Ocean Sailing Podcast

Vernon Deck is a great example of jumping headfirst into sailing and just figuring it out as you go along. We initially interviewed Vernon in episode 68 and discovered how he purchased a Sayer 37 yacht 'Schiehallion' and before heading offshore to Solomon Islands, then onto Papua New Guinea and then Indonesia.

This time we catch-up with Vernon to find out about cruising Indonesia and the challenges for cruising live-aboard sailors with COVID19 and the border issues.

Find out more about podcast content and sailing opportunities: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com

David Hows shares an update on his 72-foot expedition yacht project - Silver Fern, with details of the last 6-months including the Americas Cup, the 10-month certification process with Maritime New Zealand, big budget blow-outs on the refit. David dives into some of his early sailing adventure challenges on Silver Fern including; a forced lee shore anchorage in a heavy weather, being grounded for 10-hours on the mud in crocodile country, black water pipe problems and rigging and steering failures. David shares his thoughts on lessons learned in these examples and prioritisation and decision making at sea.

Find out more about podcast content and sailing opportunities: https://www.oceansailingpodcast.com

We catch up with Rob White from Evolution Sails on sail wardrobe planning and material selection choices for both cruising and racing sailors. Rob shares four decades of sail planning, sailing, design and production experience and the changes and advances he is seeing, including the adoption of exotic materials at club racing level. Rob talks specifically about tips for making your boat go faster regardless of how old your sails or boat are.

Rob covers everything from Dacron to Carbon Fibre and the choices in between and we also spend some time talking about the ideal set up for short handed cruising sailors, so that speed to your next sailing destination does not have to be compromised.

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Sharon was a teenager heading for trouble when she discovered sailing. Starting in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, Sharon watched Maiden race around the world with an incredible international team of women. They inspired her with the determination and belief that if they could do it, then maybe with a lot of hard work and determination, so could she. Every opportunity to sail was taken. Sharon discovered her passion, the need for camaraderie, the endless adventure seeking and new challenges to overcome.

She wanted to race around the world, but the opportunity to compete in the Europe Class at the Olympic Games came first as the age of 22. At the 1996 Atlanta games, she finished 5th and competed again in Athens in 2004, placing 7th in the Yngling yacht. She has raced around the world 3 times, logging more than 107,000 offshore miles. The first was as part of Tracy Edwards’ first all-female crew, to attempt the Jules Verne non-stop round the world record. She then joined the crew of Amer Sports Too, in the Volvo Ocean Race in 2001/02.

Sharon has won sailing titles in multiple classes and holds 5 world speed records. A country girl at heart, she has been an inspiration to many, a great leader and passionate coach.

Join Sharon's race crew in 2024 & 2025: https://oceansailingexpeditions.com/racewithsharon

Skippers David Hows and Matt Harvey catch up to review their 2-yacht circumnavigation of Australia in 2023. With 8,500nm covered in just 4 months, they share the highs and lows of covering the 7th largest coastline in the world. The event was spread over 5 legs and 102 crew in total, across the two 72-foot yachts; Silver Fern and Salt Lines, including 3 circumnavigators that completed all 5 legs. With 4,600 meals prepared, it was a planning exercise of military proportions.

With engine failures, crocodiles, storms and boat fatigue to deal with, sailing some sections of this vast country are not for the faint hearted. The stunning Great Barrier Reef, North Queensland islands and reefs, Cape York, Thursday Island, the Kimberley’s, 9 metre tides in Broome, the Montebello Island Group, the Great Australian Bight and the wilderness of Tasmania, there is just so much thats remote and incredible to explore.

David announces the launch of the next edition of this great event which kicks off in March 2026, with a plan to take 4 yachts, 15 legs and 13 months to circumnavigate Australia next time. With 75% of the time spent exploring and ashore next time, we'll go even deeper into remote Australia. It just gets better.

Find out more and join the crew: https://oceansailingexpeditions.com/australian-circumnavigation-2026

Save an extra $1,000 on any leg/s you register for as crew, if you use the podcast listeners promo code: AC26.