Videos and Sailing Channels
There are now over 500 sailing channels on Youtube. (Another reason for Skyfall not to try to do this).
We wanted to learn about yachts, fixing them, fitting new equipment and how to cross oceans and what to expect when we reached far flung destinations. Not to be 'entertained'.
The ones referenced below are those which we found the most informative/instructive
(click on the picture to go to website)
Sailing Florence features Matt and Amy who completed their RTW adventures towards the end of 2023. True sailors, their are quick learners and their work ethic 'gets things done'. The channel is informative and shows the viewer;
- how to solve problems they encounter
-small, but really important tips
(e.g. how to navigate without charts using google maps with gps location)
- route choices
- doing things on a low budget and saving money
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My favourite sailing channel
Hugo, aka The Sailing Frenchman, tells his story of a charter skipper with no money, renovating a wreck, making it good enough to cross the Atlantic and have two seasons in the Caribbean, taking on a Mini Transat and struggling to get into the racing circuit, succeeding enough to end up as first mate on one of the Clipper Race boats (before taking over as skipper).
Most cruisers complain it is so difficult to photograph seas and show how rough it is. But when Hugo is filming in the Roaring Forties with 60 knots, gusting 80 (Ep105), the camera has no issues showing the storm!
Very likeable guy
Steve and Judy are ex-BBC broadcast journalists. The quality of the filming, is, as might be expected, excellent. The best bits are
a) location filming and what it is like there (focus on the med to date)
b)the tech corners which include both evaluations of kit as well as 'how to do' things.
I just wish they sailed a more exciting boat and went a bit further (season five, Episode 104 and they are just out of the Med)
No Bullshit Just Sailing (NBJS) features Erik Anderaa taking a small boat into rough, northerly, ice filled seas. His drone footage of spectacular scenery makes it entertaining anyway. But watching carefully how he mitigates risk when purposely 'taking chances' (e.g. going out into a Force 11) is instructive
Johan and Malin are a Swedish couple who, together with their young daughter and Najad , make up RAN sailing. Johan is so clearly competent and experienced we learnt so much just watching how he goes about things.
Sweden is the backdrop to the videos which sucked me in (cruising destination for after the RTW) And his tech corners are good too.
Ryan and Sophie are relatively new to sailing. She is creative and he is the tech king. We watch this for Ryan's tech corners primarily. e.g.
- how to put together a home built watermaker,
- how they equipped Polar Seal for a transatlantic adventure
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Martin has been sailing S/Y Jambo and recording his exploits ( in both English and German) for many years. Yet on his last Atlantic crossing in April 2022, from Martinique to the Azores, he lost his mast. Yes, he chose to do the crossing in April. And he did not choose the easier route via Bermuda. But he sails so conservatively that, if it can happen to him, it can happen to anybody.
He sails alone and, hidden behind the adventures and location information, is a germanic attention to detail to mitigate risk, which we all can learn from.
He successfully got his boat back to Sint Martin without assistance.
We met Parlay Revival when they anchored behind us in Fatu Hiva and again in Tonga. Colin is an ex superyacht engineer and the channel is great at explaining how to do boat jobs, interspersed with their sailing adventures. They are also thoroughly good guys and instantly likeable.
Look for their episode when they arrive in Fatu Hiva. Skyfall is anchored just in front of them.
Other links
