In the past getting out on the water was one of my primary forms of entertainment. Whether it was fishing with friends or sailing the waters of Long Island Sound I was out there almost every weekend. But it’s not that easy for me to do anymore.
One reason is that owning a boat these days is a lot more expensive than it used to be. You can still keep a small boat on a trailer but anything bigger and you’re talking about some bucks. With the boat on a trailer every time I want to go out I’ve got to deal with launching and hauling out. Another problem these days is that I’m getting a bit older and this comes with a loss of strength and balance which you really need for any kind of boat adventure.
So, my solution, I’ve become an armchair sailor surfing the internet for boating stories that interest me and boy is there a cornucopia to choose from. There are publications like Boating World LI, that you’re reading right now, that are full of good stories. However, in recent years many video blogs about boating have sprung up. These video stories cover just about every conceivable maritime topic.
Boating blogs fall into a couple of different categories. There are how-to videos, boat maintenance videos, boat building videos, and adventure videos. These are further divided into many subcategories such as power or sailing vessels, kayaks and canoes, cruising and racing, inland or ocean, and gear reviews. You can learn how to do anything whether you want to paint your bottom, fix your outboard or check your keel bolts. How about storm tactics or man overboard drills, whatever your interest we have you covered.
The two main types of boating blogs I follow are boat building and ocean voyaging. I must confess I’m addicted to a number of these. There is something about boat building, watching the process, that is really satisfying. You wouldn’t think that sharpening tools or glueing pieces of wood together would be exciting but it turns out it is.
Sampson Boat Company’ blog about the restoration of the classic yacht Tally Ho, which won the Fastnet Race 100 years ago, is one such blog. Over the course of about 7 years, we follow Leo, a boat builder and sailor, after he purchases the yacht for a dollar. He and a bunch of volunteers restore the vessel, steaming planks, pouring a bronze keel, laying a deck, installing an engine, building spars, and a thousand other jobs in excruciating detail.
Another boat building blog I watched from the beginning was From Acorn to Arabella which follows the construction from scratch of a 38-foot ketch. It was built from trees that the builder harvested and milled into stock.
The other blogs I love are about real-life adventures. Some stories are about cruising and traveling to exotic destinations, others go farther such as The Adventures of an Old Sea Dog, which has followed Barry on his yacht sailing around the world. In the latest episodes he’s crossed the Indian Ocean, stopped in South Africa, and is now in the South Atlantic. I’ve also been following Sailing Uma for many years about an attractive couple and their adventures which have taken them across the North Atlantic to above the Arctic Circle.
Sailing Uma has over 435,000 subscribers on YouTube where most of these blogs are found. Most of the people who produce these blogs are not video professionals. YouTube actually pays the bloggers for the content they produce once they reach a certain number of subscribers. This, along with the Ap Patreon that allows subscribers to contribute money to their favorite bloggers have actually made many financially independent. The popular blogs are doing quite well.
I liked the idea of a boat blog so much that I thought I’d try my hand at it. I produced two episodes of Small Boat Adventures. You can find them on YouTube, but I gave up on the idea after I discovered that they take a lot of time and effort to produce.
Some other notable boating blogs to name just a few include; Sailing SV Delos, Road to the Sea, Tips From A Shipwright, Sailing La Vagabonde, Project Atticus, Sailing Zingaro, Sailing Nandji, Alluring Arctic Sailing and a new one I like, A Boat in the Woods.
Samual Johnson’s famous quote about yachting, “Being in a ship is like being in jail with the chance of drowning”, is the reason being an armchair sailor is so appealing. The fun for me of watching these adventurers is that you become part of the crew without being wet, cold, and scared. The more misadventures, storms, engine breakdowns and leaks, the better. It’s all part of the fun. When your virtual boat is being pounded by a storm off a dangerous lee shore you’re right there vicariously experiencing the danger. Of course, you’re actually sitting with your feet up in your favorite chair. So put your foul weather gear away and pick up your tablet or TV remote to explore the wonderful world of the armchair sailor.