One of the best things about the sailing community is how social it is. Everywhere you go, one sailor is more than happy to exchange a story with another; whether it be a story about an amazing spot they anchored at or an engine problem en route to a destination.
To compliment the social nature of sailors, there are many sailing Instagram accounts all over the platform. As my husband and I have been restoring our sailboat to sail the world, we have been sharing our progress through our own sailing Instagram @lifeneverlands and have loved the online friendship with others it has brought us. We’ve asked our followers questions and got answers, been inspired by the progress we’ve seen others make, and have shared what we’ve learned during our various projects in return. As we work on our to make our own dreams come true, it’s been fun and encouraging to follow other sailing Instagram accounts of those who are either already along on their journey to sail the world, or like us, are just beginning.
Lily Bingham @boatsboardsandbabies
Sailing + cute kiddos = Instagram success and Lily’s sailing Instagram really deserves all the success it has had. One of the things I love about following Lily’s account is just how obvious it is how much she loves her family and her honest commentary about the joys and pains that come with having kids and babies on board.
Ryan, Kelsey & Roo @abandoncomfort
They have a little bit of it all – the sailing lifestyle, the boat work, and even the how-we-make-this-possible financially info. It’s always refreshing to see the whole picture of what goes into sailing the world, not just snapshots, and Ryan and Kelsey do a great job at showing just that. Bonus points go to them since they also happen to have an Australian Shepherd Mini named Roo that looks just like our own dog Kai.
Jill Kraz @jill_kraz
One reason I love this sailing Instagram is because I love Jill’s approach to life. Jill and her boyfriend Ryan became friends of ours when we were both living in Annapolis, Maryland on our sailboats. They currently live aboard and charter a catamaran in the Caribbean with @whitehousecharters. If you love the idea of doing yoga on the bow of a boat or fresh squeezed passion fruit margaritas, then you’ll love following Jill.
Kayleen VanderRee @fromsnowtosail
Great sailing accounts aren’t only found in Caribbean or Mediterranean waters. Kayleen lives in Vancouver, BC and posts about all adventures from sea level on up, including to the peaks of snow-capped mountains. Whether it’s sailing, surfing, or anything on the snow, you can always count on great photography of an even greater adventure.
Scotsman @dooventures
Scotsman is one of the men behind the wonderfully cinematic Sea Change YouTube videos, and he’s sailing around the world “at the proper pace” as he claims in his Instagram description. The combination of fantastic photography and interesting places they go and the people they meet there makes his sailing Instagram one of my favorites. I especially admire his intentionality to interact with locals wherever they are and really enjoy the stories he shares about them.
Dan & Kika @sailinguma
In my eyes, Dan and Kika have done this whole sailing thing the right way and with the right attitude. They didn’t purchase a boat that had all the bells and whistles; they got one that needed WORK. Their sailing Instagram was one of the first ones I came across as our dream to sail the world began taking shape. At the time, their boat Uma was entirely gutted and they were putting in the sweat equity with smiles on their faces. Fast forward and now they’re reaping the benefits of that hard work (with the occasional project) as they sail around the Caribbean from one great destination to another.
Suzanne – Ocean Nomad @oceanpreneur
Someone with a true passion for adventure and excitement, Suzanne’s posts always leave me wanting to get out on the water and sail – which is exactly her goal! She sailboat-hitchhiked across the globe, wrote a book about her adventures, and is now on a mission to connect people to the ocean through various entrepreneurial efforts.
Lauren & Kirk @sailingsoulianis
Relatively new to the whole sailing and living-on-a-boat thing, Lauren and Kirk have brought us all along for the ride since they moved aboard in the summer of 2017. Both their posts and their YouTube videos are filled with the honest truth of the joys and hardships that come with sailing long-term. If you’re wondering what a first year done right looks like, look no further than at these two.
Sailing Instagram accounts that look a lot like boat work
Tips from a Shipwright @tipsfromashipwright
The perfect account to geek out on all things boat building-related, specifically wooden boats! Featuring the beloved shipwright Louis Sauzedde, any tips or advice you pick up when following this account are as professional as they come. A true tradesman, he also has a very popular YouTube channel (that you should also check out) covering all kinds of topics all the way from building a wooden boat from the ground up to how to sharpen your tools.
Adams Boat Care @adamsboatcare_bo
Adams Boat Care operates out of Sweden, providing custom refits for older classic boats. I absolutely love the photos they post of the progress and completion of the work done at their shop. A lot of it is work we’re either currently doing or will need to do to our own (like the inevitable teak deck project…) so I often find it a combination of inspiring and daunting to follow along with their projects. With all the shotty shipyards out there, it’s nice to know there’s still good guys around doing work the right way.
Leo Sampson Goolden @sampsonboatco
Much like Tips from a Shipwright, the Sampson Boat Co. also has a very well informed and popular YouTube channel to supplement their Instagram account. They’re currently working to restore Tally Ho, a 1910 Gaff Cutter with English roots. Leo Sampson Goolden, the man behind the project, is a Boatbuilder, Sailor and Writer from Bristol, England, and is currently in Oregon, USA where he is restoring Tally Ho. One of my favorite things about his account is that Leo is fairly young and represents a new generation of Boatbuilders who are rising up to preserve the history of the trade.
Eric Levi @sonofaboat
We came across this account when Eric had just posted the walkthrough of his home, a West Sail 32’, that he had just completed some serious work on. He’s turned it into a cozy oasis and even went the extra mile to add charm with things like his custom bronze sink that he made starting with a square 12” piece of copper. My husband summed up quite well how we feel about Eric’s account in his message after looking through his sailing Instagram, “I think you and I are going to become best friends.”
Bonus account for laughs and maybe tears
The Qualified Captain @thequalifiedcaptain
Just when something happens that makes me feel like I don’t know a thing about what I’m doing, this account helps me remember just how far I’ve come. Mike posts all things bad boating-related and EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. it’s both hilarious and painful to see all at once leading to many ‘smh’ moments. Though this isn’t necessarily a sailing Instagram, I’d be doing you a disservice not to share it.
