"Reality" Youtube Sailing Channels

[Gigaflopper]

Hello! I'm a relatively new owner of a small cabin cruiser, landlocked in the Midwest on a lake. I watch a lot of these YouTube sailing channels, and I've always wondered if they accurately reflect live-aboard lifestyle for cruisers, or if it's just a skewed perception designed for us "dreamers" to take the click bait and monetize their lifestyles. Out of curiosity, I have questions for you all.

1. Do you watch any of these YouTube channels yourselves?
2. If so, do you watch them on occasion, or pretty routinely?
3. Are you a Patreon for any of them, or financial support your favorite in any way?
4. How accurately do your favorites channels reflect true live-aboard life, in your opinion? (if you have enough experience to have one! Obviously I do not )

You're a true enthusiast for their content, I have a few more questions but don't want to over complicate the discussion. Feel free to message me privately if you want to continue the conversation beyond the points above.

Thanks all.

[Shrew]

I'm not sure I need to watch a You Tube channel of a guy squeezed into a tight spot while his wife stands around handing tools and parts.

Unless that's something people are interested in watching, because I can film an almost never ending stream of that type of content!!!

[Gigaflopper]

Originally Posted by Shrew

I'm not sure I need to watch a You Tube channel of a guy squeezed into a tight spot while his wife stands around handing tools and parts.

Unless that's something people are interested in watching, because I can film an almost never ending stream of that type of content!!!

If you pay any attention to the timeline slider on any of these channels, the most replayed parts of a video are never those scenarios, but always the "bikini shots." So I think most people feel the same way you do, unless you're trying to figure out how to do the same maintenance or repair.

[Off Trail]

We used to watch more, but now only follow a few. Most focus on a land audience as they've gone big. Sailing Florence is our favorite, they are the real deal. RAN Sailing, mostly because we've followed them from the beginning. Kevin Boothby, Patrick Laine. The big-click-count channels are just reality TV, nothing to do with cruising really. We don't Patreon.

Accuracy? Well, if you want to understand typical day to day activities, you'd need to add a lot more hanging out at anchor doing nothing, dinghy runs for groceries/garbage/laundry/supplies, watching nature and the weather, watching harbour action and wondering what the charter boats are going to do next, chatting with neighbors (when there are any) and working on the infinite repair/maintenance list. Never mind tedium and fatigue offshore. All of which would make for unwatchable videos.

Don't get me wrong - the tourist things, snorkeling, beach time, watching the dolphins, etc are real, but the proportions are all out of whack if you're going by what's on youtube.

For some (most) channels the commerciality is too blatant. I'm sure they're fun "lifestyles of the rich and famous" videos for the land people. For a few channels things are more genuine. But none, really none, can capture what you're asking.

[dannc]

We watch a few boating channels fairly regularly and they reflect reality. Some certainly play the Bikini Game but not all do that we watch.

Over time, we have stopped watching some channels simply because we only have so much time. I suspect that if YouTube content was frozen so that nothing new was added, that I could watch shows I would find interesting for 30+ years without repeating a video.

We don't pay for the shows but we have come close to doing so for a couple of channels.

Later,
Dan

[chris mac]

We watched several in the years leading up to living aboard. Over the first 6 months or so after moving aboard, we stopped most. The rest we stopped watching after a year or so.
Some do reflect reality but don't offer anything of real value consistently enough to keep our interest. We will skim through a video here and there if it's about a problem we have or a location we are heading to. Chart books and cruising guides still give better info though, at least in my opinion.
We have also been anchored by several you tube boats and watched the production. The presentation often didn't match the reality.
That all said... We did find value in them when we were in the dreaming stage and appreciated having them available.

[Calif.Ted]

1. No
2. See Above
3. No
4. From the little I've seen they seem to be clueless beginners.

[capt jgw]

I like the channels where they are rebuilding the boat. That I can relate to, and I learn stuff. But when they get done and go sailing, I lose interest. I know how to sail.

[Sailing Seas]

I really enjoy and respect Sailing Nahoa and Sailing Yacht Florence.

Both great channels-

No drama, good people, great video footage and both couples have solid sailing backgrounds. Also very respectful of the countries they visit which I very much respect.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Calif.Ted

1. No
2. See Above
3. No
4. From the little I've seen they seem to be clueless beginners.

Wot 'e sed!

[Mike OReilly]

Tuber cruisers are much like the glossy magazines of old. They sell the sizzle (often in a skimpy bikini), because that's where the clicks go, and the money follows.

Just like all so-called "reality TV," most of what makes it onto the little screen is mostly not real. It is highly produced drama aimed at keeping you engaged and clicking.

That's not to say there is nothing of value. Most of the big names are top-quality productions. They are entertaining, visually interesting, narratively engaging, and sometime even have useful information. But make no mistake, they are edited portrayals of a nautical life which are 'occasionally true*'.

Most of all, and much like the glossy sailing mags, they are aimed at dreamers and early planners. This is purposeful since that's where the largest market is. Once people actually get into the life, they offer little value, other than pure entertainment.

*A subtitle I saw applied to the fictionalized Catherine "The Great" TV show recently.

[Sailer_Med]

Yes, I watch a few.

For sailing my favorite is Erik Aanderaa. He has really good quality and his sailing is really sailing up in the North Sea. He is candid and adventurous, sometimes making mistakes and filming it all. I really like him. I also watch Sailing Beaver. They seem to be practical novices and there too it is focused on sailing.

For Erik, I subscribe and look forward to his new content. The Sailing Beaver is old episodes and I am slowly going through them.

What else? My guilty pleasure is Alexandre Rollland Videos CAPBRETON and Wavy Boats both focus on filming tricky harbor mouths in tough conditions.

[Galumay]

I have quite a few I watch regularly, dont support any financially, some reflect live aboard life better than others, the thought I have is how all consuming it must be to create all the content. I would personally prefer just to do the cruising! (although I do have a blog so I guess I spend a bit of time and effort on that.)

I find it interesting to see how different people approach different aspects of cruising, as someone new to catamarans I enjoy seeing how other people sail and set theirs up.

I also enjoy watching people cruising in the remote tropical coast of Northern Australia as that is my cruising grounds so I sometimes see spots to save to visit myself, anchorages, fishing spots, fresh water, etc.

I am not a full time live aboard cruiser, semi retired business owner.

[Sirzones]

I used to watch sailing la vagabond until they teamed up with Greta Thuneberg, then I stopped watching
Most others all have children aboard now , so there content is changing

Old sea dog keeps it real as do sailing nahoa
Also one of the first sailing channels is still great to watch is “ Chris and Jess Brea , Sailing Teleport” well worth a watch

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Sirzones

Also one of the first sailing channels is still great to watch is “ Chris and Jess Brea , Sailing Teleport” well worth a watch

Indeed, lets sail to Greenland in a 28ft boat we have just bought and Jess has never been to sea before. Oh, the small matter of a F9 on the way

Their trip and the film work though the NWP very entertaining.

Pete