How to Begin

Besides buying a boat and putting in sailing time, there were years of preparations to get us ready to sail. Our research was done mainly through books, FB pages, Instagram and YouTube channels. Unfortunately blogs with sailing families were mostly dated and it is especially difficult to find resources that highlight teenagers living on a boat.

YouTube

Nate and I were sold on the idea of a school year on a boat, but we wanted Addy and Josephine to join us. We thought Josephine’s junior year and Addy’s “gap year” between high school graduation and college would be the ideal timing. In 2020, we started to watch some sailing families together.

Our tough customers in May 2020 - not so sure about their "weird parents" boat dream

Our top two favorites were and still are:

Sailing Zatara: a Texan family with ZERO sailing experience that sent sail with four kids and has circumnavigated the world almost twice. They homeschooled and the family continues to live this lifestyle as the kids slowly move off the boat. They post a weekly video on Thursdays and it reminds me of my childhood when I would wait for my favorite sitcom (I was allowed only one show each week) The Crosby Show ( I know, I know!).

https://www.youtube.com/c/SailingZatara

Cruising Kiwis: a New Zealand family with three boys who live on a budget and are not afraid to share all their bloopers.

https://www.youtube.com/c/thecruisingkiwis

Other sailing channels Nate regularly watches-

https://www.youtube.com/@ParlayRevival

https://www.youtube.com/@TheOKellys

https://www.youtube.com/@SailingGoodBadandUgly

I watch:

https://www.youtube.com/@SailingHollyBlue
Books:

The only book to truly target sailing families that we found: