Interview
Laura Parent
Nikki Henderson // Winning The Race To Alaska

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 attempt at the R2AK, its challenges, and what made this one such a successful campaign in what I think is one of the greatest adventure races on earth. Guest-Hosted by Ben Doerr.

Nikki Henderson // Winning The Race To Alaska
Interview
Laura Parent
#404: How to be a Sailing Parent w/ Andy, ...

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 parenthood, what they wish they had known before taking the plunge, and what advice they have for anyone else dreaming of a similar future.

#404: How to be a Sailing Parent w/ Andy, August and Mia
Interview
Laura Parent
#403: Pam Wall // Reminiscing on a Life at Sea

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.

#403: Pam Wall // Reminiscing on a Life at Sea
Interview
Laura Parent
#402: Celeste Pomerantz // To Svalbard in ...

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 skiing and offshore sailing, managing fear, 'imposter syndrome' and her studies in renewable energy.

#402: Celeste Pomerantz // To Svalbard in Search of Un-skied Couloirs
Interview
Laura Parent
#401: Terje Andre Pedersen // Sailing in the ...

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.

#401: Terje Andre Pedersen // Sailing in the Wake of Amundsen
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236: Bob Perry // Legendary Yacht Designer

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#236. Legendary yacht designer Bob Perry is widely considered as the greatest cruising boat designer of his era, creating some of the most iconic boats of the last several decades including the Valiant 40, Tayana 37 & more. Despite growing up in the midwest and far from the ocean, Bob always knew he’d become a designer. He has somewhat of a hippy past, playing in rock bands in the early days while basically talking his way into the industry as an apprentice when he was in his 20s. He’s worked alongside some of the greats, and obviously has carved a niche out for himself. This was a long, wide-ranging and really fun conversation I had with Bob about his career, his favorite designs, life after losing his son, and more.

This Episode is Proudly Sponsored by:

 
 

Rutgerson Yacht Equipment - Designed and produced in Sweden since 1976.

CHECK OUT THE CATALOG AND THE RUTGERSON STORY ON RUTGERSON.SE

Show Notes:

  • Check out Bob's designs and planning below!

Also presented by:

 
 
 
 

Support the Show - Contribute

On The Wind is the evolution of 59º North, and is, quite simply, long-form conversations with sailors from around the world. 'On the Wind' Sailing Podcast is informal chats with people from around the world of sailing - tall ship captains, Cape Horners, sailing authors, Volvo Ocean Race skippers, yacht designers, family cruisers, Arctic adventurers and more. Our aim is to define what creates success in the sailing world and figure out how to accomplish dreams on the high seas. 

Click here to donate directly to us, or here to subscribe with Patreon. 

So that's the gist of it - the more cash money we have coming in, the better the show will be going out. Read About the Podcast for more details about the show and where your money actually goes.

 
 
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235: Sara Hastreiter #2 // Life After the Volvo Ocean Race

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#235. Sara Hastreiter is of course one of the members of Team SCA, the all-female crew in the previous edition of the Volvo Ocean Race. Sara was on the podcast back in 2015, immediately following that Volvo to talk about how she went from horseback riding in Wyoming to sailing in one of the world’s premier ocean races. I got to speak with her again in March about what it felt like to be left off the Volvo race this time, her mountaineering expeditions in the Himalayas and her ‘Seven Seas, Seven Summits’ project, speaking at the Explorer’s Club in New York, continuing to race on multihulls around the world, and her goals to inspire young people to follow their dreams.

Presented by: 

 
 

Rutgerson Yacht Equipment - Designed and produced in Sweden since 1976.

Check out the catalog and the Rutgerson Story on rutgerson.se

Show Notes:

Also Supported By:

 
 
 
 

Support the Show - Contribute

On The Wind is the evolution of 59º North, and is, quite simply, long-form conversations with sailors from around the world. 'On the Wind' Sailing Podcast is informal chats with people from around the world of sailing - tall ship captains, Cape Horners, sailing authors, Volvo Ocean Race skippers, yacht designers, family cruisers, Arctic adventurers and more. Our aim is to define what creates success in the sailing world and figure out how to accomplish dreams on the high seas. 

Click here to donate directly to us, or here to subscribe with Patreon. 

So that's the gist of it - the more cash money we have coming in, the better the show will be going out. Read About the Podcast for more details about the show and where your money actually goes.

 
 
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234: Maik Brotzmann // Living & Sailing in Iceland

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#234. Maik Brotzmann has been a friend of the podcast now for a few years, having joined Mia & I in Annapolis two years back to attend one of our Celestial workshops. He grew up in East Germany and lived through the fall of the Berlin wall, before later moving to Iceland to pursue his career on the waterfront. Maik is educated as a metrologist, but his interests are wide-ranging, from weather forecasting and routing to yacht design and naval architecture to sustainable marine tourism. We caught up with Maik on his own turf in Isafjordur where we stayed at his humble quarters, as he calls them, before joining Aurora Arktika for the ski & sail adventure we did in March. Find Maik online at haf-strand.com.

New sponsors this week!

Presented by:

 
 

Rutgerson Yacht Equipment

Rutgerson is a world leading manufacturer of yacht fittings. The company was founded in the 70’s by the Swedish sailor and engineer Göran Rutgerson. Today they are represented in more than 30 countries, but all their products are still designed and produced in their home town Marstrand on the Swedish west coast.

Check out their story and products on Rutgerson.se

Show Notes:

Also supported by:

 
 
 
 

Support the Show - Contribute

On The Wind is the evolution of 59º North, and is, quite simply, long-form conversations with sailors from around the world. 'On the Wind' Sailing Podcast is informal chats with people from around the world of sailing - tall ship captains, Cape Horners, sailing authors, Volvo Ocean Race skippers, yacht designers, family cruisers, Arctic adventurers and more. Our aim is to define what creates success in the sailing world and figure out how to accomplish dreams on the high seas. 

Click here to donate directly to us, or here to subscribe with Patreon. 

So that's the gist of it - the more cash money we have coming in, the better the show will be going out. Read About the Podcast for more details about the show and where your money actually goes.

 
 
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233: Nat Philbrick // 'In the Heart of the Sea' Writer

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233: Nat Philbrick // 'In the Heart of the Sea' Writer

#233. Nat Philbrick is the author of ‘In the Heart of the Sea,’ the famous story of the whaling ship Essex, which sunk in the Pacific after being attacked by an angry sperm whale. This true-life story became the inspiration for Herman Melville’s classic ‘Moby Dick’, and at the time, was one of the most well-know sea stories. Nat’s book, which recounted the true story from the perspective of the ship’s cabin boy, went on to become a Hollywood movie of the same name. Nat’s also a sailor, and actually lives on Nantucket, the whaling capital of the world in the 1700’s. I chatted with Nat about his career as a sailor and writer back in February.

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232: Paul & Sheryl Shard // Distant Shores' New Boat

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#232. Paul & Sheryl Shard of course have the popular TV series Distant Shores, and for 25 years have been sailing the world on their boats of the same name and documenting their travels. Mia & I met them again in Toronto in January where they were excitedly awaiting the launch of their latest boat, a new Southerly 48. We sat down with them between seminars to talk about the design process, how Southerly are now owned by Discovery Yachts in the UK, what they wanted in their new design, and about how they’re getting ready and planning for the next phase of their cruising life by sailing trans-Atlantic and getting ready for the Pacific!

Presented By:

CHECK OUT NEW LISTINGS ON WWW.FORBESYACHTS.COM

Left: Paul at launch of Distant Shores III. The Shards worked with the design team on this first Southerly built by Discovery Yachts. Right: Sunset rainbow at beginning of commissioning at Hythe Marina.

Also Supported By:

Support the Show - Contribute

On The Wind is the evolution of 59º North, and is, quite simply, long-form conversations with sailors from around the world. 'On the Wind' Sailing Podcast is informal chats with people from around the world of sailing - tall ship captains, Cape Horners, sailing authors, Volvo Ocean Race skippers, yacht designers, family cruisers, Arctic adventurers and more. Our aim is to define what creates success in the sailing world and figure out how to accomplish dreams on the high seas. 

Click here to donate directly to us, or here to subscribe with Patreon. 

So that's the gist of it - the more cash money we have coming in, the better the show will be going out. Read About the Podcast for more details about the show and where your money actually goes.

 
 
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BONUS: Refitting Isbjorn // How I Think About Sailing #9

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BONUS: Refitting Isbjorn // How I Think About Sailing #9

#9. Andy talks about Isbjorn's big refit and the 70-mile shakedown cruise he and Mia did up the west coast of Sweden. Special thanks to Helly Hansen for inviting us to their event; and to Isbjorn crewmember Karl for composing and performing the music motifs on this week's show. Our 2020 Passage Calendar is now live! Go to 59-north.com/2020 to sail with us in the Atlantic.

Click here for the text article with photos & videos of Isbjorn's refit.

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231: Tom Cunliffe // Sailing Legend & Writer

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231: Tom Cunliffe // Sailing Legend & Writer

#231. Tom Cunliffe is one of the great sailor/writers of the past 30 years. His old-school style in both the boats he chooses to sail and the way he tells his story is fascinating. Tom grew up in the UK and went to sea at a very young age on an actual merchant sailing vessel trading along the coast. His adventurous spirit goes beyond the high seas too - he and his wife motorcycled across the US, and he keeps a 1949 Bentley in his garage that he affectionately calls Reggie. After sailing classic, wooden gaff pilot cutters for most of his career, Tom now sails a (relatively) modern Mason 44. Mia & I met Tom at his house in the New Forest in England in February to talk sailing, and even got to sit in the Bentley! This one’s an all-timer, so listen closely!

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230: Goran Rutgerson // America's Cup Sailor, Inventor & Entrepreneur

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230: Goran Rutgerson // America's Cup Sailor, Inventor & Entrepreneur

#230. Goran Rutgerson is the founder of the eponymous Rutgerson company, who design & fabricate rigging and deck hardward in Marstrand, Sweden. Goran grew up in a sailing family and went on to pursue his passion in the sport, rising all the way to the America's Cup ranks. Back in the day, he was good buddies with Peter Harken, and both Harken & Rutgerson evolved as businesses alongside one another on opposite sides of the Atlantic. I spoke to Goran at his office at the Rutgerson Factory in Marstrand in January.

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BONUS: Matt Rutherford // Single-Handed

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BONUS: Matt Rutherford // Single-Handed

BONUS. Matt Rutherford has been on the podcast more than anyone else in our 230+ episodes, and his stories are always epic. What follows is a presentation Matt did in Toronto in January at the boat show there about his Around the America’s voyage on the 27’ Albin Vega ‘St Brendan.’ Matt’s told this story before on the podcast, but he’s so damn good at it that I never tire of listening to it, and you can always learn something new from him. I’m also playing this as a bonus episode this week because Matt just launched his own podcast - aptly titled ‘Single-Handed’ - so I encourage you to check that out for more of his incredible adventures. And be sure to check out Matt’s updated oceanresearchproject.org website.

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RECYCLED: Gary Jobson // America's Cup Legend

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RECYCLED: Gary Jobson // America's Cup Legend

RECYCLED #99. Gary Jobson is one of the few household names in the American sailing world. He’s is a former All-American collegiate sailor and won the America's Cup in 1977 as tactician for Ted Turner. Gary then became a professional broadcaster & producer, working for ESPN and other national media organizations, and more recently has done the TV announcing work for the recent America’s Cups. He’s an Editor at Large for both Sailing World & Cruising World Magazines. He continues to sail out of his homeport in Annapolis and remains one of America’s strongest sailing ambassadors. I had the privilege to sit down with Gary in his home office in Annapolis back in April of 2015 to talk about his career. This episode originally aired as #99. Enjoy!

BONUS: Ask Us Anything // How I Think About Sailing #3

BONUS: Ask Us Anything // How I Think About Sailing #3

HOW I THINK ABOUT SAILING #3. Andy & Mia answer listener questions on things like mono- versus multihulls, swing keels, meals onboard, books, how to be a leader and more!

How I Think About Sailing is Andy Schell's new podcast on, well, the title speaks for itself! Subscribe on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts! Music by Storm Weather Shanty Choir. Donate at 59-north.com/thinksailing.

229: Andreas Heide // Sailing & Swimming With Whales

229: Andreas Heide // Sailing & Swimming With Whales

#229: Andreas Heide is captain of the sailing yacht 'Barba', and the motivation behind the expeditions they run in far northern Norway. In winter. I should mention that Barba isn't a beefed up expedition yacht - she's a Jeanneau Sun Fast 37, more likely found in the Caribbean than the Arctic. No matter. After learning to sail in 2009, Andreas and his companions started setting out north and looking for Orcas. Here's his incredible story.

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228: Liz Karamavros // 1st 59 North Apprentice

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228: Liz Karamavros // 1st 59 North Apprentice

#228: Liz Karamavros is 59 North's first-ever apprentice. She came to us at the 2015 Annapolis Sailboat Show, and made such a good impression when we basically made up the apprentice position for her! Since then she's continued to carve out her own path towards her dream of professional ocean racing. Liz has recently signed onto her first big gig and is headed to the Caribbean to race onboard a Volvo 60!

RECYCLED: John Rousmaniere // Sailing Legend & Writer

RECYCLED: John Rousmaniere // Sailing Legend & Writer

#36 RECYCLED. John Rousmaniere is a lifelong sailor & writer whose seen - and done - it all. I first met John in Bermuda following the 2014 Newport-Bermuda Race. John's been involved in the race for years running the media team. John is most well-known for his books, namely the Annapolis Book of Seamanship, and Fastnet Force 10, about that infamous race in 1979.

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227: Chris Stanmore-Major // Spartan Ocean Racing

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227: Chris Stanmore-Major // Spartan Ocean Racing

#227. Chris is a long-time ocean racing sailor, having competed in the Velux 5 Oceans Race, skippered a boat in the Clipper Race and later building his own charter-racing business called Spartan Ocean Racing. Chris & Andy met at the RORC Caribbean 600 in Antigua in 2016, Isbjorn's first attempt at the race, and finally got the chance to record a podcast in January 2018!

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226: Lee Chesneau // Marine Weather

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226: Lee Chesneau // Marine Weather

#226. Lee Chesneau needs no introduction to you weather nerds out there. He’s been the voice of weather education for the past few decades in the US at least, and is as passionate about his chosen career field as anyone I’ve ever met. Lee & I began this conversation talking about his career - like how he KNEW he’d become a meteorologist when he was only 3 years old - but it was quite obvious that he REALLY wanted to talk weather. About a third of the way in, Lee gets going, and we had a wonderful and educational chat about offshore weather and how it impacts us sailors. Get in touch with Lee yourself on marineweatherbylee.com.

225: Henrik Engblom // Tall Ship 'Pommern'

225: Henrik Engblom // Tall Ship 'Pommern'

#225. Henrik Engblom is the bosun on the tall ship Pommern, one of the classic Cape Horn clipper ships that sailed out of the Aland Islands in the early 20th century. Aland is a Swedish-speaking but legally Finnish archipelago in the Baltic Sea, about 40 miles northeast of Stockholm, and home to a rich cultural & maritime history. Only in his 20s, Henrik, a native Alander Islander, is already a Master Rigger and in charge of Pommern’s restoration. Mia & I visited the ship back in 2013 when we sailed to Aland on Arcturus. I was excited to be back last summer aboard Isbjorn, when in August Henrik gave me a tour of the ship and talked to me at length about his career.

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RECYCLED: Bob Shepton // Arctic Legend & Round the World Sailor

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RECYCLED: Bob Shepton // Arctic Legend & Round the World Sailor

#224 / #173 Recycled. The Reverend Bob Shepton, now 81, got his start shortly after WWII as a climbing instructor in the British Armed Forces, where he used the outdoors to teach leadership & scripture. He didn’t start sailing until much later in life, but got real serious about it real quickly. I sat down with him at the Southampton Boat Show to talk religion, spirituality, his early days as a climber, losing his boat during an Arctic winter, his 15 Atlantic crossings, meeting the Wild Bunch, and the story behind the film series ‘Vertical Sailing Greenland.’ The music in this episode is courtesy of the Wild Bunch. This episode is sponsored by Forbes Horton Yachts. Visit forbesyachts.com. Bob Shepton might not be a household name in the US, but he certainly is in the UK. He was honored as ‘Yachtsman of the Year' in 2014, which may sound irrelevant until you realize the winners in 2013 & 2015 - that would be Sir Ben Ainslie & Sir Robin Knox-Johnston. Good company indeed. Anyway, Bob is one of the most accomplished and yet most humble sailors I’ve ever met. My interview with him was like sitting down with your favorite grandfather and hearing him tell old stories. We could have talked for hours, and Bob seemed to enjoy every second of it. Before you listen to this episode, take five minutes and watch Episode 2 of Vertical Sailing Greenland - you'll find it in the show notes below. That film is what initially inspired me to reach out to Bob, and he tells the behind-the-scenes story of it at length about halfway through our chat.

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223: Paul Exner // Surviving Irma & Sailing to Hawaii

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Paul Exner is one of our best friends, and easily the best sailor I’ve ever sailed with. Paul is Isbjorn’s Racing skipper, and is the only person - besides mad dad - who I’ve trusted to sail Isbjorn offshore without me being aboard. He’s been a regular on the podcast, so if you don’t know his backstory - how he grew up as a Gringo living in Puerto Rico, went on to coach the racing team at the University of Wisconsin, had his own mapping business, built his Cape George 31 Solstice from a bare hull and eventually sailed it to the caribbean - listen to one of his past episodes on On the Wind. Paul & I talk today about surviving Hurricane Irma and how it’s changed the lives of his young family.

222: Carlton Goldthwaite // Broadreach Adventure Travel

222: Carlton Goldthwaite // Broadreach Adventure Travel

#222. Carlton Goldthwaite is the visionary founder & owner of Broadreach, a North-Carolina based company that offers adventure travel and cultural immersion programs for students worldwide, a company very close to my heart - my first official captain’s job was in 2008, as a Broadreach skipper based out of French St Martin and co-leading three-week sailing & diving trips around the Leeward Islands. Carlton & I spoke in-person at the Broadreach HQ in Raleigh about his seaside childhood on the coast of New Jersey, his vagabonding experiences as a young adult, his stint on Wall Street as a junk bond trader, and the origins and evolution of Broadreach itself.