We're cruising couple Kevin and Wendy, and we're sailing the world in our completely upgraded Oyster 485. We packed up everything, rented the houses, and headed for Troon, Scotland where the boat was located. We closed in late 2017 and following a major electronics refit (the first of several) headed south to the Mediterranean. One season morphed into a second, then a third. And then the Caribbean beckoned. We participated in the 2019 ARC, and have been cruising there since. The adventure continues ...
Kevin Kelley - RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore #56489 200T Master, SRC-RSR - Contact via Sailing Yacht Talisman Facebook Messenger or email below
Wendy Kelley - RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore #69223 200T Master, SRC-RSR
Merch coming soon 🔥
We’re cruising couple Kevin and Wendy, and we’re sailing the world in our completely upgraded Oyster 485. We packed up everything, rented the houses, and headed for Troon, Scotland where the boat was located. We closed in late 2017 and following a major electronics refit (the first of several) headed south to the Mediterranean. One season morphed into a second, then a third. And then the Caribbean beckoned. We participated in the 2019 ARC, and have been cruising there since. The adventure continues …
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This is the Cruising Life!
In Episode 168, We finally get prepared enough to begin our cruising season. The shakedown portion was a simple motor-sail from Jolly Harbour to Falmouth harbour, both in Antigua, followed by a couple of weeks at anchor and quic...
Boat Projects in Paradise Part II:
In Episode 167, we continue to crank through the various boat projects. We’re in the water now, but that just means a different sort of prep.
Projects highlighted in this episode:
Bad battery
Getting hoisted to the ma...
2025 Season Opener:
In Episode 166, our 2025 season opener, we cover just a small sample of the various projects required to get the boat on the water. This follows from breaking a lot of stuff the previous season, and needing parts and research to get th...
Antigua by Drone:
In Episode 165, our season finale, we go for something completely new. It’s a whirlwind of nothing but aerial footage (with all new music) of Falmouth Harbour and English Harbour, two of the preeminent cruiser-friendly anchorages in th...
Kevin and Wendy Sailing:
It seems like there's always drama in Simpson Bay Lagoon. Between the high (often katabatic) winds, generally poor anchor holding, crazy boaters, and hurricane debris under the water, there's always something interesting to going o...
Following our leaving for the USVI’s after being disappointed by the BVI’s ridiculous 30-day tourist visa rules, we return knowing that the officious behavior is simply the gatekeeping, and we know from long experience that these challenges are rarely,...
This first episode of our 2015 bareboating trip focuses on our travels from Colorado to St. Thomas, a day of sightseeing in Charlotte Amalie, picking up our Beneteau 37.2 monohull charter boat, and sailing to Norman Island. There's a ton of snorkeling and ...
Ep 2- We leave Norman Island for Cruz Bay to clear into the USVI. Our intent was to overnight at Coral Harbor on St. John and then head for a big passage across to St. Croix. But wind and swells worked against us as a south wind built. The swells were huge...
Hi, and welcome to Sailing at 9000! Our channel is part adventure travel and part "virtual sailing" ...
It's also a bit of "how to", especially as regards our restored and refitted Catalina 22 Swing Keel sailboat. A pocket cruiser if there ever was one .....
Ep 3
Sopers Hole to Cooper Island: We have breakfast in Sopers, then drop the mooring and head out for Cooper Island. Again, we have great wind and the ride is exciting. We pick up a mooring at Manchineel Bay on the east side of Cooper Island and almost im...
Ep 4 - Bareboat Charter 2015
Cooper Island BVI to "The Dogs": We leave Cooper Island and rock upwind under close hauled sails and heavy wind to The Dogs. This episode is more virtual sailing than what we've had so far. The landlocked sailors out there will...
Ep 5 - BVI Bareboat Charter 2015
Starting at "The Dogs", we sail under fair winds to Leverick Bay and Drake's Anchorage on the east side of Gorda Sound. Next morning, we opt for a quick reach out to Anegada Island, this time with strong wind on the beam. A...
Ep 6 - BVI Bareboat Charter 2015
Anegada Island back to North Gorda Sound and a slip at the Bitter
End Yacht Club!
Music by Jesse Cook-Into the Dark
Also music by Jungle Punks, ALBIS, Silent Partner, and Huma Huma
How to dock a sailboat when bareboating: Spend some time with us for a discussion of what to do and not do when taking a slip. This is for the potential bareboat skipper who's considering a night or two at a marina.
Although we started off at Norman Island, we had strong winds and a whole afternoon to get somewhere, so off we went downwind to "The Indians".
Music:
Spark by ALBIS
City Groove by Jungle Punks
Undwater Love by Jerom Ismaae
Offshore sailing guru John Kretschmer talks PFDs and life rafts, plus we deploy a Winslow offshore 6-man lift raft in open ocean conditions.
Music by Jess Cook (Into the Dark) and Milk Chance (Stoln Dance)
We do a nice day sail on Lake Granby for fourth of July weekend (2016). Winds are light, but it's a fun day with Doc, our Golden Retriever.
Music credits:
Chiba (From Rock to Stone)
Chiba (Honor This World)
At the end of our bluewater sailing course, we take a few minutes to interview John Kretschmer about his feelings on modern yacht design. For those of you looking to purchase a passagemaking sailboat, it's good stuff.
Music Credits:
Huma Huma (Omission)
Essential hardware tips for boating and the marine environment. We review sealants, fasteners, thread lockers, cotter pins and cotter rings, battery powered screw guns and impact drivers, plus lubricants.
We call our bosses to say we won't be in for the afternoon and head out to the lake. The wind proves gusty, hitting 15-18 - not the strongest we've seen by far, but enough to get us get us moving along at a good clip.
Music: Underwate Love, Jerome Ismaa
We know this is off the beaten track for our channel (monohull sailing), but it’s shoulder season here in Colorado and we decided to do a European river cruise with Wendy’s parents. It was a Viking River Cruise from Passau, Germany to Budepest, Hungary...
We know this is off the beaten track for our channel (monohull sailing/yachting), but it’s shoulder season here in Colorado and we decided to do a European river cruise with Wendy’s parents. It was a Viking River Cruise from Passau, Germany to Budepest...
We know this is off the beaten track for our channel (monohull sailing), but it’s shoulder season here in Colorado and we decided to do a European river cruise with Wendy’s parents. It was a Viking River Cruise from Passau, Germany to Budepest, Hungary...
We head to Fajardo, Puerto Rico to look at a 2004 Grand Soleil GS 50 sailboat. The 2001-2007 GS 50s are Judel/Vrolijk designed, and have naturally beautiful lines. Slight changes were made starting in 2008, and the boats were produced until 2013. A new Bot...
We travel to San Francisco to look at a 1997 Grand Soleil GS 50. This is a slightly older version of the one we saw in Puerto Rico, and is a Doug Peterson design. The DP version carries the flavor of a German Frers Swan, with two separate cockpits separate...
Our trip to San Francisco included a stop to look at a 1994 Nautor Swan 46. The Swan 46 MKII (1989-1997) and 48 (1995-2002) were both German Frers designs, and featured dual aft cockpits separated by a traveler. Two separate companionways made them a uniqu...
We head to St. Thomas, USVI, get a bit tipsy on the beach the night we arrive, head over to Tortola, BVI the next day, and pick up our Jeanneau 469 (bareboat) for 10 days of epic sailing in the Caribbean.
As the trade-winds settle in in the Caribbean, extra strong versions called "Christmas Trades" herald the arrival of the traditional east to west subtropical weather patterns. We got hit hard during this phase, and while it was fun, it was also hard-core.
We partake in the Trellis Bay full moon party. Trellis Bay is right next to the airport at Beef Island, Tortola BVI. The party was out of control. Highly recommended!
We head to Antigua, West Indies for a long weekend of boat shopping. But first we take a tour of the Antigua Yacht Club marina in English Harbour, Falmouth. Superyachts were everywhere, and we couldn't help lusting after them.
Wendy and I travel to Antigua, West Indies in the Eastern Caribbean to view a 1999 Moody 46. The Moody 46 is a respected bluewater offshore cruiser, and this one was very well maintained. Toward the end of the video I have a recap of the showing and our th...
As part of our sailboat shopping excursions we head to Antigua in the West Indies. On the second day we looked at the Moody 46 in the morning and hiked from Falmouth Harbour to English Harbour, exploring the fortifications and eventually ending up at Nelso...
While in Antigua we take a tour of a 1991 Tayana 52 bluewater cruiser. The boat shows extremely well and we discuss some of the features and benefits of this classic offshore cruiser. At the end of the video I discuss the merits of aft cockpit boats versus...
Oyster 485 Talisman receives a much needed electronics upgrade in preparation for our passage across the Bay of Biscay to Spain.
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