Sailing YouTubers, Are They Real Sailors?

In the digital age, the entire world is at your fingertips. Where once you had to reach for the pages to amass knowledge, now ones and zeros reign supreme. While some industries take longer getting jacked in than others, no industry is left behind in the digital age. Much like their fellow water sports, sailing is no rookie to the age of technology. Though, competition isn’t the only thing that exists in the world of sailing, it’s a world of adventure, exploration, and relaxation. With that world comes content creators wishing to make a living showcasing their adventures, antics, and skills traversing the world in their sailboats. As with any content creator in the modern age, people start to wonder if what they do is valid. Are sailing youtuber’s real sailors? Just like their fellow content creators, they are valid, necessary, and ahead of the curve. 

In any world, you have a purest. Those who feel that there is only a single way to do something. In filmmaking, it’s those who believe that if you aren’t working with physical film, you can’t call yourself a filmmaker. In the world of sailing, many feel that real sailors don’t need to record themselves and share it online. That if they were a true sailor, they would just take the water in their boat, and that would be the end of it. But, like any other human being, people have multiple passions. Many of these sailors who document their antics, genuinely love what they are doing. They have found a passion in the art of filmmaking that truly brings them joy. Add to the fact that they are now able to be paid for that, it makes sense why they would choose to continue it. That alone makes what they do valid. On a more technical note, many of them have traversed the world, crossed multiple oceans on their boats, so that alone makes them a sailor. A sailor with thousands of nautical miles under their belt mind you. But, if we must continue to argue in their stead, we can look back to the age of exploration. Sailing has always been tied to exploration and adventure, which then lead directly to documentation. In the olden days, captains and navigators would document their journeys and share them with the world. What these sailors are doing in the modern world is no different. They too are documenting their journeys for the world to see, and enjoy. Arguably, it’s probably a lot less dry than the tales of Magellan. So, I say keep on keeping on.

Not to toot my own horn, but last week I wrote a well thought out piece on why now is the perfect time for the younger generation to get into sailing. It was compelling, and well argued if I do say so myself. This is why I believe that sailing youtubers like Sailing La Vagabonde and Sailing Uma are necessary. People of the modern age use technology to reach out to the world and discover new things. Whether they do it via social media, yelp, or by finding how to videos, the digital world is the first place they always check. Not friends or family or the good old encyclopedia, it’s their smartphone. So, while people may feel that these youtubers aren’t valid or real, they are the best PR in the world for the sailing industry. If you read my post, you would know that in the UK the average age of a cruiser is 50. Which doesn’t mirror the average age of humanity, which is closer to 30. But, these youtubers are introducing a younger generation of people to the world of sailing, in a place where they will actually find it, on YouTube. If you think that this is false and an oversimplification of it all, look no further than me, Jake of Sailing Ixion. Sailing YouTubers are the reason I am here today, writing this blog, and sharing our adventures with all of you. Nick may have always wanted to do it, but Dan and Kika from Sailing Uma sold me on this life. So, I would push for more Youtubers to reach the top of the ranks, because it’s the PR this industry needs to bring in some fresh new faces. 

Democratization of the industry is a phrase that has been brought up a lot in recent years. With the advent of things such as Patreon and OnlyFans, content creators have democratized the creator industry. Once upon a time, the only way to break into a creative film industry was to travel to Hollywood and pray for the best. Now, that is no longer true. Anyone, anywhere in the world, can make a living creating content for those who choose to enjoy it. With platforms like Patreon and OnlyFans rising in the ranks, more and more people are flocking to content creators to entertain them in whatever way they wish to be entertained. Granted, in the United States, it’s still not that simple. What a lot of people believe, hence the reason for this article, is that these content creators are lazy bums, trust fund babies, or just no talent hacks who can’t do anything else. For some reason, people here believe that unless you’re one of the top brass in your art industry, it’s not a valid career path. For example, as a filmmaker many people believe that my decision down this path was impractical or not a valid job. Even though I was able to support myself, and sometimes make more than them, it’s still not seen as valid. The same can be said for the sailing youtubers and content creators in general. People in this country don’t see it as a viable career path until you are making an obscene amount of money, which can sometimes be difficult without the world of Patreon. But, that opinion aside, it has made it possible to accomplish. Most of what you see online is free for you to partake in. Meaning, these creators don’t get paid to physically create it. They do it because they love to do it. So, by supporting them on Patreon and OnlyFans, you allow them to continue making their art, putting it out there for free, and continuing to entertain you. You may think that supporting them on Patreon is silly and not worth it, but would you say the same about Netflix or Hulu creators? No, you wouldn’t. You believe they should be paid for their work. Content creators are no different than the big wigs, they just do it on their own without the big money behind them. That’s why these sailing youtubers are ahead of the curve. They began doing this before content creation became a huge viable career path. They took the leap because it was their passion, and they shared their exciting journey with all of us. We fell in love with them, and supported them. We should do the same for those that follow in their footsteps. Those who hope to one day be the next Sailing Uma, Delos, or Sailing LaVagabonde. 

You may not think what they do is valid, but that doesn’t make it true. There are millions out there who do, and enjoy it. Without them, the sailing world would be a duller place without the flashy graphics they offer us weekly on YouTube. They have impacted this sailing world in a big way, and are the ones to thank for my presence here. So support them, show them your love, and on occasion your money. They have earned it, and will continue to do so as they continue to entertain us week after week.

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