🚣‍♂️ Voyaging Far in a Tiny Boat: A Conversation with Stephen Ladd

What happens when you take a 12-foot boat and set off on a journey that spans continents, rivers, and years of your life?

This week on the podcast, I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Stephen Ladd, one of the most accomplished and quietly legendary figures in the world of minimalist voyaging. His books Three Years in a 12-Foot Boat and The Five-Year Voyage have become cult classics among small boat adventurers — not just for their incredible scope, but for the raw honesty, humor, and insight they offer into life on the margins of modern travel.

In our conversation, Stephen takes us back to the beginning: designing Squeak, his 12-foot microcruiser, and setting out alone to discover how far one man can go with a tiny boat and a big idea. We talk about wild rivers, calm anchorages, violent storms, and everything in between — and how these extreme experiences forged both skill and resilience. We also discuss The Five-Year Voyage, which he undertook with his partner Ginny, covering thousands more miles and adding new layers of challenge, beauty, and human connection.

Along the way, Stephen shares:

Why small boats can be safer and more versatile than you think
How to live long-term in a space smaller than most bathtubs
The emotional and philosophical rewards of slow travel
Stories of kindness and danger in remote corners of the Americas
Thoughts on his upcoming new book, The Adventurer’s Guide

If you’ve ever been curious about the limits (or lack thereof) of NanoCruising, this episode is a must-listen. Stephen’s adventures are not only inspiring—they’re deeply human.

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Seas Your Own Adventure 🌊⛵

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