

On the Wind Sailing
59º North Sailing Podcasts
The definitive podcast about sailing. Professional sailors Andy Schell, Nikki Henderson, and August Sandberg interview sailors from around the world to discover what motivates, scares & inspires them. For over twelve years and through 450+ episodes, our hosts have interviewed sailors like Dee Caffari, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Liz Clark, John Kretschmer, Kirsten Neuschafer, Nigel Calder, Pip Hare & many, many more. We talk to boat builders, yacht designers, YouTube stars, performance racers, and family cruisers. HOLD FAST!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 30, 2024 • 1h 6min
Jens Joachim Hiorth // Tall Ship Captain
Jens Joachim Hiorth is the Captain of the Statsraad Lehmkuhl, the largest and oldest tall ship in Norway. The ship recently completed a circumnaivation around the great capes. August joined the Captain onboard the ship for a conversation on the particulars of running such a large ship on the high seas. Website: https://lehmkuhl.no -- If you liked this conversation you'll LOVE The QUARTERDECK, 59 North's 'deep dives on the art of seamanship.' Join our interactive community and get involved in the conversation at quarterdeck.59-north.com. First two weeks FREE, then multiple pricing options thereafter. -- ON THE WIND is presented by Pelagic Autopilots, a group of dedicated sailors & engineers, developing autopilot solutions for the blue water cruiser, solo sailor, and racer. Pelagic systems have been tested in races and voyages around the globe. To learn more and to spec your own system, go to pelagicautopilot.com. The show is also presented by Blu3, makers of compact shallow-water tankless diving systems. To find out more about Blu3 tankless diving, go to diveblu3.com

Jan 23, 2024 • 1h 18min
Bill Strassberg // The Viking Route
Bill Strassberg literally wrote the book on the Viking Route, authoring the latest edition of the Cruising Club of America's guide to the far northern route across the Atlantic. Andy first got in touch with Bill when researching FALKEN's Greenland passage last summer and caught up with him late last year for the podcast. We talked about Bill's custom 60-foot cruising boat, his own sailing through the fjords of Greenland, what inspired him to write the guide and how he balances a career as a surgeon with his long-term sailing goals. -- If you liked this conversation you'll LOVE The QUARTERDECK, 59 North's 'deep dives on the art of seamanship.' Join our interactive community and get involved in the conversation at quarterdeck.59-north.com. First two weeks FREE, then multiple pricing options thereafter. -- ON THE WIND is presented by Pelagic Autopilots, a group of dedicated sailors & engineers, developing autopilot solutions for the blue water cruiser, solo sailor, and racer. Pelagic systems have been tested in races and voyages around the globe. To learn more and to spec your own system, go to pelagicautopilot.com. The show is also presented by Blu3, makers of compact shallow-water tankless diving systems. To find out more about Blu3 tankless diving, go to diveblu3.com

Jan 16, 2024 • 1h 6min
Cosima Franchini // Yacht Captain & Business Owner
A yacht captain shares her journey from childhood sailing to business ownership, including funny tales and challenges. The discussion touches on leadership challenges, unique branding in the industry, and personal growth. The podcast also explores the founders of 59 North sailing to Norway and the emotional transition from yacht captain to freelancer.

Jan 9, 2024 • 1h 1min
Matt Steverson // The Duracell Project
Ben Doerr sat down with Matt from The Duracell Project YouTube channel. Matt and his wife Janni are refitting Mike Plant's famous Open 60 "Duracell" into a comfortable cruising boat. Sitting in the cockpit of Duracell outside of Port Townsend, Matt and Ben discuss Matt's cruising and boatbuilding past and the many challenges of building the boat and the channel. -- If you liked this conversation you'll LOVE The QUARTERDECK, 59 North's 'deep dives on the art of seamanship.' Join our interactive community and get involved in the conversation at quarterdeck.59-north.com. First two weeks FREE, then multiple pricing options thereafter. -- ON THE WIND is presented by Pelagic Autopilots, a group of dedicated sailors & engineers, developing autopilot solutions for the blue water cruiser, solo sailor, and racer. Pelagic systems have been tested in races and voyages around the globe. To learn more and to spec your own system, go to pelagicautopilot.com. The show is also presented by Blu3, makers of compact shallow-water tankless diving systems. To find out more about Blu3 tankless diving, go to diveblu3.com

Jan 2, 2024 • 1h 19min
Capt. Jan Miles Returns // PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II
Captain Jan Miles returns to the podcast! Andy first sat down with Jan onboard Maryland's flagship PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II tallship way back in 2015 for a fascinating interview tracing Jan's career at sea. We return to the Captain's Cabin onboard PRIDE for this second, meandering chat about seamanship, life on tallships, the leadership structure on traditional ships and a whole lot more. This episode was recorded onboard PRIDE II at the Annapolis Sailboat Show in October. Follow and support the PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II at pride2.org. -- If you liked this conversation you'll LOVE The QUARTERDECK, 59 North's 'deep dives on the art of seamanship.' Join our interactive community and get involved in the conversation at quarterdeck.59-north.com. First two weeks FREE, then multiple pricing options thereafter. -- ON THE WIND is presented by Pelagic Autopilots, a group of dedicated sailors & engineers, developing autopilot solutions for the blue water cruiser, solo sailor, and racer. Pelagic systems have been tested in races and voyages around the globe. To learn more and to spec your own system, go to pelagicautopilot.com. The show is also presented by Blu3, makers of compact shallow-water tankless diving systems. To find out more about Blu3 tankless diving, go to diveblu3.com

Dec 26, 2023 • 1h 18min
Elliot Rappaport // Reading the Glass
Elliot Rappaport has been a captain of sailing ships for the past three decades. He currently is a faculty member at Maine Maritime Academy, where he lives nearby with his wife and their dog. Elliot also sailed as a captain for many miles with Sea Education Association, an organization that offers shipboard programs in ocean science and leadership to undergraduates and high schoolers. He recently published a fantastic book called Reading the Glass: A Captain's View of Weather, Water, and Life on Ships. -- If you liked this conversation you'll LOVE The QUARTERDECK, 59 North's 'deep dives on the art of seamanship.' Join our interactive community and get involved in the conversation at quarterdeck.59-north.com. First two weeks FREE, then multiple pricing options thereafter. -- ON THE WIND is presented by Pelagic Autopilots, a group of dedicated sailors & engineers, developing autopilot solutions for the blue water cruiser, solo sailor, and racer. Pelagic systems have been tested in races and voyages around the globe. To learn more and to spec your own system, go to pelagicautopilot.com. The show is also presented by Blu3, makers of compact shallow-water tankless diving systems. To find out more about Blu3 tankless diving, go to diveblu3.com

Dec 19, 2023 • 1h 12min
Mats Grimsæth // Explorer and Photographer
Mats Grimsæth is a professional skipper, photographer and lecturer. He’s the youngest person to ever skipper a boat around the island of Spitsbergen on Svalbard, which is where he first met August. He has a great passion for the sea and for his fellow human beings. Having had a difficult time in his teenage years, he’s now using his considerable energy and outreach to help others in the same situation. -- If you liked this conversation you'll LOVE The QUARTERDECK, 59 North's 'deep dives on the art of seamanship.' Join our interactive community and get involved in the conversation at quarterdeck.59-north.com. First two weeks FREE, then multiple pricing options thereafter. -- ON THE WIND is presented by Pelagic Autopilots, a group of dedicated sailors & engineers, developing autopilot solutions for the blue water cruiser, solo sailor, and racer. Pelagic systems have been tested in races and voyages around the globe. To learn more and to spec your own system, go to pelagicautopilot.com. The show is also presented by Blu3, makers of compact shallow-water tankless diving systems. To find out more about Blu3 tankless diving, go to diveblu3.com

Dec 12, 2023 • 60min
Wendy Mitman Clarke // SAIL Magazine Editor
Wendy Mitman Clarke is the editor-in-chief at SAIL magazine and a long-time cruiser herself. I work with Wendy regularly as a columnist for SAIL, but had never actually sat down to talk about her own background. I caught up with her at the Annapolis Sailboat Show in October, and from the Captain's Cabin onboard the Pride of Baltimore II, we discussed her history as a sailor, 'failure' in the cruising lifestyle, what it's like running a magazine, the writing process and lots more. -- If you liked this conversation you'll LOVE The QUARTERDECK, 59 North's 'deep dives on the art of seamanship.' Join our interactive community and get involved in the conversation at quarterdeck.59-north.com. First two weeks FREE, then multiple pricing options thereafter. -- ON THE WIND is presented by Pelagic Autopilots, a group of dedicated sailors & engineers, developing autopilot solutions for the blue water cruiser, solo sailor, and racer. Pelagic systems have been tested in races and voyages around the globe. To learn more and to spec your own system, go to pelagicautopilot.com. The show is also presented by Blu3, makers of compact shallow-water tankless diving systems. To find out more about Blu3 tankless diving, go to diveblu3.com

Dec 5, 2023 • 1h
Andy, Mia, Adam & Alex // FALKEN Season 1 Debrief
Last week Mia, Bosun Adam Browne and Chief Mate Alex Laline and I sat down in the salon of FALKEN to reflect on what's been a busy, stressful and ultimately successful first season on our newly refit Farr 65. We've truly come a long way since one year ago this time, when we were scrambling to get the boat out of the shed, sea-trialled and out of the UK. Since then, FALKEN has sailed over 16,000 nautical miles with over 120 crewmembers. The four of us reflected on this past year and what stood out most to each of us, and how we feel about the future. -- If you liked this conversation you'll LOVE The QUARTERDECK, 59 North's 'deep dives on the art of seamanship.' Join our interactive community and get involved in the conversation at quarterdeck.59-north.com. First two weeks FREE, then multiple pricing options thereafter. -- ON THE WIND is presented by Pelagic Autopilots, a group of dedicated sailors & engineers, developing autopilot solutions for the blue water cruiser, solo sailor, and racer. Pelagic systems have been tested in races and voyages around the globe. To learn more and to spec your own system, go to pelagicautopilot.com.

Nov 7, 2023 • 1h 8min
Paul & Sheryl Shard // Distant Shores & the OG YouTubers
Paul & Sheryl Shard of Distant Shores are truly the OG YouTubers, having filmed and produced videos of their sailing adventures for over 25 years. I met up with them in person at the Annapolis Sailboat Show a few weeks ago to talk about their transition from broadcast TV to YouTube and if that's changed their process. We also talked a lot about their new boat, a go-anywhere aluminum expedition yacht built in the Netherlands, which will launch in early 2024, and what they've designed into what is their 5th boat. You can follow Paul & Sheryl's adventures on distantshores.ca. -- If you liked this conversation you'll LOVE The QUARTERDECK, 59 North's 'deep dives on the art of seamanship.' Join our interactive community and get involved in the conversation at quarterdeck.59-north.com. First two weeks FREE, then multiple pricing options thereafter. -- ON THE WIND is presented by Forbes Horton Yachts. Get in touch with Forbes today about buying or selling a boat. The show is also presented by AG1. Try AG1 and get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 free AG1 Travel Packs with your first purchase. Go to drinkAG1.com/ONTHEWIND.