YouTube Videos
Showing 1-36 of 2250 results
We’re Over-Wintering Where? Getting Ready for Our First International Passage
This week, we're getting our homebuilt wooden boat ready for her first international passage. Sure, it’s just to Canada, but to us, it’s a big deal! First up is finishing work on the bowsprit. I needed to get the bow out of our bronze bow roller befor...
Moving the Diesel Engine Panel & A New Cockpit Nav Station
It’s Arabella Demolition Day, folks! This week, I’m dismantling our on-deck nav station and engine control panel, and rebuilding one big station to house all of our gadgets and gizmos: the chart plotter, wind reader, VHF radio, engine controls, and our...
Ocean Tidal Pool Hot Tub *ATTEMPT* ——– (Day 37/100 Water World Challenge)
An important question gets brought up and discussed...... are we done solo sailing? We're both feeling exhausted from what we do each day. These problems are the beginning of new ideas and new adventures! Also, check out these adventures on Nicole's chann...
Repairing Rot in the Bowsprit & Snugging Up a Loose Rig
A calm morning in Marion Harbor makes for the perfect day to deal with the rot I found in Arabella’s bowsprit while we were back in Miami. What I thought was just a small spot of rot turned out to be a bit bigger than I had imagined—an indication that ...
How to Shake Out a Reef #sailingtips #sailing #sailingwithcoconuts
New to sailing? 🌊 Learn how to shake out a reef from your mainsail in this quick and clear step-by-step tutorial! This essential sailing skill lets you safely get more sail area as the wind calms down. ⚓ Perfect for beginner sailors, day cruisers, or ...
Gale Force Winds & Broken Autopilot! Offshore from VA to MA
This week, we’re setting out for a 4-day offshore run from Norfolk, VA back to Mattapoisett, MA—where we launched Arabella almost two years ago to the date! Our good friend George joined us for the passage. We learned an expensive lesson about securi...
Sticker Shock! Decorating the Dodger Before Cruising to Norfolk
Work on the dodger may be done, but before we can leave Okracoke, we need to install our new Garmin GMI20. The last one died halfway through our passage from Miami to Beaufort, and we had a replacement unit sent to the Okracoke post office. Despite our bes...
Dodging Shoals and Working on the Dodger: Sailing to Ocracoke Island & Cape Hatteras
This week, Arabella makes her way to Ocracoke Island, at the south end of North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Robin and I have been looking forward to visiting the Outer Banks, and maybe exploring long-abandoned Portsmouth Island. With winds expected to pipe ...
Fixing a Leaky Boat Deck & More Boat Maintenance Fun
After our offshore run, I promised Robin that I would wait for her in Beaufort so she could see the wild horses on Carrot Island, explore the shops in downtown Beaufort, and visit the Outer Banks before our run back North. While waiting, I tackle some boat...
5 Days And 4 Nights Offshore: Catching Mahi & Learning Lessons
This week, the journey resumes on day three of our offshore sailing passage from Miami, FL to Beaufort, NC. Along for the journey was my old college buddy, Dave, and my new friend, Jesse, who we met in Key Biscayne. On day 2 of our passage, we brought a M...
Setting Sail for a 600-Mile Offshore Passage (But Only After a Little Boat Work)
This week, we’re getting ready for a 600-mile offshore passage from Miami, FL to Beaufort, NC. Before we set sail, I took the chance to get some boat work done: scrubbing and oiling the decks, smoothing out the battens so they don’t get stuck in the la...
Trading the ePropulsion Electric Motor for a Loud, Smelly Gas Engine (But At Least It Works)
This week, we start with a visit from the one and only Sam Holmes—a real, actual sailor! Sam regales us with tales of suffering and single handing his sailboat, and gives us some advice for the passages in our future. If you’re not already following hi...
Boat Maintenance Woes: Technical Difficulties with the Watermaker & Auto Helm
You know what they say: “BOAT” stands for “Break Out Another Thousand.” While we were anchored in the Dry Tortugas, I got our Spectra watermaker back online. This week, back in Key West, we’re troubleshooting an issue with the feed pump pressure...
Autopilot or Bust: A Metalwork Collaboration Between Acorn to Arabella and SV Seeker
This week’s video resumes in the Dry Tortugas, where we’re stuck on finding a solution for installing our auto helm. But that can wait…first, fishing! Our bait attracted a few good-sized Nurse Sharks and Goliath Groupers, putting on quite the show fo...
After Over 3,000 Miles, Arabella Drops Anchor at the Dry Tortugas
In this episode, we sail Arabella over to the clear, blue waters of the Dry Tortugas National Park, 70 miles west of Key West. Starting from the Ten Thousand Islands, we hit Key West for provisions, hot showers, and to pick up the parts we need to get our ...
Upside-Down HURRICANE-DAMAGED Catamaran: Did We Actually Make A $100,000 MISTAKE?! |ep.63
THE DECISION HAS BEEN MADE... After stumbling across this hurricane-damaged catamaran in the mangroves, we couldn’t stop thinking about how it could potentially be ours. In this episode, we finally make the decision to either walk away and carry on with ...
Sailing Two Wooden Boats & Saltwater Fly Fishing in the Ten Thousand Islands
In this week’s episode, we say goodbye to Sanibel Island and the beautiful “Ding” Darling Wilderness, and we set sail for Florida’s Ten Thousand Islands, an archipelago just north of and adjacent to the Everglades. It felt great to raise the sails...
We Left Our Heart in North Captiva #Cruising #Sailing #LiveaboardLife
Along our journey south, we decided to drop the anchor in North Captiva and stay a few days. We totally fell in love with this sleepy island town. From walking along the shell-covered white sand beaches to checking out the wildlife, there was so much to lo...
How to fix a leaking and over heating motor DIY on a sail boat episode 441
This episode is Lee fixing our generator problems he breaks down exactly how to fix a leaking water pump and how we fixed a over heating issue on our Pagaro Generator.Cheers everyone for watching!! Subscribe @SailingCatalpa Become a Patron https://www....
The Boca Grande Experience #LiveaboardLife #Cruising #WoodenBoat
We took Arabella to Boca Grande for a week to get some boat work done...but we had to spend some time adventuring, too. We paddle boarded over to Three Sisters Island, took Victoria out sailing (after repairing her transom), wandered around the "Old Flor...
Transom Repairs on Victoria: Boat Work is Better in Boca Grande & North Captiva
Get an exclusive 15% discount on Saily data plans! Use code ARABELLA at checkout. Download Saily app or go to https://saily.com/arabella -------------------------- We’ve sailed our beautiful wooden sailboat all the way from Maine to Boca Grande, where ...
Paddleboarding Adventures in Cabbage Key & Cayo Costa #SailFlorida #LiveaboardLife
Four months ago, we left Maine on our hand built wooden sailboat. Join us in Southwest Florida, as we adventure our way through Cabbage Key and Cayo Costa. We set out on paddleboards to find the elusive "Tunnel of Love," a natural mangrove tunnel that lea...
Cruising Cabbage Key & Cayo Costa: Finding a Hidden Paradise
Use this link to subscribe and save $20 off your first subscription of AG1 https://drinkag1.com/acorntoarabella -------------------------- This week, Arabella exits the Caloosahatchee River and sails towards the Gulf of Mexico, dropping anchor in Cape Cora...
Cruising the Okeechobee Waterway #Sailing #Cruising #Travel
We spent 4 days cruising the Okeechobee Waterway in our handbuilt wooden sailboat, and this is what we saw... 🎥 Watch the full episode - https://youtu.be/jQGzQfXn3Es -------------------------- Sign up for our email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hn3Qy...
Cruising the Okeechobee Waterway from East to West
Join us (and a tree full of pelicans) as we begin cruising east to west on the Okeechobee Waterway. Not many sailboats our size have the ability to cruise the Okeechobee Waterway. Because we are gaff-rigged, our masts are shorter, giving us the clearance w...
Cruising the Intracoastal Waterway East Coast Florida: Saint Augustine to Fort Pierce
This week, we continue cruising the Intracoastal Waterway down the east coast of Florida. We miss sailing, but offshore waters were calling for sloppy seas and light winds. With few safe harbors to duck into in the case of emergency, we decided to stay gro...
The 3 Best Decisions I Made While Building My Own Sailboat
Throughout the process of building my own wooden sailboat, I had to make several important decisions. Some of these decisions were met with massive support, others…not so much. One important consideration was marine diesel engine maintenance—I wanted i...
A Boat In Desperate Need of Some Paint – Episode 335 – Acorn to Arabella: Journey of a Wooden Boat
For months, Steve and Robin have been moving Arabella south, waiting for warm enough weather to haul her, and give her a fresh coat of paint. The time has finally come. Arabella is getting hauled out, and—in this episode—we’ll detail the hard work th...
The Oldest City In the US – Episode 334 – Acorn to Arabella: Journey of a Wooden Boat
Robin finally returns to Arabella after spending a few weeks dealing with work stuff. Steve takes the opportunity to handle some housekeeping and tame Akiva’s mane while waiting for Robin to return. Once Robin arrives, Steve takes her on a tour of the o...
Followed by Dolphins On the Way To Florida – Ep. 333 – Acorn to Arabella: Journey of a Wooden Boat
After a few challenging (and expensive) days on a dock in the fancy town of Hilton Head, Jack finally catches a flight home, and Steve’s friend, Jeff, makes his way into town to take his place. Steve provisions the boat, and cleans the rest of the snow a...
How Locals Clean Queen Conch…FAST! (Day 10/100 Day Water World Challenge)
Meeting the local fishermen Norman & Clay was a real treat..... because they were the first other people we'd seen in a week! But also, they showed us the single fastest way to clean a conch. When they catch up to 500 conch per day. THIS is the way you...
Boat Life During an Historic Southern Winter – Ep. 332 – Acorn to Arabella: Journey of a Wooden Boat
Surprise, surprise. It’s STILL not warm for Arabella and crew, which is anchored in Charleston, SC. Annie B. heads back home, and Jack and Steve continue on. “Beaufort to Buford” is the war cry! The first challenge for Jack and Steve is Elliot Cut, ...
Will We Ever Get A Break From The Cold?? – Episode 331 – Acorn to Arabella: Journey of a Wooden Boat
Thanks to Lumen for sponsoring! To get 20% off go to https://lumen.me/ACORN and start improving your health today. -------------------------- A friend in need is a friend indeed—especially if your friend is also on a wooden boat! This week’s episode ...
Cruising Costa Rica on a 41′ Sailboat | Sailing Sitka Ep 151
In this episode of Sailing Sitka, Kenna and Jay sail from Bahía Ballena to Quepos on the pacific coast of Costa Rica.
Dragon Dancing for a Happy New Year – Episode 330 – Acorn to Arabella: Journey of a Wooden Boat
This week, the journey resumes as Arabella and crew continue to sail south through North Carolina, heading towards warmer waters. A slower pace of life means an opportunity for some much-needed housekeeping. Steve tackles a clean-out of Arabella’s anch...
The Great Dismal Swamp Canal – Episode 329 – Acorn to Arabella: Journey of a Wooden Boat
This week, Arabella slows down and cruises through the Great Dismal Swamp, navigating her first lock—the Deep Creek Lock—and leaving a small reminder that they were there ;-) After a provisioning run at the local Food Lion, Steve and Robin venture dee...
Something AWESOME is coming!
Be the FIRST to know⛵
Sign up for exclusive updates and be the first to hear when we go live!
Get sneak peeks, exciting announcement, and special content straight to your inbox!
We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.