Out The Gate Sailing

Jason Brown // Freediving in San Francisco Bay - Ep. 119

When Jason Brown started asking around about the possibility of freediving in San Francisco Bay people told him it was impossible. But my friend Jason has never been one to let impossible stand in his way. Together with his buddy John Prins he’s pioneered freediving just inside the Golden Gate in water that’s cold, dark, and frequented by massively strong currents. Not only has he attracted the attention of the press - with a recent front page article in the San Francisco Chronicle - but he’s attracted the attention of the world’s preeminent free diver - Alexey Molchanov who recently joined Jason here in the Bay.

Malcolm Morgan // Sharing Decades of Marine Electrical and Technical Experience - Ep. 118

At 10-years-old, Malcolm Morgan fell into boat maintenance when his family bought at Hobie Cat dealership after having sailed exactly once. He quickly took to doing electrical work and over the past 50 years has built up an expertise that is nearly unparalleled. Malcom works as a yacht broker for Oceanic Yachts and runs a marine electrical business, Malcolm Morgan Marine In our conversation, he shares his thoughts on proper grounding, lightning protection, lithium batteries and more. 

Safety At Sea // A Weekend of Considering The Worst Case Scenario - Ep. 117

This week on OTG I discuss the U.S. Sailing Safety at Sea Seminar Lauren and I just took as well as the lithium battery conversion I am in the process of completing.

Heinz Baumann // From Pac Cup to Running a Charter Biz in AK - Ep. 116

Heinz Baumann learned to sail on lakes in Europe, but was introduced to a whole new world of sailing and racing when he moved to the Bay Area. He’s sailed his boat Rageboge, a 38-foot Hallberg Rassy, down to Mexico with his family and across the Pacific in the 2022 Pac Cup. More recently, he’s started a charter business called Swiss Adventures and he takes paying crew sailing in Alaska, all the way from Seward out to. Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands.

Markus Pukonen // A Non-Motorized Circumnavigation of the Planet - Ep. 115

Markus Pukonen has been traveling the world for 7-and-a-half years. He’s sailed, he’s biked, he’s canoed, he’s kayaked, he’s stand-up paddlebarded and he’s pogo sticked his was around the globe. What he hasn’t done is traveled anywhere by motorized vehicle. I was introduced to Markus by a mutual sailing friend and I was excited to catch up with him just after his return to North America to hear about his amazing adventures and what inspired him to take this epic journey. You can learn more about Markus and follow his travels at RoutesOfChange.org

Ronnie Simpson // Preparing for the Global Solo Challenge - Ep. 114

Last time Ronnie Simpson was on the show, in 2020, we talked about being wounded by an RPG in Iraq and how sailing saved his life. This time, Ronnie and I talk about his preparation for the upcoming Global Solo Challenge, a new round-the-world sailing race. He’s currently in North Carolina preparing his boat Sparrow, an Open 50, for the race. You can follow his effort at www.RonnieSimpsonRacing.com

Bernard Dunayevich // Learning to Windsurf in Piranha Infested Waters - Ep. 113

Bernard Dunayevich owned one of the first windsurfers in Argentina and taught himself how to rig and sail it in piranha infested waters. But he says the main disincentive from falling in was the cold water and lack of a wetsuit. He’s come a long way from that first heavy board, having raced all over the world and even making a bid for the Olympic Games. Today he sails regularly out of Berkeley.

Simon & Sally Currin // From High Altitude Climbing to High Latitude Sailing - Ep. 112

Sally and Simon Currin met while planning an expedition to Mount Everest. Since then, they’ve traded in high altitude climbing for high latitude sailing, and in the process won awards from the Cruising Club of America and the Ocean Cruising Club for their navigation and exploration of Greenland’s Scoresby Sound - the largest fjord system in the world. Simon is also the current Commodore of the Ocean Cruising Club.

Susan Cole // A Memoir of Sailing, Love, and Loss - Ep. 111

In the 90’s, Susan Cole, her husband John, her 7-year-old daughter Kate, and their dog Elmo all boarded their Mason 43 for a three-year adventure though the Caribbean with ups, downs, hurricanes, and more. I talk with Susan about her recently published memoir titled Holding Fast, that chronicles her family’s cruising trip but is really a love story. From falling in love, to setting sail together, to battling the cancer that eventually took John’s life, Susan shares in vivid detail moving and meaningful moment from her life together with John.

Ryan Ellison // The Ups and Downs of Cruising for 5 Years - Ep. 110

Ryan Ellison, who’s American, and Sophie Darsey, who’s French, met in Sweden. Together they learned to sail then purchased a 2007 Beneteau Oceanis 40 and set off sailing together in what they expected would be a one-year trip. Five years later they’re still cruising, having sailed from the North Sea to France, then Spain, then the Mediterranean, and then across the Atlantic to the Caribbean and up to the Chesapeake Bay. I talk with Ryan about his life-changing encounter with a goose, his traumatic single-handed transatlantic trip, training a new fuzzy, four-legged crew member, and what more than five years living and sailing aboard with his partner has taught him about life and relationships. You can learn more about Ryan and Sophie and watch their excellently produced videos at RyanandSophie.com.