Everything You Always Wanted To Know
Joshua Smith
Founder and Editor at Cruising Freedom
This is the definitive guide on SV Delos for 2023.
Since 2015, I have spent 200+ hours watching and researching everything I could about SV Delos as a HUGE FAN of their captivating YouTube channel.
(Indeed, I really am *that* obsessed with Brian, Karin and their expanding crew!)
If you wanted to know:
➔ How Brian and Karin afforded their boat
➔ How much they make on YouTube
➔ Who Brian’s ex-wife is (he actually had a divorce in his early days on YouTube)
➔ What boat is Delos and its upgrades
➔ How you can start crossing oceans
Then you’ve definitely come to the right place.
Before we start, a quick introduction from me…
The Cruising Freedom Author
Ahoy, Matey! I’m Joshua from Australia.
I’ve built the perfect business to sail the world.
A business model which can allow me to:
➜ Own a catamaran debt-free
➜ Go for weeks without WIFI
➜ Create semi-passive income
➜ Inspire others to dream big
But more on that later… 🙂
SV Delos FAQs (April 2023)
Boat Name
SV Delos
Crew Members
Brian Trautman (age 45)
Karin Syren (age 37)
Sierra Trautman (age 1)
Brady Trautman (age 38)
Alex Blue (age 37)
Lisa Hopf (age 34)
Elizabeth Earle (age 34)
Taylor Francis (age 27) entered Delos on Episode 327 but left in Episode 350. Some of you may recall Taylor as she was very popular on Sailing Doodles in years prior.
She runs her own channel called Taylor’s Travels.
They have had an additional 30+ other crew members over the past 10 years!
The Boat
SV Delos is a 2000 53′ Amel Super Maramu built in La Rochelle, France. Brian was the 2nd owner and paid roughly $375,000 USD in 2009.
Today it’s probably worth around $500,000 but given the fame surrounding the boat and its owner, Brian could easily get $700k for it!
Upgrades
Brian Trauntman has done many upgrades to SV Delos over the years, notibly:
➔ Washer and dryer combo
➔ Dishwasher
➔ Onan 8KW Generator
➔ A lithium battery bank to power induction cooktops, thereby completely removing propane
➔ Viasat internet router (on trial)
Location
SV Delos are in Mexico.
Past Cruising
SV Delos have sailed extensively over the past 11 years to the following destinations:
➔ The Pacific sailing the famous ‘Coconut Milk Run’
➔ Australia, sailing the east coast and Cocos Keeling
➔ Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines
➔ West Coast of Africa (to avoid Somalian pirates)
➔ India, Sri Lanka and the Andaman Islands
➔ South America including several countries
➔ The United States, Brian’s original departure
They have also flown to to Sweden to visit family along the way.
Affording It
Brian spent several years working as a computer programmer and saved/invested aggressively. In addition, he purchased SV Delos before the Global Financial Crisis where he was able to take on a boat loan at low interest rates.
From there, Brian, his first wife Erin and his brother Brady sailed from Washington all the way to New Zealand, where Erin and Brian divorced in 2010. She then departed back to the United States (taking Mishka their beloved cat back too), while SV Delos remained motionless in Australia for a year.
Erin Trautman since remarried, now known as Erin Russ and today has an 7-year old son and still sails.
Update: Erin is actually writing a book about her experiences on Delos. If you’re looking to find out more about the early days sailing from the United States to Australia, then it should be ready in late 2023.
Net Worth
Many people are surprised that YouTube cruisers are often multi-millionaires…
As of 2023, SV Delos net worth is estimated to be $2,700,000 USD before taxes.
This includes the value of the boat, their belongings (camera gear), business income and personal savings.
Brian retired early in life, owing a ton to the success of his captivating YouTube channel which has made millions.
Making Loot
In the early days, Brian worked remotely for his company part-time while the remainder of his crew took on normal jobs for the next sailing season.
Today, Brian and his crew on SV Delos make $17,500/month via:
➔ YouTube advertising revenue
➔ Affiliate links under their videos
➔ Their thousands of Patreons
➔ Selling SV Delos merchandise
➔ Links to life insurance quotes
Interestingly, SV Delos has no corporate sponsors making their content very unbiased.
Brian still does some programming and consulting, while Brady’s entire income stream is dependent on their YouTube channel.
Collaborations
SV Delos has collaborated with these YouTubers:
➔ The infamous Captain Fatty Goodlander
➔ SV Totem
➔ Bamba Maru
➔ Sailing Into Freedom (the lengendary Plukky!)
➔ David Shih (a good friend of mine now)
Most recently, they did a collaboration with Sailing Doodles
The entire sailing community is still awaiting a collaboration with Sailing La Vagabonde.
However, former Delos crew member Josje Leyton did spend a few weeks on Riley and Elayna’s boat a few years ago.
She has moved on and today goes by the name Josje Maxime but has been offline since April 2021.
Josje now lives in NZ and wishes to be left alone.
Big Moments
Remarkable moments in SV Delos history are:
➔ An attempted roberry in Episode 127
➔ Catching a thief in Madagascar
➔ Being circled by the US Coastguard
➔ Sailing in a 50-knot gale force storm
➔ Pulling a drunken sailor off the reef
➔ Multiple ocean crossings (Indian/Pacific/Equator)
➔ Cave diving and shark swimming with Sierra
➔ Getting kicked out in San Blas Islands
➔ Hitting reefs (making them true sailors!)
Future Plans
SV Delos plans to relax and do some easy kid-friendly sailing in South America and the United States.
They aren’t planning on buying a new boat in 2023, but if they did, it’s likely their next boat will be an Amel 60 with a 3-cabin layout.
Key Takeaways
SV Delos are the sailing gods of YouTube which remind us everyday that:
➔ Our world is a remarkably safe place
➔ Sailing around isn’t that expensive
➔ Our lives are an evolving journey
➔ We’re much closer than we think
➔ It might be time to let go of the baggage
Conclusion
SV Delos is an unbiased and raw look at the world of sustainable global cruising which appeals to the sailing community.
They’ve inspired many to change pathways and make every moment count, including myself. ✌️
Hopefully one day, Brian opens his own bar on a random island somewhere for all us cruisers to hang out!
Create Your Own Cruising Freedom
Hey! 😃 it’s Joshua again…
I’ve been very inspired by Delos and their travels…
Some say I’m obsessed, but sailing the world is my childhood dream.
They’re living the dream, but that dream isn’t actually that far away.
I mentioned earlier about discovering the #1 cruising business model.
With this exciting opportunity, I’ll be able to:
➜ Generate a sustainable full-time income through learning basic skills
➜ Fund the purchase of my first sailing catamaran without any loans
➜ Do it without selling to friends and family (I found a better solution!)
➜ Share my lifetime passion for sailing, cruising and global adventures
Keen to discover more? Jump on the free training right now. 👨🏻💻
(I share more about it on the next page…🙂)
