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Like most people, you’ve probably thought about going on a long, relaxing cruise on a catamaran or even living full time in one of these amazing vessels. While catamarans are one of the safest boats to sail on, they do come with unique challenges. Whether you’re going on a cruising vacation or looking to live your dream life on a catamaran, you’ll want to know what to expect, and cruising blogs are a great way to do that.
Some of the best cruising catamaran blogs to check out include Escapade Sailing, Sailing Fiesta, Sail Puffin, Ticket to Ride, Moonwave, Gone With the Wynns, The Burnetts Ahoy, S/V Happy Together, Widago, and S/V Maple.
Read on for details about these blogs, the people behind them, and why they’re worth a read!
Escapade Sailing
Escapade Sailing is one of those blogs that are sure to make you green with envy. Here, you’ll enjoy some breathtaking pictures of the pacific as Jonathan and Dawn Pooley document their adventures aboard their luxury catamaran — an Outremer 51.
This blog shares a name with the duo’s catamaran: Escapade. This fast cruising cat was built in France in 2014 and is home to Jonathan and Dawn Pooley, who are taking a break from their Guernsey home to live life on the ocean. It has a composite sandwich construction with a rotating carbon mast, daggerboards, and kevlar rig ie a pretty legit setup.
Sailing Fiesta
Through Sailing Fiesta, Mark provides an account of his catamaran adventures with his dog. Together, they set out to sail around the British Isles on a Prout Event 34 catamaran named FiestaFiesta. Mark had sailed all his life before buying Fiesta in 2012, and it doesn’t seem like he’s regretting that decision. He’s on board with just his dog for most of the year and may allow curious visitors to tag along now and then.
Those of us who can’t tag along get to share in his experience through his blog, where you’ll find captivating written accounts of his adventures alongside some fantastic photos.
Unlike many other sailing bloggers, Mark doesn’t document only his successes; there are a few screw-ups now and then. This way, aspiring catamaran sailors get to share in his fun while also learning a few things about the challenges that come with a sailor’s lifestyle.
Sail Puffin
Sail Puffin is a great blog to learn about the technical aspects of sailing a catamaran while enjoying some exciting accounts of Doug and Robin’s adventures on their Outremer 4X. Like many other blogs in this list, this one also shares a name with its owners’ boat: Puffin.
Before purchasing their cat, Doug and Robin had been sailing for over three years on the Mediterranean Ocean. Back then, they cruised on a larger Outremer 5X known as the Wilding and detailed their adventures on a blog named Sail Wilding. However, when their kids went away for their studies, the couple decided to downsize from the Outremer 5X to a 4X, which they named Puffin, after their favorite sea birds.
Puffin is safe, fast, comfortable, and able to cross oceans. However, the main reason Doug and Robin love her is that she can be sailed single-handedly. That’s unlike their former larger Outremer 5X, which required an experienced, agile crew to handle in all conditions. A smaller boat means one-half of the couple can sail the boat if either of them is incapacitated.
Sail Puffin is an excellent blog for anyone looking to purchase, sail, or customize a catamaran. Doug handles most of the technical stuff, and he knows his way around a boat. Most importantly, he’s a stickler for detail, and the fact that he’s good with descriptions means that his audience can benefit from his wealth of knowledge.
On the blog section of their website, he combines in-depth written descriptions with well-taken photos of everything he does on their boat to make it easier for his audience to learn the technical aspects of sailing a catamaran.
The couple has even dedicated an entire section on their site to capture the nitty-gritty details of the Puffin’s construction. This section is named Construction Specifications, and it’s a gold mine for anyone looking to own a similar catamaran. Even if you’re eyeing a different model, it’s a handy guide that you can use as inspiration to customize your catamaran to your specific needs.
Ticket to Ride
Ticket to Ride is all about seeking new life experiences and sharing them with the rest of the world. Up until 2015, Frank and his compatriot owned HH55 catamaran, which they put on charter for about two and a half years before deciding to sell their home in Coppell, TX, and become full-time sailors. Simplicity was a big motivation behind this change.
Frank is the more experienced sailor and the visionary behind the couple’s adventures. He has always been obsessed with heading out to the open waters to explore new places, especially one with scenic scuba diving and kiteboarding spots.
He’s also a boat enthusiast who loves to get his hands dirty. He’s always learning about sailing and boat maintenance from their charter company and is often seen tinkering with the HH55 to repair and upgrade a few things here and there.
The great thing about Ticket to Ride is that it gives readers a real-life example of what it would be like to make the switch from a part-time sailor to living full-time on a boat. This way, you can learn about the good and the bad of such a move before making the big decision yourself.
It’s also great that the couple included details of how they could charter their boat when they weren’t using it. This helps aspiring boat owners understand that you can enjoy travels on your boat and still make money off it if you haven’t yet decided to make it your full-time home.
Moonwave
The Moonwave is a boat unlike any other. This Gunboat 60 catamaran is an innovative and sustainable luxury boat that combines three essential aspects in one package: a solid, state-of-the-art carbon fiber composite construction, luxurious accommodation, and excellent sailing performance.
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to live full time and explore the world on one of these catamarans, Moonwave is a cruising catamaran blog you’ll want to check out.
The blog is run by Sophie and Sebastian, a duo that shares a deep passion for ocean gourmet cooking, sailing, and hospitality. They’re always looking to make visitors’ life on the Moonwave as adventurous, safe, and comfortable as possible. Neither of them is new to life on the ocean, so you’ll be in safe hands should their blog motivate you to charter a voyage on the Moonwave.
Sebastian has studied naval architecture and has years of experience working as an engineer, captain, and boat instructor, meaning he knows his way around the catamaran’s systems should anything go wrong on the waters. He’s the one you’ll find doing most cat repairs and upgrades.
Sophie boasts a Master’s degree in Tourism Management, as well as years of experience working in five-star resorts and hotels. She’s also a trained chef, meaning you can expect great food onboard the Moonwave.
When you’re feeling adventurous, Sophie will also be on hand to help you with scuba diving (which she has master certification for) and other watersports. She’s also well versed in underwater photography and a proud holder of a Yacht Masters license.
Even if you aren’t looking to charter the Moonwave, Sophie and Sebastian’s blog is worth checking out. They provide fascinating accounts of their journeys to some of the most exciting places in the Caribbean, Asia, and the US.
Spectacular photos accompany all the written accounts to give you a glimpse of some of the places they’ve toured. If you’re not the reading type, you can always scroll through the gallery section of their site for nothing else but well-shot photos of some of the breathtaking sights they’ve come across in their voyages.
Gone With the Wynns
After touring the Americas on an RV, the Wynns embarked on a journey to explore the rest of the world by boat. They decided to do that by sailing a 2005 Leopard 43 catamaran named Curiosity, which they purchased in 2016. The couple also owns two companion cats (as in the animal), who, like their owners, have had to adjust to life at sea.
The great thing about this blog is that the couple documented their journey from the very beginning. They let their fans in on every step of the way, from their search for the perfect boat to the survey and the actual purchase.
They’ve also admitted that they didn’t have any previous sailing or boat maintenance experience, which helps inspire anyone who may be eyeing a similar lifestyle but is hesitant because they aren’t sure they have the required skills.
In summary, the Wynns’ message is that you don’t need to be a sailor all your life to make the change from ordinary life to living on the sea. All you need is their desire to explore, grow, and learn, and of course, a sizable budget.
Besides sharing exciting details of their adventures, the couple is always providing handy tips on various aspects of a sailor’s life like making ends meet when living on a boat, making boat repairs, how much money you need to support your life as a sailor, and much more. This way, you won’t only be entertained and inspired but also educated from their real-life experiences. No wonder they have such a huge following.
The Burnetts Ahoy!
Have you ever felt so burnt out at your 9-5 job and wished you could leave it all behind, sell your home and purchase a boat? Many of us have, too! However, you might want to check out the Burnetts Ahoy blog before you make that change, so you understand precisely what you’re in for.
This blog is run by burnt-out professionals who decided that they’ve had enough of their jobs, learned the intricacies of sailing, purchased a gigantic Leopard 48 catamaran, plopped a cat and two kids on board, and sailed through the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean, and the Meditteranean sea.
Their journey has been full of adventures and a few disasters, and they share it all with you so you can learn from their successes and mistakes.
The most inspiring thing about this blog is that the Burnetts have been able to break from the shackles of their daily life and embark on a life of adventure with kids. Most people would want to wait until their kids are off to college or something similar, but that’s not the Burnetts way─they homeschool their kids aboard.
While their journey may come to an end someday, they’ll leave behind plenty of archives for aspiring sailors to explore, and you can rest assured there’ll be plenty to entertain and educate. From learning how to sail from scratch to running into an unmarked fish trap in the middle of the night, the Burnetts have seen and done it all.
S/V Happy Together
Lenni and Randy are deeply passionate about two things: each other and sailing. As of 2015, they had been together for 17 years and owned fourteen boats. In the earlier part of their sailing lives, they were primarily power boaters who explored the Bahamas and South Florida while still juggling their quest for adventure and their kids and full-time jobs.
The couple’s most recent boat is a Leopard catamaran 50, which they purchased after owning a Leopard 48 for over three years. Their current and all previous boats were named Happy Together, perhaps as a tribute to the incredible moments that they’ve shared. Theirs is an engaging, inspiring story of love and adventure, and you can learn all about it through their timely logs on their website.
The blog is updated frequently, with all details captured compellingly. They’ve also included a gallery section on their site, where you’ll find some well-taken photos of their vessels to give you an idea of what life is like aboard for the couple. They also run a YouTube channel to document every experience in a separate episode to bring you even closer to their adventures.
There are several reasons to love this blog. First, there’s the couple’s inspirational story of love and adventure. Second, these people manage to work in South Florida while still having the time for island hopping. They’ve even coined a term to describe their hardworking and adventurous lifestyle: “pre-retirement.”
On top of that, they have a wealth of knowledge on the various aspects of sailing, and they don’t hold back any details when it comes to sharing. Even if you aren’t moved by their incredible journey (and who wouldn’t?), you can use them as a reference point if you’re considering purchasing any of the boats they’ve owned in the past.
Widago
Widago is run by Ali Moseley and her significant other, Guyon. The couple and their three sons have been touring the world in a Leopard 48 “Widago” since 2014. In that time, they’ve participated in adventures such as the ARC Baltic, World ARC, ARC Europe, and many more.
One of the things that stand out in this blog is Ali’s unique sense of humor. Looking at some of their adventure logs, it’s clear that she often sees the funny side of things. Her sense of humor is generally well-received and is one of the main reasons the blog has such a huge following.
It’s also heartwarming to see a family work together towards their goals, both short-term and long-term. Plus, they throw in some handy tips for aspiring catamaran sailors now and then.
Like most aspects of the Moseley family, Widago is constantly a work in progress. They’re always looking to improve the site and their life as a family, and you can follow their journey by staying tuned to their updates.
S/V Maple
Yet another family-owned blog, S/V Maple, is run by Janet and Darryl’s family of four. They began their journey in 2015 by purchasing a Leopard 38 catamaran and naming it Maple.
Since then, they’ve explored the vast waters of the Adriatic, Mediterranean, and Ionian Seas and parts of Northern Africa, Southern Spain, and the Canary Islands. As of January 2017, they had completed the Atlantic crossing and embarked on a journey exploring the Caribbean.
The family details their adventures through the journal section of their website. You’ll also find spectacular shots of the places they’ve been to in the gallery section. They provide handy tips on topics such as life lessons, taking care of the oceans, buying a boat and maintaining it, living abroad, and so much more.
Final Thoughts
That does it for today’s post. Whether you’re looking to follow someone as they live out their dreams or are seriously considering going on a cruise or living full time on a catamaran, you’ll find an ideal blog to keep up with from these ten catamaran cruising blogs.
For someone in the latter category, these can be a great way to learn from other people’s experiences or simply get some inspiration.