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🎙️ Salty Podcast #101: Know Before You Tow  When does accepting help on the water stop being a routine tow and become a salvage claim?

In this episode, Cap’n Tinsley talks with maritime attorney and U.S. Coast Guard-licensed captain John Fulweiler about the surprisingly gray line between towing and salvage.

John explains the three basic elements of a salvage claim—marine peril, voluntary assistance, and success—and why situations involving a disabled boat, dragging anchor, flooding, grounding, or changing conditions can quickly become more complicated than a boater expects.
We also talk about towing memberships, salvage contracts, marine insurance, maritime liens, vessel arrest, how salvage awards are calculated, and what to do if someone makes a salvage claim against your boat.
Tinsley also shares the Bahamas grounding that sent her down this maritime-law rabbit hole, plus another tow where rising water in the bilge raised the question of whether the situation could have crossed into salvage.
One of the biggest surprises: a salvage award is not simply based on time and materials. A relatively short operation can still result in a very substantial demand.
If you own a boat, sail, cruise, fish, or spend serious time on the water, this is an episode worth hearing before you ever need assistance.

Guest: John Fulweiler
SaltWaterLaw.com
[email protected]
1-800-383-MAYDAY

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#SaltyPodcast #Sailing #Boating #MaritimeLaw #MaritimeSalvage #BoatLife

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SALTY ABANDON:  Cap'n Tinsley, Orange Beach, AL:
Oct 2020 to Present - 1998 Island Packet 320;
Nov 2015-Oct 2020; 1988 Island Packet 27
Feb-Oct 2015 - 1982 Catalina 25

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For the 100th episode of the Salty Podcast, Dr. James Delgado joins Cap’n Tinsley to explore what shipwrecks reveal about the people who built, sailed and sometimes died aboard them.
James is a maritime archaeologist, historian, author and explorer whose five-decade career has included more than 100 shipwreck projects around the world. His investigations have included Titanic, USS Arizona, Alabama’s Clotilda, buried Gold Rush ships beneath downtown San Francisco and deep-sea wrecks connected to the Battle of Midway.
He explains how maritime archaeologists identify an unknown wreck and why the most valuable discoveries are often not gold or treasure. Personal belongings, human remains and small physical details can reveal how people lived, worked and traveled at sea.
James shares stories about a teapot still hanging inside Titanic’s engine room, sailors’ bones showing the physical toll of life aboard historic ships, salted pork and weevil-filled hardtack, fire hoses left behind on USS Arizona and the research that helped confirm the identity of Clotilda.
The conversation also explores Gold Rush ships buried beneath San Francisco, press gangs and kidnapped sailors, wrecks near the Dry Tortugas, Confederate blockade runners around Bermuda, Blackbeard’s Queen Anne’s Revenge, the Atocha and the myths surrounding sunken treasure.
James also discusses using robots and submersibles to explore wrecks too deep for divers, surviving a typhoon near Bikini Atoll, working with descendant communities and deciding whether a wreck should be recovered, preserved, memorialized or left where it rests.
Throughout the episode, James returns to one central idea: shipwrecks are not simply broken vessels on the bottom. They are places where human stories survive, preserved inside what may be the largest museum on Earth.

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SALTY ABANDON:  Cap'n Tinsley, Orange Beach, AL:
Oct 2020 to Present - 1998 Island Packet 320;
Nov 2015-Oct 2020; 1988 Island Packet 27
Feb-Oct 2015 - 1982 Catalina 25

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A kid can live three to five miles from the beach and still never see the ocean. That fact hits hard, and it is where Maurice “Maui” Goodbeer starts. Maui is the founder and executive director of Street Waves, a South Florida nonprofit that has spent years teaching inner-city kids how to swim, surf, and build real skills on boats. His drive is personal: after his younger brother was murdered, he promised at the funeral he would do something direct for kids who are growing up around violence and limited options.

We get into what Street Waves actually does on the ground: small-group swim instruction for safety, surf training that builds confidence fast, and hands-on maritime career exposure at the marina. Once kids can swim, “salty jobs” become possible, from lifeguarding and ocean rescue to marine trades like fiberglass work, engines, and boat electrical. Maui shares the moments that stay with him, like teens crying when they see the ocean for the first time, plus breakthrough stories including a former non-swimmer becoming ocean rescue and a student going on to become a Navy SEAL.

The conversation takes a sharp, useful turn into nonprofit strategy for creators, coaches, and builders. Maui explains why mission-first work can widen access for people who cannot afford services, how donations and grants can fund that gap, and why he believes the world needs more nonprofits to fill what for-profits and government miss. We also talk volunteering, drowning prevention realities, and the community healing power of time on the water.

If you care about youth swimming programs, drowning prevention, surf therapy, maritime careers, or building a nonprofit organization with real impact, hit play. Subscribe, share this with someone who loves the ocean, and leave a review so more people can find the story.

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SALTY ABANDON:  Cap'n Tinsley, Orange Beach, AL:
Oct 2020 to Present - 1998 Island Packet 320;
Nov 2015-Oct 2020; 1988 Island Packet 27
Feb-Oct 2015 - 1982 Catalina 25

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A 24-foot cruising boat with no engine sounds like a constraint until you hear what it unlocks. We sit down with Lynn, a sailor and author whose life at sea is built on small-boat cruising, practical offshore seamanship, and the kind of calm confidence that only comes from doing the work. From the first miles “westward” to the storms that proved their tactics, she explains why simplicity can be the fastest route to real freedom on the water. 

We talk about the turning points that shaped everything: leaving conventional goals unspoken so the journey can evolve, building Seraph with mentor Lyle Hess, and discovering that an engine-free boat demands sharper planning, better boat handling, and stronger teamwork. You’ll hear vivid stories from the Panama Canal, the Atlantic, and beyond, plus clear lessons on heaving to, storm tactics, and why modern weather tools can create analysis paralysis if you forget to prepare the boat and the crew. If you’re searching for bluewater sailing advice, storm preparation checklists, or navigation wisdom that holds up without hype, this conversation delivers. 

The episode also looks at what has changed in the cruising world: dock culture, marinas, self-steering windvanes, sponsorship pressure, and why honest gear opinions matter. Lynn shares her enduring compass points, including the motto “Go Small, Go Simple, Go Now,” and the deeper idea that comfort and security do not automatically create adventure. We close with something even bigger than sailing: aging, caregiving, rebuilding community after loss, and what it means to keep moving forward with grace. 

If you enjoyed this, subscribe for more long-form sailing stories and real-world cruising lessons, share it with a friend who’s dreaming of casting off, and leave a review so more sailors can find the show.

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SALTY ABANDON:  Cap'n Tinsley, Orange Beach, AL:
Oct 2020 to Present - 1998 Island Packet 320;
Nov 2015-Oct 2020; 1988 Island Packet 27
Feb-Oct 2015 - 1982 Catalina 25

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To buy James' book: https://bethecaptain.com/

A keel leak that grows the harder you sail is the kind of story that rewires how you think about “good boats.” We sit down with James from Sailing Zingaro, a longtime delivery captain and former Navy submariner with roughly 90,000 miles at sea, to talk about what holds up offshore and what quietly fails until it’s suddenly your emergency.

We get into sailboat buying with real consequences: production boat grid construction, what methacrylate bonding means for long-term structure, and why a clean survey report still needs context about how the boat was used. James also shares his philosophy for new cruisers in the dream stage, including why starting on smaller boats accelerates skill, when it can make sense to own two boats over time, and which rig setups actually help when you have to run downwind in ocean conditions. Comfort matters too, and we break down how hull shape, keel design, and displacement affect motion, safety, and fatigue on passage.

From there we go deep on marine diesel engines and offshore self-sufficiency: parts cost realities, why simple diesels can be a gift, how hydrolock happens, and what you can do to save an engine fast. We also touch lithium battery safety, thermal runaway, and why understanding your power system is part of modern seamanship. Under all the technical talk is the heart of James’s book, “Be the Captain” a leadership mindset for keeping crews steady, delegating clearly, and staying calm when the pressure spikes.

If this helped, subscribe, share it with a sailing friend, and leave a review with your number one non-negotiable when choosing a cruising boat.

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SALTY ABANDON:  Cap'n Tinsley, Orange Beach, AL:
Oct 2020 to Present - 1998 Island Packet 320;
Nov 2015-Oct 2020; 1988 Island Packet 27
Feb-Oct 2015 - 1982 Catalina 25

▶️YouTube Playlist: https://saltyabandon/SaltyPodcastPlaylist

💨AIRLOCK:  Get rid of those boat smells with $30 off with code SALTY30:
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The romantic version of sailing is easy to sell. The real version is what Suzy and Sput live every day aboard their 1992 Island Packet 44, SV Validated It, as they pause in Tortola in the British Virgin Islands and prepare to push south toward Grenada for hurricane season. They started in Washington, DC, met online, and turned a brand-new partnership into a full-time cruising plan with very real consequences: weather windows, expensive clear-in fees, and the relentless “thorny path” of sailing into wind and current.

We talk through the nuts and bolts that make or break a cruising lifestyle. They share what surprised them most while transiting the Bahamas, why lowering the dinghy can become a daily debate, and how a simple Georgetown message turned into a WhatsApp network of dozens of boats coordinating moves toward the Caribbean. You’ll also hear why accurate local intel matters, including a candid anchorage tip in Tortola and how NoForeignLand helped set expectations.

Then we get into the moments every sailor fears: systems failures and engine trouble. They walk us through a fried DC-to-DC charger, a hydrolocked Yanmar 4JH2-TE that could have ended the trip, and how mentor support and fast, methodical troubleshooting saved the engine. We also dig into practical preparedness: spares that are worth carrying, managing diesel bug risk, and a DIY fuel polisher that costs under $100.

If you’re planning liveaboard sailing, offshore cruising, or a big retirement transition, this conversation is packed with concrete takeaways on seamanship, budgeting, provisioning, and staying calm when the boat demands “damage control.” Subscribe, share this with a sailor who needs it, and leave a review with your biggest question about making the jump offshore.

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SALTY ABANDON:  Cap'n Tinsley, Orange Beach, AL:
Oct 2020 to Present - 1998 Island Packet 320;
Nov 2015-Oct 2020; 1988 Island Packet 27
Feb-Oct 2015 - 1982 Catalina 25

▶️YouTube Playlist: https://saltyabandon/SaltyPodcastPlaylist

💨AIRLOCK:  Get rid of those boat smells with $30 off with code SALTY30:
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Sorry for the music overlap of the audio at 34:40 til 34:57.  I inadvertently failed to mute the b-roll video and noticed it after I uploaded it.  It last 17 seconds but is a very good song so enjoy!

A 12-year-old on night watch, clipped in, steering a 46-foot catamaran through real offshore conditions while his friends back home are doing homework on the couch. That’s Atticus, the voice behind Boy Meets Ocean, and he joins us from the Bahamas to explain what full-time liveaboard sailing is actually like when you’re the kid on board, not the parent.

We talk about the transition from land life to boat life, how he keeps friendships going while meeting “boat kids” across the islands, and what daily seamanship looks like on a cruising catamaran. Atticus breaks down the practical stuff families always ask about: anchoring plans, dealing with wind and chop, using navigation and weather apps like Navionics and Windy, and learning to handle sails with his dad. He also shares the safety rules that keep everyone secure offshore, plus the maintenance chores that come with the dream.

Then his dad zooms out to the bigger mission: a health scare that changed their priorities, a worldschooling approach that blends online learning with real travel, and a family plan that goes far beyond the Caribbean toward a future circumnavigation. We also get into content creation at sea, why Atticus edits on a phone, how he thinks about staying genuine on social media, and the tech boundaries they set so the ocean stays the main teacher.

If you’re curious about sailing with kids, homeschooling at sea, Bahamas cruising, and what it takes to raise capable young sailors, listen through and share this with a fellow dreamer. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: could you handle life at anchor full time?

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SALTY ABANDON:  Cap'n Tinsley, Orange Beach, AL:
Oct 2020 to Present - 1998 Island Packet 320;
Nov 2015-Oct 2020; 1988 Island Packet 27
Feb-Oct 2015 - 1982 Catalina 25

▶️YouTube Playlist: https://saltyabandon/SaltyPodcastPlaylist

💨AIRLOCK:  Get rid of those boat smells with $30 off with code SALTY30:
 https://airlockusa.com/SALTY30 

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This is an update to Salty Podcast #91.  The sea can be glassy at sunrise and still hand you a monster at 10:30 p.m. We’re calling in from two different corners of paradise and chaos as Bill and Catherine share a boots-on-deck update from their Bahamas to Dominican Republic crossing and their new home base in Luperon Harbor, one of the best-known hurricane holes in the Caribbean.

We walk through what changed after leaving Georgetown: an engine overheating detour, a rough stay off Great Inagua, and the small rigging choices that decide whether you sleep or suffer. Then we get specific about passage tactics cruisers actually use, including radar squall avoidance, buddy boat communication, and the surprisingly controversial topic of proper diesel engine RPM. If you’ve ever “babied” a diesel to save fuel, this part may change how you run your engine offshore.

Once we reach the Dominican Republic, the story shifts to real arrival logistics: fish traps and low-profile floats near the entrance, grabbing a mooring when the pendant is too short, and why the Luperon cruiser network is built around WhatsApp instead of radio nets. We also dig into costs and quality of life details like water delivery, laundry service, food and drink prices, clearing immigration and customs with a dog, plus the provisioning reality that pushes Catherine into growing herbs onboard.

If you’re planning Dominican Republic cruising, Luperon Harbor, the Mona Passage, or the jump to Puerto Rico and Grenada, hit play. Subscribe, share this with your cruising crew, and leave a review with the one tip you wish every new cruiser knew.

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SALTY ABANDON:  Cap'n Tinsley, Orange Beach, AL:
Oct 2020 to Present - 1998 Island Packet 320;
Nov 2015-Oct 2020; 1988 Island Packet 27
Feb-Oct 2015 - 1982 Catalina 25

▶️YouTube Playlist: https://saltyabandon/SaltyPodcastPlaylist

💨AIRLOCK:  Get rid of those boat smells with $30 off with code SALTY30:
 https://airlockusa.com/SALTY30 

👕Salty Podcast SPF Sailor Shirts:  https://saltypodcast.myshopify.com/

🎙️Wanna Start a Livestream? Try Streamyard: Go live like a pro with an easy, browser-based studio for podcasts, interviews and livestreams:
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They bought the dream with zero sailing experience, then paid for it with patience, sweat, and a willingness to live with less. I sit down with Captain Ken and Miss Kelly from The Crooked Anchor, liveaboards on a 1990 Gemini catamaran, to unpack how two Florida landlubbers sold the house, refit a fixer-upper boat, and turned “we could never do that” into seven years of cruising the Keys and the Bahamas.

We get specific about what actually makes the liveaboard sailing lifestyle work: cutting debt, avoiding the storage-unit money pit, setting a shove-off date, and learning to do your own boat maintenance so marine labor bills don’t sink the budget. Ken shares why DIY skills translate so well onboard, while Kelly explains the less-glamorous reality that still feels worth it: laundry, biking for groceries, hauling water, and staying in shape simply by living the routine.

Then we head to the Bahamas details listeners always ask for: staging in the Keys, using the Gulf Stream, anchoring on the banks, checking in at Great Harbour, and why they keep coming back to Georgetown. You’ll also hear about their repurposed beach art and famous swings at Sand Dollar Beach, the electric energy of the Family Island Regatta, and the moments that sharpened their safety mindset, from a major anchorage storm to a python in the cockpit and why a handheld VHF now goes everywhere.

If you’ve been dreaming about cruising, a sabbatical, or any big reset, this conversation keeps it honest and still wildly motivating. Subscribe for more real-world sailing stories, share this with a friend who keeps saying “someday,” and leave a review with the one trip you’d take if you started now.

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SALTY ABANDON:  Cap'n Tinsley, Orange Beach, AL:
Oct 2020 to Present - 1998 Island Packet 320;
Nov 2015-Oct 2020; 1988 Island Packet 27
Feb-Oct 2015 - 1982 Catalina 25

▶️YouTube Playlist: https://saltyabandon/SaltyPodcastPlaylist

💨AIRLOCK:  Get rid of those boat smells with $30 off with code SALTY30:
 https://airlockusa.com/SALTY30 

👕Salty Podcast SPF Sailor Shirts:  https://saltypodcast.myshopify.com/

🎙️Wanna Start a Livestream? Try Streamyard: Go live like a pro with an easy, browser-based studio for podcasts, interviews and livestreams:
Https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5430067749060608

✂️Opus Clips: Turn long videos into short, shareable clips fast. https://tolt.link/saltypodcast

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Send us Fan Mail

Georgetown, Exuma has a reputation among sailors and cruisers, but the real story is how it feels when you drop anchor and start meeting people. From Stocking Island, we sit down with Kurt Allmeyer of the 46-foot catamaran “Sailing Jeep” for a candid update on day-to-day life in Georgetown, why the anchorage can feel unusually safe, and how a tight cruising community changes everything. If you’re planning an Exumas sailing trip, this is the kind of on-the-water perspective you can’t get from a brochure. 

We talk about the practical stuff cruisers actually care about: where the good gathering spots are, what food is worth the stop, and how trust works in a small town where everyone learns your name fast. Kurt explains the local culture in one line that says it all: rude sailors don’t get welcomed, and that shared standard keeps the vibe light, social, and fun. We also dig into events and traditions, including the buzz around the Family Island Regatta and why Georgetown becomes a magnet during the season. 

Then we get real about cruising logistics in the Bahamas: anchoring through big wind forecasts, provisioning when inventory is hit-or-miss, and why shipping a dinghy can take weeks thanks to verification, weather, and missed mail boats. Kurt also shares a tense seamanship story about losing power and electronics at night and still getting the boat through safely, plus his plan for heading north with tide-timed cuts and offshore fishing for mahi. 

If you like honest cruising talk, subscribe, share this with a sailing friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What’s the one thing you wish someone had told you before your first season in the Exumas?

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SALTY ABANDON:  Cap'n Tinsley, Orange Beach, AL:
Oct 2020 to Present - 1998 Island Packet 320;
Nov 2015-Oct 2020; 1988 Island Packet 27
Feb-Oct 2015 - 1982 Catalina 25

▶️YouTube Playlist: https://saltyabandon/SaltyPodcastPlaylist

💨AIRLOCK:  Get rid of those boat smells with $30 off with code SALTY30:
 https://airlockusa.com/SALTY30 

👕Salty Podcast SPF Sailor Shirts:  https://saltypodcast.myshopify.com/

🎙️Wanna Start a Livestream? Try Streamyard: Go live like a pro with an easy, browser-based studio for podcasts, interviews and livestreams:
Https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5430067749060608

✂️Opus Clips: Turn long videos into short, shareable clips fast. https://tolt.link/saltypodcast

🫶Support the Podcast: http://patreon.com/SaltyAbandon