJORN later to photograph Mia & I, so check out her work in the show notes.
#252: Haakon Vatle // Storm Weather Shanty Choir
#252: Haakon Vatle has, as far as we can tell, the world's ONLY master's degree in sea shanties. He's the founder and leader of the Storm Weather Shanty Choir, who fans of the show will know as the group of Norwegian musicians who have mastered the art of the modern sea shanty. And Haakon is a REAL sailor - he's heavily involved with Norway's tallship Statsraad Lehmkul and has sailed her trans-Atlantic 4 times, practicing his shanties in real life aboard the ship. I traveled to Bergen to meet Haakon for this interview and to see the Shanty Choir live.
#251: Rachel Slade // 'Into the Raging Sea' Author
#251. Rachel Slade is the acclaimed author of 'Into the Raging Sea,' the heartbreaking account of the sinking of the American merchant ship 'El Faro.' With a degree in political science from Barnard College and a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania, Rachel began her journalism career as the design editor at Boston magazine and moved up the masthead to executive editor. After a decade on staff, she became a full-time freelance writer in 2016. Incredibly, 'Into the Raging Sea' is her first book. Rachel & I discussed her background growing up on the water, her interest in merchant shipping and her own thoughts on the tragic sinking of El Faro. This one's an all-timer, so pay attention!
#250 Matt Rutherford & Randall Reeves // Figure 8 Voyage, 2nd Attempt
#250: Matt Rutherford and Randall Reeves are both veterans of the podcast and extremely accomplished single-handed ocean sailors. In today's special episode, Matt guest-hosts the show to talk to Randall about his latest attempt at the 'Figure 8' voyage, his plan to sail solo and nonstop around the America's AND Antarctica. Randall was on the show with me just before his first attempt, which failed when he suffered a serious knockdown, blowing out the windows in his boat's wheelhouse. At the time of this recording with Matt, Randall was set to depart San Francisco on his second attempt the very next day; just this week, Randall rounded Cape Horn.
#249: Herb McCormick // Cruising World Editor-at-Large
#249. Herb McCormick has made a career of writing about sailing, but it wasn't entirely on purpose. A fifth-generation Newport, Rhode Island native, Herb didn't even know that sailing was a thing at all until a chance meeting in his 20's. After vagabonding around for a while, he wound up with a low-level job at Cruising World during the heyday of sailing magazines, and slowly started working his way up, of course eventually becoming Editor. Herb has seen it all in sailing, from the racing and cruising scene to an epic 13-month Around the America's expedition on the 64-foot steel cutter OCEAN WATCH. I talked to Herb about what inspired him to follow his passion on the water.
#248: Bryan Rolfe // The Adventures of Tarka
#248. Bryan Rolfe is a grass-roots 30-something cruiser with big dreams and a small budget. He's been documenting his adventures aboard his 27-foot Albin Vega TARKA on YouTube, and is currently in the Caribbean. Mia & I have followed Bryan from afar since he started his trip, and my conversation with him ended up being a very inspirational look at how someone takes a dream and turns it into reality. Longtime fans of the show will know how excited I get talking to other young folks out there cruising, but this episode is truly for anyone who dreams of heading off in their own boat, no matter your age or finiancial situation. Bryan truly started from scratch, and tells the whole inspiring story of how he made his dreams reality.