In the latest episode of NanoCruising , we had the pleasure of speaking with Bruce Dyson-Smith, the man behind the intriguing YouTube channel Sailing Wayfinder . Bruce’s story is one of transformation, adventure, and a deep love for the sea. In his sailing journey he lived aboard a keelboat, but over time, he felt the pull towards the simplicity and intimacy of dinghy cruising. This shift led him to a whole new world of exploration, where every voyage is about the essentials—no frills, just the boat, the water, and the horizon. Bruce’s transition from keelboat to dinghy cruising is a fascinating one. He shares how the experience of offshore racing compares to the close-to-nature adventures of dinghy sailing. But the highlight of our conversation is Bruce’s ambitious and breathtaking cruise to the Great Barrier Reefs in Australia. This journey, which became his most-viewed video on YouTube, is a testament to his meticulous preparation, seamanship, and love for the ocean’s beauty. Throug...
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...