The Race to Alaska has built a reputation as one of the most unusual endurance races in the sailing world. Roughly 700 miles long, the race runs from Washington State to Alaska — and comes with one simple rule: no engines allowed . Boats can sail, paddle, pedal, or improvise their way north, but mechanical propulsion is off the table. That constraint changes everything. A 20-Foot Catamaran and a Big Challenge In this episode of the NanoCruising Podcast, I sit down with Jeff Williams , who, along with teammate Mike VanHoy, will be competing in the race as Team Snowflakes . Their vessel is a Marstrom Tornado , a high-performance 20-foot catamaran designed for speed rather than comfort. There’s no cabin. No heater. Very little between the sailors and the water. It’s a minimalist platform for a very serious challenge. When Speed Meets Endurance A boat like a Tornado can fly when conditions are right, but the Race to Alaska is rarely straightforward. The course demands adaptability as much...
If you enjoyed Part 1 of our conversation with legendary boat designer John Welsford , you’re going to love what’s in store for Part 2. In this episode, John takes us further into his world of small boat innovation and adventure. We kick things off with a look at the new 7-meter ocean-going boat he’s currently designing—something he hasn’t talked much about publicly until now. It’s a boat meant to cross oceans with confidence, while still staying true to Welsford’s core design philosophy: safety, practicality, simplicity, and real-world performance. From there, we dig into the story behind his new design “Scallywag,” which was born out of a desire for a microcruiser like the SCAMP—but with accommodations for longer journeys and sleep-aboard comfort. It’s a design many have been waiting for, and it reflects the continued evolution of small cruising sailboats. John also shares some fantastic anecdotes about his designs out in the wild. We hear about a SCAMP in Tierra del Fuego , and...