Offshore Sailing and Cruising with Paul Trammell

Norbert Sedlecek Koch is the founder of Innovation Yachts. In July 2026, he will attempt to sail nonstop unassisted solo around the world passing through all the world's oceans, and becoming the first person to do so. He has already circumnavigated in a boat he built and in the Vendee Globe, and he has circumnavigated Antarctica. Innovation Yachts designs and builds custom yachts with attention to detail and sustainability in mind. They also make their own epoxy matrix using volcanic stone. His yacht is an Innovation Yachts Open 60, Ant Arctic Lab.  We talk about the Ant Arctic Lab Challenge, Innovation Yachts' bio based epoxy matrix, boats made at Innovation Yachts, how the boats are built, building a prototype, using balsa core and Airex, negative bows, what it's like to sail his open 60, sailing into older age, circumnavigating Antarctica in an aluminum boat, the benefit of a lifting keel while surfing downwind in heavy conditions, hand-steering vs using the autopilot in heavy conditions, ice and icebergs, staying warm while sailing in cold conditions, arriving in Martinique after the Transat without a rudder, whales, the Vendee Globe, fear, and more. Photos and links are on the podcast shownotes page Support the show through Patreon SailboatsForSale.com Meridian Marine Electrical Dinghy Navigation Lights https://showmeyourdinghy.com/

Etienne Messikommer is an entrant in the 2026 Golden Globe Race. He also won the 2021 Globe 5.80 Transtat.  We talk about his first boat (which was steel), selecting his GGR boat (a Tradewinds 35), refitting and preparing the boat for the GGR, converting from wheel to tiller, reefing and furling, reinforcing the chainplates, antifouling, getting advice from previous GGR competitors, books, the rules of the GGR, the Globe 5.80 Transat, the importance of preparation, why he wasn't tempted to do the MGR, why he wants to do the GGR, fear, safety, training for the GGR, Etienne's dream boat, and more. Photos and links are on the podcast shownotes page Support the show through Patreon Sell your boat or shop for a boat at sailboatsforsale.com

Mark Sinclair is following the Mini Globe Race in his Lello 34, Coconut (the boat he raced in the 2018 GGR). He was in Antigua last time we spoke (in February 2024) and he was in Darwin, Australia when we spoke this time. We talk about the Mini Globe Race, Darwin Australia, his sail from Antigua to Australia, sailing every other leg with his girlfriend, provisioning, transiting the Panama Canal, Ahe (in the Tuamotus), Tahiti, sailing through the South Pacific, Fiji, Thursday Island, sailing the Globe Mini 5.80 boats, modern navigation, avoiding jet skis and charter catamarans, using a lead line, sailing without a windlass, sailing around Cape Horn under bare poles and dragging a tire for a drogue and navigating with an echo sounder, the La Maire Strait, overfalls, the MGR contestants, sailing fast around the world vs stopping longer, convergence zones and heavy weather, how the MGR sailors have changed during the race, and more. Photos and links can be found on the shownotes page. Support the show through Patreon

Gunnar Christensen is an entrant in the 2026 Golden Globe Race. He owns a Hans Christen 34 and is also a professional sailor and skipper of racing sailboats. We talk about his Baltic 42, a Southerly 42, The Bahamas, the value of a swing-keel, RORC races Gunnar has been competing in, racing a Farr 60, how seamanship differs between racers and cruisers, how racing boats are less forgiving than cruising boats, surfing at 15 knots on a J109, the hard work of sailing a J109 downwind, asymmetrical spinnakers vs symmetrical spinnakers, the Fastnet Race, sailplan for sailing downwind in the Hans Christen 34, sailing wing-on-wing, looking and learning when new on a boat, converting racing boats to cruising boats, the Golden Globe Race and finding a title sponsor, rumors of LSO not being the start of the 2026 GGR, the mental challenges of long solo passages, hurricanes, sailing in Maritime Canada, sailing with balanced sails and wheel tied off, getting seasick, self-tacking staysails, reefing, meditation and how it can help an offshore sailor, and more. photos and links can be found on the shownotes page support the show through Patreon

Kevin Le Poidevin sails an Open 40, Roaring 40 and a Sigma 36 Rogue Wave. He sailed in the 2014 and 2018 Solo Trans Tasman Challenge New Plymouth to Southport, the 2021 and 2024 Sydney Hobart, the 2023 Global Solo Challenge, and the 2025 Melbourne to Osaka Race. He has also solo sailed around Australia and Malaysia, as well as from Osaka back to Australia. He supports the Brain Tumor Alliance Australia, Pankind, and Soldier On charities. We talk about getting into sailing, breaking the boom on the way to the Melbourne Osaka Race, his Open 40, bridge heights in The Netherlands and how not to hit them, sailing the Open 40 in 60 knots, sailing her upwind, preparing the boat for the Global Solo Challenge, sailing in the 2023 GSC, falling down the companionway, what is fun about sailing an Open 40, sleeping when sailing solo, a typical day in a long solo race, whales and orcas, a purple sunset, why racing boats are unforgiving, tacking an Open 40, converting a racing boat to a cruising boat, food and eating, safety, lifejackets, the 2027 Global Solo Challenge, Soldier On, Brain Tumor Australia Alliance, and more. Photos and links are at paultrammell.com/oscpodcastshownotes Support the show through Patreon

Guy deBoer is a professional sailor active in offshore racing. He was in the 2022 Golden Globe Race, but went aground in the Canary Islands and had to retire from the race. He eventually saved and rebuilt the boat, Spirit, a Tashiba 36. We talk about his new (to him) Cheoy Lee and how old full-keel boats are sometimes free or nearly free, racing in the Two Star in a Jenneau 45, dealing with the cold, jibing asymetric spinnakers, the 2026 Golden Globe Race, sponsors, the GGR documentary film, the Race to Alaska, the Everglades Challenge, crocodiles alligators and pythons, dealing with living in the heat on a boat, air conditioners, dealing with sleep apnea, sailing in Newport, sailing Fazizi, raising money, and more. Photos and links are on the shownotes page Support the show on Patreon   

Tom Cunliffe is a living legend among offshore sailors. He has lived his life at sea, mostly sailing traditional boats. He learned to sail on a 22 ft gaff sloop when a teenager on the Norfolk Broads. He studied law in university, but then ran off to sea. He has worked as mate on a coasting merchant vessel and skippered private yachts as well as having been a delivery and charter skipper. He was a sailing tutor for many years, progressing from running a dinghy sailing school in the south of France to becoming a senior offshore instructor at the British National Sailing Centre in Cowes. He has been a yachmaster examiner since 1978. He is the author of about 30 books about sailing, including "The Complete Yachmaster" and "Celestial Navigation."  We talk about the harbor in Denmark where we was waiting out a storm, sailing in the Baltic Sea, classic boats, history, sailing into St Petersburg Russia, navigating in the Baltic islands without modern technology, sailing a 1911 pilot cutter, the difference between navigating today vs before GPS, the benefits of using paper charts for passage planning, the joy of finding your destination with celestial navigation, heaving-to, surviving a hurricane, the benefit of a heavy mast, his Mason 44, why he has always sailed full-keel boats, using the code zero, what he would choose if he were to buy a boat today, his upcoming novel "Hurricane Force," and more. Photos and links are on the shownotes page Support the show through Patreon

Jolly Holly sails a 72' carbon fiber trimaran now, and has a history of restoring old boats and solo sailing. She is also the owner of ShowMeYourDinghy dinghy navigation lights, which I use and approve of.  We talk about sailing in the Caribbean, getting knocked down, sailing solo vs with crew, observing fishing regulations, Sunfish, Tritium - her 71' carbon fiber catamaran, backlash from skeptics, refitting Tritium, what it feels like to sail a giant racing trimaran, anchoring and sizing an anchor for the trimaran, weight distribution, using the coffee-grinder, getting hit by a boat while driving a dinghy at night, designing the dinghy navigation lights, why headlamps are inadequate for navigation lights, and more. Photos and links are on the podcast shownotes page Support the show through Patreon Dinghy navigation lights are at Showmeyourdinghy.com

Daniel Turner is currently in second place in the Mini Globe Race, another Don McIntyre circumnavigation race. He was in Fiji when I interviewed him, right befrore the start of Leg three, Fiji to Cape Town.  We talk about sailing from Antigua to Panama, dealing with a roller-furler malfunction, sailing to Fiji, a storm in the Tuomotus, using a drogue, helmets, preventers, response to the skeptics, the route and obstacles to Cape Town, sailing solo and how his enjoyment of it has changed during the race, Starlink, how sailing changes us, boat balance and reefing and sailing more efficiently, tips for sail trim, poling out two asymetrical spinnakers, hearing voices when solo, hallucinations from sleep deprivation, and more. Photos and links are on the podcast shownotes page Support the show through Patreon

This is part two of my conversation with marine electrical engineer Owen Murphy. We talk about meeting John Kretschmer, the influence of electrical systems and electronics on sailboat value, wiring diagrams, the risks of modern high-output systems, fuses, what electricity is, amps, electrical fields, panconsciousness, sailing in the South Pacific, sailing into an atoll, a tiger-shark story, grey sharks, a near-death experience while surfing, a strategy to stay in the South Pacific long-term, and more. Owen's website is https://www.meridian-marine-electrical.com/ Support the show through Patreon

Owen Murphy is an ABYC certified marine electrical engineer and technician who offers both onsite and remote electrical system consulting, maintenance and installation. He sails a Pacific Seacraft 34 and is currently in Fiji.  Owen answers questions from Patrons about their electrical systems. These include charging an AGM starter battery with LiFePo4 house batteries, saving weight on race yachts in the elctrical system, how to avoid electrical fires, the safety of Lithium batteries, explain the difference between grounding and bonding, what components need to be upgraded when converting to Lithium batteries, is the knowledge base required to work on sailboat electrical systems outpacing the average DIY sailor, where can one gain knowledge and experience in marine electrical... We also talk about sailing solo vs with crew, sailing in the South Pacific, removing the engine fuses and circuit breakers, batteries, artificial intelligence, incorrect wiring, me jury-rigging my alternator on the way from NC to The Bahamas, and more. Photos and links can be found here Support the show through Patreon Owen's website is here

Deborah Hammett began sailing later in life and is the author of the book "Young Salt at Sixty." She sails a Jenneau Sun Odyssey 36 out of Martha's Vineyard, Mass. We talk about Martha's Vineyard, seeing your hometown from the water, scaling down, what inspired her to become a sailor, The Bahamas, riding out a storm in Georgetown at anchor, anchors, the Dominican Republic, her boat, unexpected difficulties, sailing in the ICW solo, sleeping when solo sailing, favorite anchorages on the east coast of the US, sobriety and sailing, changing an impeller, losing power, her book, writing, and more. Photos and links can be found on the shownotes page Support the show through Patreon

Chris and Shona have been sailing around the world on a Leopard 46 catamaran with their four children. They started in Australia on a monohull and sailed up to the islands in the South Pacific. They then bought a catamaran in Mexico, went through the Panama Canal, up to Nova Scotia, and around the Caribbean, back through the canal, across the Pacific, through SE Asia, and to the Seychelles, where they were when I interviewed them. We talk about sailing with children and homeschooling, how they learned to sail, comapring monohulls and catamarans, sailing upwind, solar power, batteries, safety protocols, keeping the kids interested (by keeping the adventure alive), fears, facing the unknown, liferafts, where the friendliest people are, the most fun place, YouTube, inspiring others to think outside the box, customs & immigration in various countries (Thailand was the easiest - USA the hardest), culture shock in South Florida, swimming with manta rays and whale sharks, dinghies and outboards, dinghy anchors, beautiful moments, and more. Photos and links are on the podcast shownotes page Support the show through Patreon

Saare Yachts is a German company that builds quality, semi-custom yachts which are made in Estonia in the yard that formerly built Finngulf Yachts.  In the intro, I discuss the new 5X-more expensive Bahamas cruising permits and new fees, as well as the strikes in Bocas del Toro, Panama. Niels and I talk about sailing in the Baltic Sea, sailing angles, history of the boatyard, building the hulls, vacuum infusion, vinyl-ester resin, foam, bulkheads, lead keels, keel bolts, traditional hull design, heeling, single rudders, engine access, electrical systems, alternators, induction stoves, having 2 alternators, German boom sheeting, a unique liferaft storage and launching system, and more. Photos and links are on the shownotes page Support the show through Patreon

Filip Kotodziej is the skipper of SV Selma of SailCamp Expeditions, running high-latitued charters. He recently visited Isla de los Estados - an island off the souther tip of Argentina few people have visited.  We talk about isla de los Estados, anchoring and anchorages, katabatic winds, currents and tides, charts and navigating, the boat Selma - a custom steel ketch, features of the boat that make her capable of high-latitude sailing, sailing in high winds, different sail configurations, dealing with heavy weather, clearing customs in Argentina and going to Isla de los Estados, tsumanis at sea, wildlife, foul-weather gear and staying warm and dry in the high latitudes, boots and gloves, safety prorocols and gear, penguins, South Georgia Island, and a surprise announcement.  Photos and links are on the podcast shownotes page Support the show through Patreon

Richard and Jude sold everything and bought a Jenneau Sun Odyssey 410 in 2022. Unable to get the boat delivered to Australia in a timely manner, they decided to take the boat in France and start their sailing lives by cruising the Mediterranean.  We talk about crusing the Mediterranean, the boat, dual helms, anchoring, lights and a collision while at anchor, favorite places, cultures, food, making the transition to the cruising life, running a YouTube channel, running another channel in which they wear no clothes, health and extending lifespan, and more. Photos and links can be found on the podcast shownotes page Support the show through Patreon

Matt Woodside is entered in the 2026 Golden Globe Race (GGR). His boat is a Cape George 36 and he lives in Portland, Oregon.  We talk about getting into sailing, the Sea of Cortez, Mexico, the GGR, simplifying the boat, refitting her, replacing the mast, reefing, heavy-weather strategies, heaving-to, towing drogues, using a storm trysail, his unique jury rig, abandoning ship, books, serving as a Flight Officer in a Navy aircraft, fears, food, to fish or not to fish, magic, old navigation tech, not sailing with a cat, modern navigation, unexpected events, bucket-list destinations, feedom, and more. Photos and links can be found here Support teh podcast here

Diana Vega grew up on the Isle of Wight sailing in the Solent. She will be the First Mate with Guy Waites on Team Unicef UK in the 2025-2026 Clipper Round the World Race. We talk about crew dynamics, a transatlantic on an Outremer catamaran, refitting a steel boat, installing a synthetic teak deck, heaving-to in the Bay of Biscay, the Clipper Race, the role of the first mate, training for the Clipper, the boats, Guy Waites, fear, anticipations, the southern ocean, book recommendations, bucket-list destinations, beautiful moments, unexplainable sights, and more. Photos and links can be found at https://www.paultrammell.com/podcast-season-7 Support the show through Patreon

Barry Perrins recently crossed his wake completing a 9-year circumnavigation aboard steel Van de Stadt.  We talk about his boat, the pros and cons of steel boats, his route, New Zealand, crocodiles in Australia, friendly people, Vanuatu, whale sharks, dancing with manta rays, anchors, lessons learned, nature, profound revelations, and more.  Links and photos are on the shownotes page Support the show through Patreon

Mike Price sails and races in Hawaii and owns Hyde Sails Hawaii. We talk about sailing in Hawaii, sailmaking, things sailors need to know about sails, when you need new sails, how to choose between different cruising and racing sails, triradial vs cross-cut sails, different materials, spinnakers, asym. vs. sym., top-down furlers, sail trim, interpreting telltales, maintaining sail shape when roller-reefing a roller-furled headsail, adjustable failrleads, foam luff, repairing sails at sea, Elliot Smith, a captain being held for hostage at Christmas Island, the liberty of sailing, and more. Photos and links are on the shownotes page here  Support the show through Patreon here