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A seven-hour U-turn at the border, a raw water pump that turned engine oil to gray sludge, and a squall that flipped the wind from 15 knots to 35 in minutes—this catch-up with Lizzie and Billy is the kind of salty storytelling that turns lessons into confidence. We reconnect in La Paz to trace their route from Drake’s Bay down the California coast, through the Channel Islands’ magic mix of breeze and flat water, and along Baja’s remote anchorages where AA batteries can buy you fresh lobster.

We dig into the decisions that matter: how to time capes like Point Conception, when to tuck in as nor’westers pulse down the Mexican coast, and why reading multiple forecast models beats trusting a single number. They share the gear that changed their margin of safety—AIS, Starlink, an EPIRB now and a life raft next—and the small systems checks that prevent big headaches. When seawater invaded the oil, they diagnosed the raw water pump, rebuilt it with spares on board, and ran repeated oil flushes with a heavy-duty extractor to get back underway. It’s a masterclass in pragmatic seamanship.

Provisioning and community come alive in this stretch of the Sea of Cortez. We talk customs snafus, Ensenada check-ins that smooth the way, and the reality of importing boat parts into Baja. The cruiser network—from WhatsApp groups to radio checks—keeps people safe when the wind pipes up, the dinghy is small, and the anchorage gets bumpy. Looking ahead, they’re targeting a late-March window for the Pacific, aiming for a calmer ITCZ and safer trades en route to Nuku Hiva, then letting weather and wisdom shape an island-hopping path through French Polynesia and beyond.

If you love real-world sailing—weather routing, squall tactics, anchoring strategy, and the art of going slowly on purpose—you’ll feel right at home here. Tap play, subscribe for more bluewater stories, and share this with a friend who’s dreaming of that first crossing. Got a must-stop island between the Marquesas and Fiji? Tell us where you’d go next.

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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

SALTY PODCAST is LIVE every Wed at 6pm Central and is all about the love of sailing!
YOUTUBE PLAYLIST: https://tinyurl.com/SaltyPodcastPlaylist
Wanna create a Livestream?: Https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5430067749060608

GEAR FEATURED IN MY UPCOMING VIDEOS:
🛟 Boat Fenders → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S1PXKKR
⚓ Dock Lines → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BS4BNYR9
🧽 Exterior Cleaning Kit → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BL533KR7

Send us a text

What if your diesel’s lifespan is mostly in your control? We sit down with sailor and mechanic Vanessa Lindsley—who has hand‑cranked everything from classic Yanmars to race‑ready engines—to unpack the habits that keep a marine diesel reliable for thousands of hours. No fluff, just the precise routines that prevent glazing, carbon buildup, overheating, and charging headaches.

We compare diesel and gas under real cruising loads, then map out a practical RPM strategy: run low and steady, bump to max rated RPM briefly to clear the exhaust and injectors, and always warm up and cool down to protect bearings and seals. Vanessa explains how alternator sizing, belt profiles, and pulley alignment affect lithium charging, why a simple zap‑stop can save your diodes, and how a mismatched cog by a millimeter can shred belts at the worst moment. We dive deep on fuel: Racor bowl truth‑telling, algae control, when additives help, and how inline polishing keeps long‑range tanks clean. You’ll also hear how to read oil with a white paper towel to catch fuel dilution early and when to pop‑test injectors for spray pattern and pressure.

Cooling and hardware get the same treatment. Use the coolant your manufacturer specifies—color signals chemistry—and service heat exchangers before they clog. Choose pre‑formed hoses, carry vacuum‑sealed impellers that match your pump, and consider Johnson raw‑water pumps for easier service. On the drivetrain, we cover transmission checks, motor mount torque ratings, alignment with a feeler gauge, and the cheap orange drive saver that can protect your gearbox from pot lines and dock ropes. Planning a passage or a purchase? Pull oil and transmission samples; the three‑day lab report is inexpensive insurance.

If you want a diesel that starts when it matters, this conversation gives you a clear checklist: correct coolant, clean fuel, balanced charging, proper RPM under load, and the right spares on board. Subscribe for more hands‑on cruising advice, share with a sailor who loves their engine, and leave a review telling us your smartest maintenance habit.

Support the show

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

SALTY PODCAST is LIVE every Wed at 6pm Central and is all about the love of sailing!
YOUTUBE PLAYLIST: https://tinyurl.com/SaltyPodcastPlaylist
Wanna create a Livestream?: Https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5430067749060608

GEAR FEATURED IN MY UPCOMING VIDEOS:
🛟 Boat Fenders → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S1PXKKR
⚓ Dock Lines → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BS4BNYR9
🧽 Exterior Cleaning Kit → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BL533KR7

Send us a text

The sky stayed gray for most of 26 days and the wind rarely dropped below 30 knots. That’s the stage for Olivia Wyatt’s non-stop crossing straight from Sumatra to northern Madagascar—3,400 nautical miles on a 34-foot full-keel cutter, riding the edges of tropical depressions and threading the risk lines of the Mozambique Channel. We invited Olivia back to unpack the tactics, the fear, and the strange, luminous moments that carried her across the Indian Ocean.

We talk route design, including why she left early in the season and chose a direct line instead of the common island-hopping path. Olivia breaks down her “no motoring offshore” mindset, how long she waited for trade winds, and the day her weather router told her to turn south fast to slip under a wall of convection stretching from Madagascar to Sumatra. From there, it’s raw heavy-weather seamanship: two reefs holding in 40-plus, sleeping on the cabin sole, wrestling rainwater out of a sagging main, and deciding when one knot of progress with engine assist is better than heaving to in a nasty tide-against-current trap at Cape d’Ambre.

Safety is more than storm tactics on this route. Olivia shares what she’s learned about the piracy and crime risk zones in northern Mozambique, why governments advise staying 100–150 miles offshore, and how she handled a chase near Bazaruto by using steep seas to her advantage. We also look at practical prep that paid off: re-bedded deck-to-hull joint, reinforced mast step, rebuilt tanks, and new comms (VHF, handhelds, SSB). She’s now adding a third reef and wants a storm jib after weeks of big breeze and little sun. And yes, we even get into the haunted-boat lore—cabinets that open, lights that flash, and the Fijian ceremony that quieted it all.

If you’re planning an Indian Ocean crossing, curious about heavy-weather tactics on a small boat, or just love honest, unvarnished sea stories, this one delivers. Tap play, then tell us: would you take the straight shot or island-hop the trades? Subscribe, share with a sailing friend, and leave a review to help more mariners find the show.

Support the show

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

SALTY PODCAST is LIVE every Wed at 6pm Central and is all about the love of sailing!
YOUTUBE PLAYLIST: https://tinyurl.com/SaltyPodcastPlaylist
Wanna create a Livestream?: Https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5430067749060608

GEAR FEATURED IN MY UPCOMING VIDEOS:
🛟 Boat Fenders → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S1PXKKR
⚓ Dock Lines → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BS4BNYR9
🧽 Exterior Cleaning Kit → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BL533KR7

Send us a text

Salt air, guitar strings, and a catamaran that doubles as a tour bus—this conversation sails straight into the heart of Gulf Coast life. We sit down with Captain Matt, a charter captain turned songwriter who chose six knots over forty and found his voice again between sunrise watches and storm-tossed nights. From a generous offer on a 2002 Gemini 105MC to dockside concerts after Hurricane Helene upended plans, he shows how a boat can be both home and headline.

The journey is anything but tidy. A rogue gust shreds the mainsail like a zipper, buoys shift a hundred feet after a storm, and a night approach in Louisiana becomes a lesson in leadership under pressure. Matt talks candidly about keeping calm so your crew can, too, and how the slow cadence of sailing leaves room for writing—three to five songs on a good night—shaped by solitude, starlight, and the mental health valleys many listeners know well. We get two live originals, including Sail Away and a wink-filled ode sparked by a dinghy upgrade, and we explore the sound he’s carving: Gulf Coast Country, where Texas outlaw grit meets Florida sandbar ease and Louisiana rhythm.

We chart the next legs together: a Texas Gulf Coast run, the Freeport-to-Freeport plan from Texas to the Bahamas, and a bigger vision to make Galveston’s Strand a true music harbor, much like Key West once became for Trop Rock. Along the way are marinas that trade slips for songs, anchorages that become pop-up venues, and a community—his “boat crew”—that meets him at the pier like family. If a stage falls through, he’ll play the foredeck; if the weather turns, he trims for the ride and keeps the show on course.

If you love sailing stories, coastal country, and the grit it takes to turn a dream into a charted route, this one’s for you. Tap follow, share with a friend who needs a sea breeze and a chorus, and leave a review so more sailors and music lovers can find the show.

Support the show

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

SALTY PODCAST is LIVE every Wed at 6pm Central and is all about the love of sailing!
YOUTUBE PLAYLIST: https://tinyurl.com/SaltyPodcastPlaylist
Wanna create a Livestream?: Https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5430067749060608

GEAR FEATURED IN MY UPCOMING VIDEOS:
🛟 Boat Fenders → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S1PXKKR
⚓ Dock Lines → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BS4BNYR9
🧽 Exterior Cleaning Kit → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BL533KR7

Send us a text

Scroll below description for Chapter Markers

Tonight’s episode of The Salty Podcast is tailor-made for two types of sailors:
The Dreamers—the ones scrolling YachtWorld at midnight imagining bluewater passages… and
The Salty Veterans—those who’ve owned boats, love the lifestyle, but don’t necessarily want the responsibility of ownership again.

Captain Ryan of Sail Libra joins Cap’n Tinsley live from Marathon, Florida aboard Salty Abandon to share the REAL offshore experience his voyages offer—no boat ownership required. Ryan runs one of the most respected offshore training programs in the world, giving sailors the rare chance to complete true passages, learn heavy-weather seamanship, step into night watches, cross international borders, and build confidence miles from land.

In this in-depth, nearly 2-hour conversation, Ryan opens up about:

• His childhood beginnings on Alabama lakes
• Rebuilding and operating his 1969 Bill Tripp Jr.–designed ketch, Libra
• The kinds of sailors who come aboard — and who should
• Why offshore motion surprises so many first-timers
• How he teaches real-world seamanship (not textbook theory)
• The SCS philosophy: Safety • Comfort • Sailing
• Caribbean island-hopping vs. true ocean passages
• What it’s really like facing 50+ knots and 20–foot seas
• His favorite passages, scariest surprises, and many laugh-out-loud stories
• Why Sail Libra offers an experience you simply cannot get in a bay or harbor

Stick around after the long-form interview for a fun rapid-fire round—favorite foods, real-world advice, dream destinations, pirate deterrents (yes, really!), and the one thing every new offshore sailor should pack but almost no one does.

If you’ve ever dreamed of experiencing real ocean sailing—or wondered whether you’d love it before buying your own boat—this episode is the perfect deep dive.

Sail Libra Website: https://saillibra.com

Connect with Captain Ryan: @SailLibra on social media
Watch more episodes: https://saltyabandon.com/saltypodcastplaylist

SALTY ABANDON — Cap’n Tinsley
Live every Wednesday at 6 PM Central.

Salty Abandon out. 🌊⛵

00:00 – Welcome to The Salty Podcast
Capn Tinsley introduces tonight’s theme: offshore sailing for both dreamers and salty veterans.

01:10 – Meet Captain Ryan of Sail Libra
Ryan joins the show and reacts to the intro describing who sails with him.

02:02 – Who Sails with Sail Libra?
Ryan explains the two groups he sees onboard: former boat owners and newcomers exploring the lifestyle.

03:00 – Advice for New Sailors & Buying Your First Boat
Ryan shares how he helps guests decide if cruising is

Support the show

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

SALTY PODCAST is LIVE every Wed at 6pm Central and is all about the love of sailing!
YOUTUBE PLAYLIST: https://tinyurl.com/SaltyPodcastPlaylist
Wanna create a Livestream?: Https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5430067749060608

GEAR FEATURED IN MY UPCOMING VIDEOS:
🛟 Boat Fenders → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S1PXKKR
⚓ Dock Lines → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BS4BNYR9
🧽 Exterior Cleaning Kit → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BL533KR7

Send us a text

A quiet walk to the store turned into a life-changing moment—and a complete rethink of how we cruise. When Stephen was hit by a car during a shoreside errand, our family of five had to answer hard questions: How do we keep the dream alive without setting back his recovery? What gets upgraded, what gets cut, and what truly matters when health, teens, and time all collide?

We share the plan we landed on: stretch out our Bahamas months, then spend hurricane season still in one marina so physical therapy wins and motion doesn’t undo progress. That choice cascaded into unexpected moves—car shopping after five years without one to help our teens get licensed, and a wave of boat changes that make everyday life easier. Electric winches now hoist the dinghy, a folding wheel opened the cockpit, and a raised helm perch eased long days on the ICW. We replaced a leaky hot water heater with an 11‑gallon unit, traded our slow Spectra for a Seawater Pro that cranks 30–35 gph, and built a DIY hard bimini topped with nearly 1,800 watts of solar. The rule we live by: reduce strain first, then optimize for comfort.

We dive into sails and rigging choices for in‑mast furling, including why Dyneema‑reinforced cloth beats tropical laminates and how a trustworthy sail rep saved us thousands by spotting worn sheaves before we blamed the main. We talk real water numbers for a crew of five—about 40 gallons a day—and the small habits that make it work. We also get honest about teens aboard: how Georgetown’s community gets them up early to finish homeschool, how one daughter built a paid art and keychain business with vendor fulfillment, and how the oldest is eyeing the seafarers union for paid training and contract work at sea.

There’s the legal mess, too—insurance delays and medical bills that don’t care about weather windows—and the hacks that keep us moving anyway. A budget cockpit enclosure built from repurposed panels turned frigid runs into greenhouse‑warm passages, proving you don’t need perfect to make progress. If you’re weighing slower miles, better systems, and a season that fits your life, this conversation is your blueprint.

If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a cruising friend, and leave a review—what’s the one upgrade you’d make tomorrow to sail longer and feel better?

Support the show

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

SALTY PODCAST is LIVE every Wed at 6pm Central and is all about the love of sailing!
YOUTUBE PLAYLIST: https://tinyurl.com/SaltyPodcastPlaylist
Wanna create a Livestream?: Https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5430067749060608

GEAR FEATURED IN MY UPCOMING VIDEOS:
🛟 Boat Fenders → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S1PXKKR
⚓ Dock Lines → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BS4BNYR9
🧽 Exterior Cleaning Kit → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BL533KR7

Send us a text

Planning to sail from Miami to Georgetown without a single overnight? We lay out a proven, day-only route that respects winter weather, leverages the best anchorages, and removes guesswork from every leg. Think Biscayne Bay as your patient launchpad, South Bimini for an easy check-in, a smart pause on the Banks before Northwest Channel, and short, joyful hops all the way down the Exumas.

We start with a simple truth: the Gulf Stream rewards those who wait. Hawk Channel beats the skinny inside route for most boats, and Biscayne Bay offers a perfect rhythm—anchor off Dinner Key when it’s calm, duck to Boca Chita for frontal protection, and stage at No Name Harbor. With a clean window, cross to South Bimini’s protected basin and avoid the current-battered docks up north. From there, run the Banks by daylight, anchor off the rhumb line before Northwest Channel, then slip through at dawn toward West Bay, New Providence, and onward to Highbourne Cay.

Once in the Exumas, the sailing turns blissful: Highbourne to Shroud Cay’s mangrove river and ocean “slide,” a reservation-worthy stop in Warderick Wells for serious protection and scenery, Pig Beach at Big Major with fast dinghy runs to Staniel Cay’s supplies, and Black Point’s laundry, haircut, and legendary coconut bread. We share mooring tactics for strong currents, singlehander tricks for picking up a ball, and why “raging” cuts demand slack water or current-with-wind timing. The final push to Georgetown is a rewarding reach when you time your exit cut and entrance right; inside Elizabeth Harbour, use the moorings near Chat and Chill and consider shifting to the town side when south and west winds arrive. With a vibrant morning net, kid-run Saturdays, and easy side trips to Cat Island, Long Island, Rum Cay, and Conception, Georgetown becomes both a safe haven and a springboard.

Weather discipline holds the plan together. Expect fronts every 7 to 10 days, clocking winds and short periods of punchy west and northwest. Budget an hour each morning for forecasts, models, and routing choices. We lean on Marine Weather Center (Chris Parker) for conservative, cruiser-savvy guidance and combine it with tools like PredictWind and Windy. And a note on etiquette that pays dividends: tip dockhands fairly, protect park seabeds by taking moorings, and use island water with respect. Ready to chart your crossing? Follow, share with a sailor who needs a safer plan, and leave a review to help more cruisers find this route.

Support the show

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

SALTY PODCAST is LIVE every Wed at 6pm Central and is all about the love of sailing!
YOUTUBE PLAYLIST: https://tinyurl.com/SaltyPodcastPlaylist
Wanna create a Livestream?: Https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5430067749060608

GEAR FEATURED IN MY UPCOMING VIDEOS:
🛟 Boat Fenders → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S1PXKKR
⚓ Dock Lines → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BS4BNYR9
🧽 Exterior Cleaning Kit → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BL533KR7

Send us a text

A thousand miles from Hawaii, the chainplate ripped out and the mast went over the side. That sleepless night in the Transpac didn’t just test seamanship—it planted the seed for a weather platform that now helps a million sailors make safer choices at sea. Olympian and two‑time America’s Cup winner John Bilger joins us to share how a jury rig, a weatherfax, and a hard-earned finish turned into PredictWind’s mission to bring pro-grade forecasting to everyone.

We dig into what John learned running Alinghi’s Cup‑winning weather program: why multiple models beat gut feel, how high‑resolution data reveals local effects, and where new AI models are already outperforming traditional physics in short‑to‑medium range winds and rain. John explains AI polars that learn from your boat’s actual performance, motion simulation that flags roll, vertical acceleration, and slamming risk, and how those insights flow into routing that feels like Google Maps for passages. We also get practical about safety tech that matters offshore: over‑the‑horizon AIS with 300‑nm visibility, an anchor alert system that watches wind, depth, and shift while you’re ashore, and a forthcoming man‑overboard feature that turns a lost watch connection into an instant waypoint and alarm.

This conversation is part story, part field guide. You’ll hear about camper‑van regattas across Europe, a credit card read over SSB to hire a tug, and the high‑stakes America’s Cup call that flipped a race. More importantly, you’ll get a blueprint for using ensembles, CAPE for thunderstorm potential, and model agreement to reduce surprises—even in tricky zones like the Gulf of Mexico’s Big Bend. John’s closing advice is simple and actionable: start learning your tools months before departure and aim to avoid the first five days of bad weather entirely. If this helped you plan smarter passages, follow the show, share it with your crew, and leave a review so other sailors can find it too.

Support the show

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

SALTY PODCAST is LIVE every Wed at 6pm Central and is all about the love of sailing!
YOUTUBE PLAYLIST: https://tinyurl.com/SaltyPodcastPlaylist
Wanna create a Livestream?: Https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5430067749060608

GEAR FEATURED IN MY UPCOMING VIDEOS:
🛟 Boat Fenders → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S1PXKKR
⚓ Dock Lines → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BS4BNYR9
🧽 Exterior Cleaning Kit → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BL533KR7