NanoCruising

Some sailors stumble into a community, and others create one. Eric Miller did the latter when he launched Raid Erie 2025 , a brand-new small boat event on the waters of Lake Erie in northern Ohio. Eric describes his local region as a “desert of small sailboats.” There weren’t many dinghy sailors around, but instead of giving up, he decided to build an oasis—a gathering that could draw out the hidden sailors and attract newcomers to the joys of small boat cruising. In this episode of the podcast, Eric shares: How he fell in love with sailing and why it has stuck with him. What sparked the idea to organize Raid Erie in a place not known for dinghy sailing. Behind-the-scenes of organizing the event —from planning to outreach to making it welcoming for all. The results of Raid Erie 2025 : who showed up, how it unfolded, and the sense of community it created. Attracting new generations of sailors , and why this matters for the future of small boat cruising. His future...

When you head out on a small-boat adventure, preparation can be the difference between smooth sailing and an unexpected headache. In this episode, Kelly Trafford shares his personal cruising checklist—a well-tested, real-world guide that covers everything from trailering your boat to anchoring for the night. We go through each section in detail—navigation, mooring, safety, galley, motor, dinghy, and more—sprinkled with stories, best practices, and a few hard-learned lessons from Kelly’s time on the water. This is a fun, practical conversation that’s perfect for sailors who want to cruise with confidence. And the best part? >>>   You can download Kelly’s checklist to use for your own trips right here  <<<

If you've ever sailed a Wayfarer—or even just admired one from shore—you’ll appreciate this episode’s guest: Matt Sharman . A lifelong devotee of this classic dinghy, Matt’s story begins with a family hand-me-down Wayfarer and turns into decades of cruising, teaching, and supporting the Wayfarer sailing community. Matt isn’t just a sailor—he’s also the force behind Aero Luff Spars , a company that produces one of the lightest and most compact foresail furling and reefing systems out there. It's a favorite among small boat sailors who want reliability without excess weight or complexity. We talk about how this innovation came to be and how it fits perfectly into the world of dinghy cruising. But it’s not all about gear. Matt shares: His early Wayfarer sailing experiences Memorable cruises and the joy of camping aboard How he introduces newcomers to the sport through lessons and outreach His support of the active Wayfarer Facebook community His reflections on mee...