Erick and Jenny recently transited the Panama Canal in their Downeast 38, Windsong, en route to the Galapagos Islands and French Polynesia. We talk about the logistics of the canal, using an agent, line handlers, insurance, getting a long-stay visa for French Polynesia, the logistics of visiting the Galapagos, and much more.

The Panama Canal with Erick and Jenny VanMalssen

Interviews with offshore sailors and those in the industry sharing exciting stories and useful information so we can better enjoy and better prepare for our own adventures.

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Jerome Rand is the host of the podcast Sailing into Oblivion, and author of the book by the same name, describing his solo nonstop sail around the wolrd in Mighty Sparrow, his Westsail 32. This episode is not one of us interviewing the other, but rather a conversation between us. We talk about our boats, reefing, safety, the higher latitudes, cold and fog, wearing a tether or not, sharks, drowing, books, getting rolled by a rogue wave, and much more.  Show notes are at https://www.paultrammell.com/podcast-season-6

A Conversation with Jerome Rand of Sailing into Oblivion

Heather Thomas skippered SV Maiden to victory in the 2023 Ocean Globe Race (OGR), and the crew became the first first all-female crew to win an around the world race. Heather was also the youngest skipper in the race, at 27 years old.  We talk about how she learned to sail and gain enough experience to be chosen to skipper Maiden in the OGR, preparing for the race, using a staysail and storm jib, broad-reach sailplans, the history of the boat, why women are beginning to win sailing races (competing against men), Heather's role and daily routine as the skipper, celestial navigating, foul weather, dealing with calms, the crew's favorite conditions, winning, The Maiden Factor, foul-weather gear, dealing with the cold, advice for young sailors who want to get involved in offshore racing, books, and more. Show notes, links, and photos, can be found here https://www.paultrammell.com/podcast-season-6

Heather Thomas, Winner of the 2023 Ocean Globe Race

Owen Murphy recently crossed the Panama Canal, then sailed to the Galapagos islands, and on to the Marquesas, solo, on his Pacific Seacraft 34. We talk about learning French, Polynesian tattoos, provisioning, cyclones, sailing from Panama to The Marquesas, siglehanding, Owen's Pacific Seacraft 34, spinnaker mishaps and lessons, going up the mast, gooseneck barnacles, climbing the mast at night, the three types of fun, wearing a helmet, boats that sank, securing the anchor at the bow when offshore, whales, transiting the Panama Canal, Owen's dream-boat pick, talking to yourself, and more!

Owen Murphy, Panama to the Marquesas

Lutz Kohne is entered in the 2026 Golden Globe Race, and was part of the race organization in the 2022 GGR, taking satellite calls from the sailors and dealing with emergencies.  We talk about learning to sail, making mistakes, going offshore for the first time, losing the engine while docking, working with Don McIntyre in the 2022 Golden Globe Race and taking staellite calls from the competitors, safety, crossing the Atlantic solo, dealing with fear, Tapio Lehtinen's rescue, re-routing the container ship and issues related to this, searching for a boat, sailing a Rustler 36, books, rigging a staysail downhaul, hank-on sails vs furled sails, and questions Lutz asks me. Shownotes are at https://www.paultrammell.com/podcast-season-6

Lutz Kohne and the Golden Globe Race

Rob and his family, aka The Cruising Kiwis, bought their 43ft catamaran, Javelot, with minimal sailing experience to retrace the tragic sailing trip of Rob's eldest brother, Kerry, who was captured and executed by the Kmer Rouge in Cambodia in 1978. When we spoke, they were in the Maldives, having just visited Thailand, and making progress on their circumnavigation. We talk about catamaran sailing, Cambodia, Angkor Wat, cruising SE Asia, their route across the Indian Ocean, lightning strikes, home schooling / no schooling, shallow-water blackouts, freediving safety, sharks, favorite things from each conutry visited, the importance of overcoming fear, and more. show notes are at https://www.paultrammell.com/podcast-season-6

The Panama Canal with Erick and Jenny VanMalssen

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