Casting Off

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After ten years since their last podcast, Liz and Jamie are back with banter from the cockpit! followtheboat is one of the oldest and biggest personal sailing blogs, documenting the adventures of Jamie, Liz and Millie the Cat aboard their boat, s/y Esper. They have a growing youtube channel with 60,000 subscribers, but their foray into audio/visual content started with their podcasts. These audio delights covered their passage from Turkey to India, taking in Egypt, Eritrea, Sudan, Yemen and Oman. These were treacherous waters, not least because the passage was made when piracy was at its most dangerous. Listen to pirate attacks, VHF radio broadcasts, interviews with characters, cultural affairs, fair winds and ocean crossings. Youtube channel: https://YouTube.com/followtheboat Website: http://www.followtheboat.com/ Support: https://followtheboat.com/pub/ If you like our podcasts and our videos, we're always looking for your support. Please take a look at our Patreon campaign where our subscribers benefit from watching our videos before anyone else, as well as receiving other incentives like t-shirts and Patreon-only broadcasts.

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    • Mar 1, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 38m AVG DURATION
    • 51 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Casting Off

    This Is A Lot Easier Than Sailing… Isn’t it?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2025 47:08


    After three weeks, how has it been settling in? Any problems? Your boating questions answered

    How We Ended Up With Our Canal Boat

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2025 24:50


    If we were looking to buy a narrowboat, how come we ended up with a widebeam? We discuss a series of serendipitous events that lead to our purchase of Happidaze

    Why Did We Sell Our Sailboat (& Do We Regret It?)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2025 32:15


    The time was right to sell our sailboat, but we had no warning it would be completed so fast and we would be back in the UK before Christmas!

    Near Misses and Knock-downs (Surviving 20 Years at Sea)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2024 25:05


    Surviving 20 years as cruisers has had its ups and downs. We share five of our near misses here...

    Lessons Learned After Surviving 20 Years At Sea

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2024 25:05


    We survived the last 20 years at sea, and made many mistakes along the way...

    Do You Use a Bum Gun?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2024 44:56


    In Part 2 of "ask us anything", we tackle whether your sailboat should have a bum gun.

    Which YouTubers Do You Despise? Q&A Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2024 41:42


    We do our best to answer your questions on sailing and living on a boat, but weren't too sure how to answer the one about "which YouTubers do you despise?"

    Night Sailing: Dream or Nightmare?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2024 29:28


    Night sailing can be the best time on a boat; sometimes it's just plain stressful.

    How Much Money Do We Make From YouTube?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2024


    In this video and podcast we break down how much money we make from YouTube.

    How We Use Our Anchor and Ground Tackle

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2024 26:22


    Getting to grips with your anchor and ground tackle is crucial to successful cruising.

    We Need to Talk About Sailing Channels: De-bunking the Bullshit

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2024 26:47


    We need to talk about YouTube sailing channels. Cruising is exciting enough without the made-up jeopardy and added drama some channels invent.

    1200 Miles from Lombok to Malaysia

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2024


    Our voyage to Malaysia has started, and we're thrilled to talk about it in real-time during our first passage north along the coast of Lombok.

    An Earthquake Shook Our Sailboat!

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2024 28:53


    [S04E28] At 06:00 the boat shook and there was the sound of thunder: we had just experienced an earthquake!

    Priceless Cruising Tips from One Hundred Successful Cruisers

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2024 44:43


    Over 100 real-life cruisers answered our question, “If you were going to offer ONE piece of PRACTICAL advice to a new or would-be cruiser, what would it be?”

    Apps or Chart Plotter: Which is better?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2024 50:40


    [S04E26] In the apps or chart plotter debate, some say apps have already taken over from chart plotters. Do you agree? We believe the right apps can improve our cruising experience and make life more comfortable at sea, they may

    Guaranteed Reasons Why Your Cruising Dreams Will Fail

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2024 31:51


    This is no random made-up list of why your cruising dreams will fail. It is based on what we've actually witnessed since we began sailing and cruising in 2005.

    Sourcing Boat Parts in Remote Places

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2024 31:16


    Sourcing boat parts in remote places. Anchored off a remote island and your engine fails, what do you do? How do you source an engine part? Or fuel? Maybe you need water...

    Animals on Boats | Good and Bad

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2024 36:35


    There will always be animals on boats, whether you want them there or not. To live on a boat means living with nature: on land in the sea and in the air. Some are friendlier than others and will make your life better. Some won't...

    6 Tips For Stress-free Cruising and Sailing

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2024 45:48


    This week we're giving away 6 tips for stress-free cruising. Things that make long-term cruising life a more comfortable experience.

    The Southeast Asian Giant Puzzle

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2024 45:28


    This is our attempt to unravel the 'giant puzzle' that is Southeast Asia...

    Sailing Across the Indian Ocean Nearly Broke Us (and Our Sailboat)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2023 53:27


    When we left the Maldives end May 2013, we had no idea that sailing across the Indian Ocean would be the most difficult thing we have ever done. It nearly broke us, and our sailboat.

    Where Have We Sailed in the Last 17 Years?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2023 56:19


    We've just completed 17 years of cruising and travelling the world aboard our sailboat. It's been an adventure full of surprises!

    How to Use Still Images in Video

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2023 52:43


    Are still images important in video? It's all about street photography, street portraiture and travel photography in this week's podcast. And we ask whether stills have a place in videos.

    When Should You Start Cruising? JFDI!

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2023 45:59


    Do you want to be a cruiser? Are you planning to become a cruiser? Stop thinking about it! JUST FLIPPING DO IT!

    When Should You Stop Cruising?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2023 39:16


    We ask why cruisers stop sailing, and wonder if it's time for a new adventure...

    The Grass is Always Greener

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2023 39:09


    With Jamie in the UK and Liz in Indonesia (and with 8000 miles between us) we discover the grass is always greener.

    We are splitting up!

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2023 29:49


    Yes, that's right, we're splitting up! But before you continue, please take another look at the image that accompanies this post!

    Crossing Borders (on a sailboat)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2023 71:38


    Crossing borders on a boat is the same as travelling anywhere abroad - just times the bureaucracy by 10. And then some!

    We need YOUR HELP!

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2023 1:18


    Liz is not well, and nobody needs to hear someone sniffing and coughing their way through a podcast, so this week we're postponing the upload and asking for your help instead...

    How a Sailboat Galley Works

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2023 71:47


    The sailboat galley generated the biggest response in our DISCORD group when we asked you what we should cover next...

    How to Survive Extreme Heat (On a sailboat)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2023 54:54


    In this podcast, we look at how to survive extreme heat on a sailboat, how our bodies keep us cool, and how we can help them.

    We are taking a break

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2022 3:11


    This is the last podcast for a few weeks because we have a lot of sailing ahead of us and will have few opportunities to relax or get on with editing. To ease our workload, we are putting the podcasts on hold. The post We are taking a break appeared first on followtheboat.

    The Highs and Lows of Sailing and Boat Ownership

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2022 44:23


    The sea calls to you or it doesn't. Sailing beckons you. If you don't love it, you'll be miserable. If you do, you won't trade it for anything. The post The Highs and Lows of Sailing and Boat Ownership appeared first on followtheboat.

    Gone sailing | Back soon!

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2022 3:19


    Comment with ONE of your sailing highs, and ONE of your lows for a chance to be in with a name check in the next podcast. We're looking for comments from sailors, cruisers, wanna-be cruisers, old cruisers, new sailors... anyone with an opinion! The post Gone sailing | Back soon! appeared first on followtheboat.

    Is it the journey or the destination?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2022 46:10


    We're often told that "life is about the journey, not the destination". But is that true? Maybe the destination is just as important? The post Is it the journey or the destination? appeared first on followtheboat.

    What Is The Best Thing About Travel?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2022 40:19


    What is the best thing about travel? What are your best travel moments, and what are your favourite travel memories? The post What Is The Best Thing About Travel? appeared first on followtheboat.

    5 Reasons to Be Scared of Sailing

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2022 48:09


    We have had some scary moments, but they don't match our biggest fears. We go through the top 5 worst things that have happened to us, and take a look at what scares you most. The post 5 Reasons to Be Scared of Sailing appeared first on followtheboat.

    15 Items For An Easy Life Aboard

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2022 42:48


    We asked you to come up with 15 items that enhance boat life. Can you guess what made it to the number one spot? The post 15 Items For An Easy Life Aboard appeared first on followtheboat.

    Some Friends Will Resent Your Travel Lifestyle

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2022 46:51


    We put our cards on the table in this episode and talk about the friends we have lost over the years because of our decision to live on a boat and travel. And we are not the only ones this has happened to... The post Some Friends Will Resent Your Travel Lifestyle appeared first on followtheboat.

    What does “Home” mean to you?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2022 41:56


    "Why not sail back to the UK and then go see family?" We explain the answer here. And we discuss what "home" means to us. The post What does “Home” mean to you? appeared first on followtheboat.

    If You Had A Sailboat Where Would You Go?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2022 41:03


    If you had a sailboat where would you go? And should spectacular remote destinations be developed for tourism? The post If You Had A Sailboat Where Would You Go? appeared first on followtheboat.

    This is NOT a podcast…

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2022 6:48


    Welcome to our quick chat, where we blather on about the work it takes to create our videos. Sometimes, life just gets in the way... The post This is NOT a podcast… appeared first on followtheboat.

    The Fun Of Finding Help In Remote Places

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2022 42:31


    Tackling the challenges of isolation and lack of language skills in strange places is grist to the mill for most cruisers... The post The Fun Of Finding Help In Remote Places appeared first on followtheboat.

    Cruising’s Dirty Little Secret

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2022 42:21


    We open up about the dangers which keep our adrenaline flowing. And what it's like to face death. The post Cruising's Dirty Little Secret appeared first on followtheboat.

    In The Dark Everything Looks Closer

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2022 38:32


    How long should you wait before mending things that go wrong at home or on your boat? Does leaving the issue mean potential disaster? The post In The Dark Everything Looks Closer appeared first on followtheboat.

    What cruising boat should you buy?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2022 37:13


    What cruising boat should you buy? Is it OK to cross oceans on a Beneteau, or would a bluewater cruiser be better? Do catamarans make good cruising boats, and should you buy new or old? The post What cruising boat should you buy? appeared first on followtheboat.

    We Will Never Buy A Cat

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2022 45:41


    Jamie HATES catamarans. Could there ever be a time when we would buy one? Does it all come down to price? What do YOU think? The post We Will Never Buy A Cat appeared first on followtheboat.

    Should We Sell Our Sailboat?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2022 33:26


    If someone made us the right offer, would we sell our sailboat, SY Esper? Find out in this week's Casting Off podcast The post Should We Sell Our Sailboat? appeared first on followtheboat.

    How to be brave

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2022 39:54


    "I believe you are the bravest, most courageous cruisers... Any advice on how I can get braver?" Susan King, FTBMate The post How to be brave appeared first on followtheboat.

    Are You Fit Enough To Live On A Boat?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2022 32:38


    In this week's jibber-jabber, we cover (among other things) health and fitness, Liz's fishing skills, heat exhaustion (or is it just general un-fitness?), dying your hair pink and preparing for a 1500NM sail. The post Are You Fit Enough To Live On A Boat? appeared first on followtheboat.

    Are We Tourists?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2022 37:35


    The series continues with episode 002, which takes a rambling walk through our thoughts on everything from kelapas under palapas, brushing shoulders with sharks and what to expect at the table of bollocks. The post Are We Tourists? appeared first on followtheboat.

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