The 15 Best Sailing Youtube Channels, Vlogs, And Sailing Blogs
Looking for the best sailing YouTube channels vlogs, and sailing blogs? We rounded up our favorite YouTube sailing channels, bloggers, and content creators for inspiration, information, and of course straight-up entertainment.
The best sailing vlogs and sailing blogs provide not only hours of entertainment and escapism but serious practical knowledge and insights into the world of liveaboard sailing and cruising life as well as inspiration and motivation for people who are eager to learn the ropes.
However, with so much content out there, it’s easy to get lost down a rabbit hole of sailing videos and websites some great and others not so great.
When we took up van life in 2018 we turned to the web for the inspiration and the information we needed to convert our own van and try our hand at living from the road. In doing so, we discovered the best van life blogs and vlogs across the internet.
Similarly, in 2022, when we decided we were going to sell the van, travel to Croatia, buy a boat and learn to sail, we once again turned to internet strangers to answer some of our biggest questions.
We spent hours reading blog posts and viewing countless sailing vlogs. Many were ok, and many more were unwatchable or, at least, didn’t scratch our itch for sailing content. A handful, however, were beautiful, engaging, funny, and above all authentic.
These are the best sailing vlogs and sailing blogs on the internet right now according to us! They are not necessarily the biggest or the flashiest (honestly some of the bigger channels we find difficult to watch). These are our favorites because they are charming, funny, authentic, helpful, beautiful, or all of the above. They inspire, entertain and educate all at once and make us want to be better sailors, travelers, and content creators.
#? The Vanabond Sails
Allow us to take a moment for a shameless plug. While we couldn’t possibly say our channel is the best (…could we??) The Vanabond Sails is our brand new weekly sail life vlog on our new Vanabond Tales YouTube Channel. As complete novice sailors AND novice vloggers, we have a lot to learn and we would love your help! If you have a moment to check it out, drop us some feedback about what you would like to see on a new sailing vlog and, if it floats your boat, subscribe!
The Best Sailing YouTube Channels, Vlogs, and Cruising Channels
Sailing La Vagabonde: THE Sailing Vlog
Gosh, we wish it weren’t true, but there’s a reason that these guys have become completely synonymous with sailing vlogs. Sailing La Vagabonde is the last word when it comes to YouTube sailing channels with over 1.5 million subscribers on their YouTube channel.
Australian couple Riley and Elayna began their sailing adventure in 2014 and have been sharing their journey for 8 years!
Since then they have crossed the Mediterranean, Atlantic, Caribbean, and Pacific. They have also had two children who they are raising onboard as they continue to sail the world.
Their episodes feature them exploring some of the most beautiful places on earth, surviving storms, gear failures, and mistakes, as well as documenting the minutiae of everyday life as they chart their lives aboard.
Sailing La Vagabonde is the perfect mix of quality production and filmmaking with two naturally engaging, funny, and authentic people.
Free Range Sailing: An Authentic Sailing Vlog
This impressive couple sailed their fifty-year-old, thirty-foot monohull around Australia in an inspirational display of what can be done on a modest budget. Free Range Sailing’s awesome vlog gives an up-close and personal idea of what it takes to undertake such an awesome journey and the payoff.
They have since hung up the sailing caps (for now) and their channel has changed focus to their next project, setting up acreage in Australia. Still, there’s plenty of amazing inspirational sailing content to discover aboard Free Range Sailing.
RAN Sailing: An Inspirational Family Sailing YouTube Channel
Another inspirational young family that quit their jobs to seek out a different way of life. Since 2016 Malin, Johan and their young daughter Vera have sailed half the world, recording their adventure as they go. Down to earth, and relaxed it is easy to see why they have amassed such a large following.
Their most recent adventure is building their new dream boat! A 50ft timber sailboat they are building entirely themselves.
MJ Sailing: An Adventurous DIY Couple
High school sweethearts Matt and Jessica have been documenting their adventures for the last decade. And what adventures they have been.
They have circumnavigated the North Atlantic in SV Serendipity, their 1989 Sabre Targa 34, following that they took on a 2-year complete refit of a custom aluminum 37′ monohull, ‘The Elements of Life’. After sailing her to the Arctic, they sold her in 2020 to begin our newest project of building a 42 ft catamaran.
Amongst their videos, you’ll witness their incredible adventure and no less impressive DIY projects which they undertake with impressive dedication and attention to detail.
Back 2 Basics Adventures: Hardcore Boat-Based Adventure Channel
While not sailing perse, if you are a fan of nautical-themed blogs this Australian channel tells some incredible stories about living off the sea from a small power boat.
Adventures revolve around exploring off-the-grid (like way off the grid) locations and survival skills like camping, fishing, and foraging.
The adventures are way more intense than just cruising and the production value of the videos is top-notch.
A recent spin-off channel, ‘Castaways’ features Jack and Fran from the original series and sees the couple living off the land on a deserted island.
Tula’s Endless Summer: An American Adventure Sailing Channel
Track the adventures of Billy, Sierra and dog Jetty as they explore the east coast U.S., the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Northwest from California to Canada.
With a mix of intrepid adventures, practical know-how and some exciting watersports thrown in Tula’s endless summer is a great reminder of the adventure life can be when we set our minds to it.
SV Delos: An Adventurous Sailing YouTube Channel
After walking away from corporate life and spending 10 years at sea, Brian of the SV Delos has perfected the sailing life as well as documenting his adventures aboard. As he has sailed around the world, he has brought aboard a rotating crew, his wife Karin Syrén and now their daughter Sierra.
With slick production, thoughtful storytelling, informative content, and most importantly a fun and engaging crew that doesn’t take itself too seriously, it’s little wonder this blog has become so popular.
Lauren Landers: A Solo Sailing Vlog
Solo female sailor Lauren Landers creates authentic raw content that provides a real window into her (and her cat Mako’s) life aboard their boat the SV Soul de la Mar.
She faces down all the problems that arise living life aboard a sailboat, and she does it alone while maintaining a positive outlook and a gutsy attitude.
Vet Tails’ Sailing Chuffed: A Sailing Channel with Purpose
A non-profit sailing vlog AND blog with a purpose the Vet Tails’ Sailing Chuffed. What began as a blog documenting Dr. Sheddy’s stories from her veterinarian clinic. Recently she has set sail in the SV Chuffed, with a mission to help animals all over the world.
Joined by her first mate Surfer Jim, the inspiring team faces all the usual dilemmas of living on a boat with plenty of repair and maintenance video as they navigate their equally daunting mission of providing free veterinary services around the world.
Epic.
Wind Hippie Sailing: The Minimalists Sailing Vlog
The Wind Hippie tracks the adventures of a young solo sailor who navigates the world on her 27-foot sloop. With minimal electronics or even a fridge on board, the Wind Hippie is all about solo, minimalist sailing and it is very, very impressive.
Adventures of an Old Sea Dog: A More Mature Sailing YouTube Channel
A quick peruse of the most popular sailing vlogs and blogs, one would think all sailors around the world are young half-naked couples or budding families. The reality is that far more people out on the seas are older sailors, often retirees sailing full-time or seasonally. While the number of young sailors with vlogs heavily outweighs their counterparts, you can find a few old gems amongst them.
One example is the sailing vlog Adventures of an Old Sea Dog. With years and years of boating experience under his belt, Barry headed to Portugal to buy a liveaboard and sail the world over five years ago.
On his sailing vlog, Barry shares it all. The good, the bad, and the ugly. You won’t find sugar coating here but a genuine glimpse into life on the seas. It’s not as shiny as some of the other vlogs floating about, but it is a raw, unpretentious look at life at sea. Something you don’t always get, and that is just why we like it.
Roger Barnes: The Liveaboard Dinghy Sailing Vlog
If you think cruising on a liveaboard is challenging, spare a thought for Roger who sails and camps in his tiny dinghy. Check out Roger Barnes as he documents his journeys, pushing the limits of dinghy sailing.
Sailing Frenchman: An Inspiring Sailing Channel
Hugo’s dream started with quitting his job in 2017 to buy and restore an old (very old) boat to cross the Atlantic. As his vlog and his goals have progressed he has become involved with racing and he continues to grow and develop as a sailor and as a filmmaker. Through his journey, he continues to deliver raw footage of some extreme sailing experiences alongside more light-hearted content.
Sailing Blogs Worth Their Salt
While videos, vlogs and sailing channels can be hugely entertaining, the ability to access written content that spells out the what, the where, and the how of liveaboard sailing is incredibly valuable for people like us who often need specific answers to specific questions. Luckily, there are still a Few sailors that believe in the power of the written word.
The Single-Handed Sailor: The Most Inspirational Sailing Blog
As novice sailors, we find sailing along the coastline with two people pretty daunting, so it blows our minds that double amputee Dustin sailed AROUND THE WORLD. His inspirational blog tracks his journeys, the highs the lows and the incredible self-discovery along the way. If you’re ever feeling like it can’t be done, a quick read of Dustin’s blog will put things in perspective.
Sailing Totem Blog: The Sailing Blog for Answers
“No matter the question, we’ve likely touched on it in over 2,500 articles posted over more than 10 years of cruising.”
This family sailing blog has been around since 2008 and offers an absolute wealth of information on all things cruising, it is a great place to start for anyone looking for blog articles about sailing lifestyles.
Wander by Sail: the Sailing Blog for Beginners
Wander by Sail is a sailing blog that provides hugely helpful informational content on the basics of sailing. These guys answer some of the big questions for novice sailors. How to drop an anchor, the best practices first-time night sailors, and many more topics that are sure to guide any newbies like ourselves.
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These are just a fraction of some of the amazing sailing content available on the internet right now, ready to transport you to a place haven’t heard of, reach you about sailing, inspire you to get out and take up the adventure or entertain you with mishaps. If you have enjoyed these blogs and vlogs or have some other content you think we really need to check out, let us know in the comment below!
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