Last week Mia, Bosun Adam Browne and Chief Mate Alex Laline and I sat down in the salon of FALKEN to reflect on what's been a busy, stressful and ultimately successful first season on our newly refit Farr 65. We've truly come a long way since one year ago this time, when we were scrambling to get the boat out of the shed, sea-trialled and out of the UK. Since then, FALKEN has sailed over 16,000 nautical miles with over 120 crewmembers. The four of us reflected on this past year and what stood ou...
Dec 05, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 415
Paul & Sheryl Shard of Distant Shores are truly the OG YouTubers, having filmed and produced videos of their sailing adventures for over 25 years. I met up with them in person at the Annapolis Sailboat Show a few weeks ago to talk about their transition from broadcast TV to YouTube and if that's changed their process. We also talked a lot about their new boat, a go-anywhere aluminum expedition yacht built in the Netherlands, which will launch in early 2024, and what they've designed into wha...
Nov 07, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 414
In Jake Beattie’s words, the Race to Alaska "celebrates and illuminates life’s everyday heroes". Jake is one of those people. Aside from creating and organizing the Race to Alaska, he is also the executive director of the Northwest Maritime Center located in Port Townsend, Washington: a non-profit organization whose mission is to connect people to experiences of the sea. Through educational programs in boat construction, an annual wooden boat festival, the magazine 48º North and now a maritime a...
Oct 31, 2023•53 min•Ep. 413
Ben and Jade Couturier recently completed the Northwest Passage on their Navy 44 Caprivi. They bought the boat in 2016, looking to make it their traveling home. Ben and Jade took Caprivi through an impressive rebuild while living aboard and working in the Florida Keys. In June 2022, they set sail, and have covered a lot of distance since. In May 2023, they left Antigua and aimed the bow north, quietly planning to sail to Alaska via the Northwest Passage. Emma caught up with Jade and Ben just a w...
Oct 24, 2023•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 412
#411: If you’ve been around this podcast for awhile, Matt Rutherford won’t be a stranger to you. Famous for being the first person to sail solo & non-stop around the Americas, he’s now the operator/co-director of the non-profit organization, OCEAN RESEARCH PROJECT , and has his own, amazing podcast called SINGLE-HANDED SAILING . Andy met up with Matt yet again, and their conversation meanders from high-latitude sailing and crew management, to weed and psychedelics. -- If you liked this conve...
Oct 20, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 411
Mark Sinclair has sailed the seas his entire life, both professionally and as a hobby. He served for 20 years in the Royal Australian Navy, commanding three ships and navigating four, at the time when celestial was still the primary means of offshore navigation. He participated in both the 2018 and the 2022 Golden Globe Races on his Lello 34 COCONUT, and is currently racing as skipper on EXPLORER in the fully crewed Ocean Globe Race. August and Adam caught up with Captain Coconut in Southampton ...
Oct 12, 2023•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 410
Andy & Mia sit down to talk about the past 5-6 years of 59º North and how it's evolved from a "lifestyle" business to an "actual" business, with investors, lots of staff and high stakes! They talk about the rollercoaster of emotions, the stress, the joys and the future (which is exciting—make sure to listen to the end!) -- If you liked this conversation you'll LOVE The QUARTERDECK , 59 North's 'deep dives on the art of seamanship.' Join our interactive community and get involved in the conve...
Oct 05, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 409
Evgeniy “Ev” Goussev was born in the far east of Russia, where he began sailing at the age of five, and was soon competing in a variety of classes while having a grand adventure on the sea with his father and friends. As the Soviet Union began to deteriorate and in-fighting became dangerous, his father decided to sail away, unsure if his eldest son was coming with the family. I sat down to talk with my good friend Ev about his sea-born childhood, his escape from the USSR and the journey that too...
Sep 26, 2023•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 408
Peter Bruce is both a sailor and a writer of sailing. He most famously wrote the last four editions of the world-famous book HEAVY WEATHER SAILING having taken over from the original author Adlard Coles. A life-time of achievements on the water qualify him to write with such esteemed authority. He has represented Britain on seven occasions, won the Admirals Cup twice, finished the Fastnet Race of 1979, and skippered a blind crew to win a gold medal in the Southern Cross Series in Australia. As m...
Sep 19, 2023•57 min•Ep. 407
Will Sofrin is among other things a sailor, shipwright and author of the new book ALL HANDS ON DECK . The story is a maritime adventure memoir that follows a crew of misfits hired to sail an eighteenth-century warship replica 6,000 nautical miles from New England to Hollywood where the ship would become the HMS SURPRISE for the iconic film MASTER & COMMANDER. Will was 21 years old at the time, working on yachts and somewhat directionless. In this episode, Andy interviews Will to hear more ab...
Sep 12, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 406
James Frederick, aka 'James the Sailor Man' returns to the podcast four years after I first interviewed him. Back then, James was still prepping his Alberg 30 TRITEIA in LA...now, the boat is in New Zealand after James sailed her over 9,000 miles, solo, with many adventures along the way. We talked about his sudden divorce, losing his rudder mid-Pacific and of course sailing in Greenland on FALKEN. -- If you liked this conversation you'll LOVE The QUARTERDECK , 59 North's 'deep dives on the art ...
Sep 05, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 405
Nikki Henderson is no stranger to the 59N family. She’s a skipper, a podcaster, master of the Quarterdeck and a dear friend in the community. But when she signs off from these watches, she doesn’t quit. You likely know that she’s been on heaps of other seafaring adventures, including skippering the famed Whitbread machine, Maiden; the Clipper Round the World Race; and her first attempt at the Race To Alaska with Team Sail Like a Girl. I sat down to talk with Nikki about her second, most recent a...
Jul 11, 2023•1 hr 11 min
Navigating the challenges of parenthood whilst also maintaining an atypical lifestyle — be that of a sailor, adventurer, or anything that doesn’t involve a 9-5 desk job — has been a consistent theme of this podcast. Now the tables have turned. Andy, Mia and August are raising their two boys whilst running a business and working as professional sailors themselves. Hoping to be a parent myself one day, I took the opportunity to put them on the spot to discuss what has surprised them about parentho...
Jul 04, 2023•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 404
Pam Wall returns to the podcast, live from her living room in Ft. Lauderdale. Andy sat down to talk to Pam about the treasure trove of memories in her house, how she stays happy and inspirational despite the tragedy of losing her husband and daughter too soon, the relationship she has with her son, how she stays fit at nearly 80, and lots lots more. -- If you liked this conversation you'll LOVE The QUARTERDECK , 59 North's 'deep dives on the art of seamanship.' Join our interactive community and...
Jun 27, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 403
Celeste Pomerantz wasn't a sailor until she signed up for a sail & ski trip out of Tromsø, Norway, that was headed north in search of un-skied peaks in Svalbard. The boat was called SOFIE, and was owned and skippered by friend of 59º North, Mats Grimsaeth. I discovered Celeste in the ski film Wavy 2 about the adventure and immediately reached out to her. We talked about sailing in the Arctic, her upbringing in the mountains of western British Columbia, similarities between big mountain skiin...
Jun 22, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 402
Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen was the first to reach the South Pole and the North Pole, but his greatest achievement may have been leading the first successful crossing of the Northwest Passage in 1906. Terje Andre Pedersen grew up inspired by Amundsen's great stories of exploration. He has followed his own dreams, and is soon to set sail towards the Northwest Passage in Amundsen's wake with a ship made of wood and a crew made of iron. Show notes. Don't miss this year's Seam'nship Workshop a...
Jun 13, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 401
Ben Doerr of Sail Bainbridge returns to talk to Andy about motorboatin'! Andy got inspired to call Ben when he saw an ad for a 65-foot converted Swedish Navy ship for sale in Stockholm as a place to live on the water. Andy though, 'hmm, who do I know that did exactly this, and with a family to boot...?' Ben of course! Ben and his young family have been living continuously on motor yachts (while their shoreside home is rented out) for over 5 years, currently calling the converted fire tug EWEN RO...
Jun 06, 2023•1 hr 47 min•Ep. 400
McKayla Bower is an experienced outdoorswoman who is preparing to set off around the world alone on her San Juan 30, Swirl. Her goal is to become the first openly transgender person to circumnavigate and the first queer person to do so solo. We talked about her journey of coming out, moving aboard her boat and teaching herself to sail, and learning about fear and risk in the outdoors. Instagram @svswirl Don't miss this year's Seam'nship Workshop at the 2023 Annapolis Sailboat Show in October. Re...
May 30, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 399
Legendary Finnish sailor Tapio Lehtinen returns to the podcast to talk to Andy about losing his boat in the recent Golden Globe Race and the emotional toll it took on him. They discuss theories on why the boat sank and talk about how that experience has influenced his preparation for the upcoming Ocean Globe Race. Tapio is preparing his classic Swan 55 GALIANA with a crew of young Finnish sailors. It will be Tapio’s second Whitbread-style race after he sailed the original route in the 80s. Don't...
May 24, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 398
Andy & Matt ramble on about anything and everything, from sailing in Greenland to DJ’ing in the turntable era and most things in between. Andy was able to catch up with Matt right before he left for the 2023 Ocean Research Project expedition to Greenland the very next day. Matt is always an interesting guest and this episode is no exception. To support Matt’s mission and follow his expedition north to Greenland, head over to Ocean Research Project. Don't miss this year's Seam'nship Workshop ...
May 16, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 397
In less than a month, Andrew Bedwell from the UK will set sail on his homemade yacht, Big C, in a daring attempt to break the World Record for the smallest boat to ever have sailed across the Atlantic Ocean. The previous record has stood for thirty years, and if Andrew is successful, his record will be very hard to beat indeed. His boat is one meter long, and the voyage is 1,900 nautical miles. Don't miss this year's Seam'nship Workshop at the 2023 Annapolis Sailboat Show in October. Register no...
May 09, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 396
Nikki Henderson & Andy Schell hosts a panel of sailors at the 2022 Annapolis Sailboat Show to talk about the essence of seam'nship and what offshore sailing is all about, from technical issues to facing fear and philosophical ambitions. Panelists include Matt Rutherford, Ryan Ellison, Emma Garschagen, Phil Gutowski, Kristen Berry & Pam Wall. Don't miss this year's Seam'nship Workshop at the 2023 Annapolis Sailboat Show in October. Register now at 59-north.com/seamnship -- If you liked th...
May 02, 2023•1 hr 48 min•Ep. 395
Andy sits down with his dad and sister to reminisce about past sailing adventures and future plans while they are in Sweden for an early spring visit. -- If you liked this conversation you'll LOVE The QUARTERDECK , 59 North's 'deep dives on the art of seamanship.' Join our interactive community and get involved in the conversation at quarterdeck.59-north.com . First two weeks FREE, then multiple pricing options thereafter. -- ON THE WIND is presented by Athletic Greens . Podcast listeners can re...
Apr 06, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 394
#393. Pip Hare is the 8th woman to ever finish the Vendée Globe. With that adventure complete, she is now well on her way to her next solo circumnavigation in 2024. She’s got a new boat and a professional team behind her as she prepares a competitive campaign for the next series of races. Andy first interviewed Pip ahead of her previous Vendée Globe, and for her second appearance on the podcast, Nikki catches up with Pip in between races. Find out more about Pip at piphare.com . Follow along on ...
Mar 28, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 393
#392. This year is the 10th anniversary of the podcast! To celebrate we're going to go back and revisit some of the most memorable conversations over the years. This week it's the first ever interview between Matt Rutherford and Andy, before his record-setting around the Americas voyage and before 59 North even existed. Come be a fly on the wall with Andy and Matt. Find out more about what Matt is up to over at Ocean Research Project. -- If you liked this conversation you'll LOVE The QUARTERDECK...
Mar 23, 2023•1 hr 54 min•Ep. 392
#391. Simon Prestø-He is the intelligence officer on the loss prevention and emergency response team at the Norwegian Yacht Club. August and Simon sat down for a chat in the situation room at the club. -- If you liked this conversation you'll LOVE The QUARTERDECK , 59 North's 'deep dives on the art of seamanship.' Join our interactive community and get involved in the conversation at quarterdeck.59-north.com . First two weeks FREE, then multiple pricing options thereafter. -- ON THE WIND is pres...
Mar 15, 2023•1 hr 46 min•Ep. 391
#390. Rachael Miller is the Founder of Rozalia Project for a Clean Ocean and co-inventor of the Cora Ball, the world’s first microfiber-catching laundry ball. She is an expedition scientist, National Geographic Explorer, and Explorers Club Fellow. Rachael captains the 60’ sailing research vessel, AMERICAN PROMISE, certified hundreds of people to be sailing instructors, trained Navy SEALS to find unexploded mines using underwater robots, and mentors young scientists at the New York Harbor School....
Mar 07, 2023•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 390
#389. Sarah Armour is the captain of Mystic Seaport Museum’s sail training Schooner Brilliant. For the past decade, Sarah has been working in environmental education, sail training, and experiential learning aboard vessels like the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Pride of Baltimore II, Lady Maryland, and Geronimo. Sarah grew up in the Hudson Valley and is on the Sloop Clearwater's board of directors. She has a degree in Earth Systems Science from Cornell University, where she focused on applied e...
Feb 28, 2023•1 hr 37 min•Ep. 389
#388. Last month ISBJØRN set sail for a unique, wintertime event on the other side of the dark and stormy North Sea—the Up Helly Aa fire festival on Shetland. Skipper Jon Amtrup was joined by a hearty crew for the crossing and to partake in the experience. Have a listen as Jon and August recap the passage. -- If you liked this conversation you'll LOVE The QUARTERDECK , 59 North's 'deep dives on the art of seamanship.' Join our interactive community and get involved in the conversation at quarter...
Feb 21, 2023•59 min•Ep. 388
#387. Elliott Smith was competing as the youngest sailor in the 2022 Golden Globe Race when his bowsprit broke off the coast of Cape Town. He made a repair that got him across the Southern Ocean to Australia where he ended up retiring from the race. Elliott is a Sailor, Surfer, Artist, Deep Thinker and Big Dreamer. -- If you liked this conversation you'll LOVE The QUARTERDECK , 59 North's 'deep dives on the art of seamanship.' Join our interactive community and get involved in the conversation a...
Feb 14, 2023•1 hr 54 min•Ep. 387