Out The Gate Sailing

Will & Sarah Curry // Crossing Oceans while Running a Business - Ep. 58

Will Curry grew up cruising with his family in desolation Sound, Sarah didn’t. But she did grow up reading about families that were out cruising and longed to do it herself. So it’s not a surprise that on their very first date they talked about sailing to the South Pacific.  Five years later, that’s just what they were doing, aboard their own boat. In addition to sailing together, Will and Sarah work together on the family business - Hydrovane steering systems. Follow Will & Sarah on their blog: svkaiquest.com

Tim Henry // Dredging Up Great Stories on San Francisco’s Waterfront - Ep. 57

Tim Henry is a man of many talents. He’s a sailor, a surfer, a windsurfer, a journalist, and an artist. Until recently Tim was Managing Editor at Latitude 38 and he’s uncovered some great stories for the magazine covering the Sausalito general plan, anchor outs in Richardson Bay, the Berkeley marina, and more. We talk about all of these things in this wide-ranging conversation.

Clark Beek // Being Run Over By A Container Ship & Other Adventures - Ep. 56

In 1999, at age 29, Clark Beek sailed out of Newport Harbor aboard his 40-foot Ketch on what he thought would be a year-long cruise. Ten years later he sailed into San Francisco, bringing with him stories of being torn apart by a Rottweiler, having dengue fever in Costa Rica and dysentery in India, going through a bloody insurrection in Fiji and a tsunami in Thailand, running aground on shoals and reefs, sailing through storms, and being run over by a container ship! Clark is a journalist who has written for nearly every sailing magazine out there. Check out his writing at http://condesa.org/

Philippe Jamotte // Tackling a Record-Breaking Circumnavigation Not Long After Learning To Sail - Ep. 55

Philippe Jamotte took up sailing in 2013. In October 2020, he departed San Francisco trying to set a new record for the fastest westward solo, non-stop circumnavigation in a boat under 40 feet. He’s not one to do things by halves. A few of his past passions include long-distance motorbike racing, triathlons, and pottery. Since getting into sailing about seven years ago, he’s crossed the Atlantic as crew in the Clipper race, won the 2018 Transpacific Yacht Race in an Olson 30 named Double Espresso and set his sights on this solo circumnavigation. You can follow his journey at pjsails.com

Wilbur Spaul // Sailing to Hawaii in 9-foot Sailboat Named Chubby Girl - Ep. 54

Wilbur Spaul has been sailing since the 70s. For over 40 years he’s dreamed of crossing oceans in a tiny boat. On September 27, 2020 he will leave Berkeley, head out the Golden Gate and attempt a record breaking sail to Hawaii in a 9-foot sailboat called Chubby Girl. The San Francisco sailing community has rallied around Spaul to help him bring this dream to fruition. Now it’s time to start the adventure. You can follow his voyage at www.ChubbyGirlCruising.com

Ronnie Simpson // From Fallujah to Fiji with Many Ocean Miles In-between - Ep. 53

Ronnie Simpson was badly injured when hit by a rocket propelled grenade in Iraq. After coming home he discovered sailing as an exciting new way to explore the world. Since taking to the water, he’s raced solo to Hawaii, lost a keel at sea, biked across Asia, and set up sailing and surfing clinics to help other wounded veterans. Today he lives in Fiji where he’s running a board and sail shop called Mamanuca Board Traders.

SV Avocet: Chris & Marissa Neely // A Talented Young Couple Refit a Beautiful Old Boat - Ep. 52

Chris Neely grew up sailing on San Francisco bay, but met Marissa in the mountains where he taught her to sail on Huntington Lake. Not long after graduating college the two bought a 1979 Cheoy Lee 41, SV Avocet, which they are taking time to extensively refit in preparation for sailing far afield. Follow them on Sailing Avocet, their popular and beautifully produced video series on YouTube documenting the work they’re doing.

Tor Johnson // The Challenges and Dangers of Sailing Photography - Ep. 51

Tor Johnson first set sail as a child in the 1970s, cruising across the pacific with his parents and older brother and sister. It was during these travels that a friend gave him a camera, hooking him on photography. Today his photos appear on the covers of magazine such as Cruising World, Yachting World, Sail, and Sailing. Tor and I talk about the challenges and dangers of capturing unique images of boats, waves and more. You can see Tor’s work at www.tjhawaii.com.

Martin Machado // Making Art on Boats from 26 to 900 Feet - Ep. 50

Martin Machado is a visual artist who finds inspiration form the sea and the people who work it. His paintings and drawings reflect the stories, landscapes and people he encounters when he sails his small boat in the California Delta, or spends six months at sea aboard a 900-foot container ship, or squats in an old cannery with other salmon fisherman in Alaska. We had a fascinating conversation that touched on everything from pirate attacks to painting landscapes. Check out Martin’s artwork at MartinMarchado.com

The Franz Family // Cruising Mexico in a 68-foot, Aluminum Boat - Ep. 49

Patrick and Tara Franz, and their son Everest, started sailing about five years ago after moving to the Bay Area. It wasn’t long afterwards they started thinking about living aboard and cruising to distant destinations. The boat they've chosen for the journey is a 68-foot, Britton Chance designed aluminum racer from 1971. The Pandemic has added another element to cruising, but the Franz family continues to travel and enjoy their adventure. You can read their latest updates at svpandion.com.