Youtube liveaboard stars?

[Souzag818]

Originally Posted by Chili Palmer

We've been watching Delos since day 1, don't really watch SLV any more, get a kick out of Sailing GBU but have been watching a lot of Sailing Zatara lately.

I've come to the conclusion that if they seem like they're doing it for the money I'm not really into them. Sailing Lazy Gecko comes to mind, not a fan.

I stopped watching most of them. Some just got boring like SLV and SSL, others turned me off with their attitude, like UMA. He comes off as smug and arrogant. She seems likeable, but him, not so much... I've watch Sail Life since his Obelix days, NBJS for his reality, Sea Dog for his humor and WSP cause I admire her for her abilities. Beyond that, I'd rather go sailing than watch someone else go sailing...

[Group9]

Originally Posted by Souzag818

I stopped watching most of them. Some just got boring like SLV and SSL, others turned me off with their attitude, like UMA. He comes off as smug and arrogant. She seems likeable, but him, not so much... I've watch Sail Life since his Obelix days, NBJS for his reality, Sea Dog for his humor and WSP cause I admire her for her abilities. Beyond that, I'd rather go sailing than watch someone else go sailing...

Once they quit being an adventure, and start being a business, I lose interest. SLV was much more entertaining when they were nobodies on their old Beneteau than youtube stars on their shiny new cat.

I identified with them on the Beneteau. Not so much on the cat.

[Chili Palmer]

Originally Posted by jtsailjt

I've been enjoying mjsailing.com videos. They seem to be pretty much what La Vagabond was when they started. Im not in the habit of donating to any of these UTube sites but felt I should donate to them and did so because one of the educational videos they did helped me to get over the hump so I dared to tear into my watermakers ETD to replace the seals myself rather than sending it off to have it professionally done. Then, out of curiosity I watched several of their other videos and enjoyed them a lot. Yes, just as on La Vagabond the wife happens to be quite beautiful and personable, but their bikini shot to actual useful cruising information ratio is a lot lower than on La Vagabond and I prefer it that way. Please note that I certainly have nothing against beautiful young women in bikinis and realize that in tropical locations they are common and practical attire, but I find it a bit tawdry when it's pretty obvious that a couple making a supposed sailing video is focused more on the wife's physical assets than they are on sailing or traveling.

I wish they would've kept their old boat. They built it for high latitude sailing and now they're building a CAT? I was looking forward to watching some high latitude stuff but now that they're moving to a CAT I haven't watched them. Maybe when the CAT is done and they go to some high latitudes I will revisit them. I haven't watched enough to know if that's their plan (high latitude) with the CAT?

[Yihang]

Originally Posted by Chili Palmer

I wish they would've kept their old boat. They built it for high latitude sailing and now they're building a CAT? I was looking forward to watching some high latitude stuff but now that they're moving to a CAT I haven't watched them. Maybe when the CAT is done and they go to some high latitudes I will revisit them. I haven't watched enough to know if that's their plan (high latitude) with the CAT?

They pretty much said going to Norway was the high lat bucket list done. They are building the cat back home in the US so doing the same crossing again doesn’t really make sense. When they are done with the build I’m guessing its going to be in the pacific, they seem to really enjoy their time in Thailand on a cat.

High lat channels are hard to maintain.

[BlackHeron]

Four years building a boat up from basically a bare aluminum hull, even sanding & painting the deck twice, all to use it just one season of high lat sailing... methinks there was more to the decision than that.

[jtsailjt]

Originally Posted by BlackHeron

Four years building a boat up from basically a bare aluminum hull, even sanding & painting the deck twice, all to use it just one season of high lat sailing... methinks there was more to the decision than that.

I don’t know but I sort of assumed they are not independently wealthy so are trying to build some sweat equity while doing something they enjoy. Yes, they could probably make more money by moving ashore, getting jobs, and saving every penny possible, but this way they’ve seen a bit of the world and are learning a lot about boats as they go and hopefully they made a little money on both of their previous 2 boats so are now in position to buy/build a brand new cat, something they couldn’t have afforded to even consider when they began. Their “job” is living aboard (or nearby during construction) and maintaining and sailing their boat and documenting it for us to view. They get to actually share their lives rather than gradually becoming strangers pursuing 2 different careers. I think they’re doing just fine.

[Mark Selawry]

Others I've enjoyed:

- Sailing Ruby Rose: great "how-to's" and reviews on catamaran cruisers. More mature couple.
- Out Chasing Stars: young couple on FP Helea 44. Great reviews as well.
- Gone with the Wynns: another young couple with no sailing experience who took the plunge on a Leopard 43.

Naturally, my sweetheart and I thought we'd set an example for more mature folks with a unique angle (soon to be announced) and decided to launch LiveaboardCruisers (YouTube). No Patreon needed. Funded by hard earned savings.

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by BlackHeron

Four years building a boat up from basically a bare aluminum hull, even sanding & painting the deck twice, all to use it just one season of high lat sailing... methinks there was more to the decision than that.

Where do you think the money for the new cat is coming from?
One of their videos talks about the idea of a fixer upper and flipping it. And they mentioned they had to live somewhere so a lot of that sweat equity can be written off...

[Yihang]

No kids, both working, no mortgage, airbnb out a spare room. It's really easy for a determined couple to save up money. MJ sailing said they had 127k in the bank, which they gave to a broker friend to invest in before setting out in 2012. Given the market in the past 8 years they could easily have 400k by now, assuming their 1400/month expenses were covered by patreon, youtube etc.

The hardest part of the whole thing is finding a partner with the same dreams as you.

[BlackHeron]

If people think that there is money to be made building a cruising boat up from basically a hulk, outfitting it to the nines and then selling it for more money than they have invested (regardless of how much sweat equity has been invested, I'm just talking parts) then they have something seriously crossed in their wires or perception of reality.

You can never get what you put into boat upgrades and refits at the time of sale, not even if you are internet famous. Even Mads from SailLife is going to have to cut his losses when he sells Obilyx as he moves aboard Athena (and perhaps again when he sells Athena after catching the dreaded cat fever.)

[smj]

Originally Posted by BlackHeron

If people think that there is money to be made building a cruising boat up from basically a hulk, outfitting it to the nines and then selling it for more money than they have invested (regardless of how much sweat equity has been invested, I'm just talking parts) then they have something seriously crossed in their wires or perception of reality.

You can never get what you put into boat upgrades and refits at the time of sale, not even if you are internet famous. Even Mads from SailLife is going to have to cut his losses when he sells Obilyx as he moves aboard Athena (and perhaps again when he sells Athena after catching the dreaded cat fever.)

Not to be contrary, but we’ve done this many times. Not to say the profit would have been enough to live on, but not a loss.

[Chili Palmer]

Originally Posted by Yihang

No kids, both working, no mortgage, airbnb out a spare room. It's really easy for a determined couple to save up money. MJ sailing said they had 127k in the bank, which they gave to a broker friend to invest in before setting out in 2012. Given the market in the past 8 years they could easily have 400k by now, assuming their 1400/month expenses were covered by patreon, youtube etc.

The hardest part of the whole thing is finding a partner with the same dreams as you.

I don't remember which video it was but essentially, they spent all of their money on their boat and sailed off with roughly $1500 in the bank knowing they spend about $1200-$1500 per month and that is what their monthly income is. They didn't have as much money as I thought they would when they sailed off in the aluminum boat.

[Yihang]

Originally Posted by Chili Palmer

I don't remember which video it was but essentially, they spent all of their money on their boat and sailed off with roughly $1500 in the bank knowing they spend about $1200-$1500 per month and that is what their monthly income is. They didn't have as much money as I thought they would when they sailed off in the aluminum boat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMuj...nnel=MJSailing

Your are correct. I Saw rest of the video and they said after they refitted the aluminium boat they had $5,500 in the bank.

the 127k in the beginning of the video was referring to what they had after leaving with their original boat. Wow, I would have just made do with the original boat and let the money compound in the market.

Spending your entire savings on an old AL boat is crazy. Makes me think they probably have some backup funds down the line. Or just really optimistic about the future.

I hope they are not borrowing for this 200k CAT build.

[Chili Palmer]

Originally Posted by Yihang

Your are correct. I Saw rest of the video and they said after they refitted the aluminium boat they had $5,500 in the bank.

the 127k in the beginning of the video was referring to what they had after leaving with their original boat. Wow, I would have just made do with the original boat and let the money compound in the market.

Spending your entire savings on an old AL boat is crazy. Makes me think they probably have some backup funds down the line. Or just really optimistic about the future.

I hope they are not borrowing for this 200k CAT build.

Not sure, they listed their boat for just under $90K, not sure what it sold for. I'm less worried about the money and the new boat then I am about where they're going with their new boat.

As far as spending all of their money on the boat, I'm good with that part of it but it's interesting they sold it so fast.

[jtsailjt]

Originally Posted by Chili Palmer

Not sure, they listed their boat for just under $90K, not sure what it sold for. I'm less worried about the money and the new boat then I am about where they're going with their new boat.

As far as spending all of their money on the boat, I'm good with that part of it but it's interesting they sold it so fast.

I think the eventual buyer approached them about wanting a boat much like theirs even before they had decided to sell.

I’m with you on spending all their savings on a boat since it’s their only home. Lots of land dwellers spend all they’ve saved on just a down payment and then take out a few hundred thousand in loans. What they are doing is more conservative than that. They’re both young and able bodied, capable, and hard working so I see no reason to worry about them or their finances.

I expect the cat build process to be interesting to some but since they won’t be sailing for quite awhile I suspect they’ll lose some viewers. But others will follow them through the whole process. I agree with you that it’ll be interesting to see where they eventually sail off to next but we’re in for quite a wait to learn the answer to that question. But wherever they go, I enjoy their positive hands on approach to cruising and boat projects.