Everything You Always Wanted To Know
Joshua Smith
Founder and Editor at Cruising Freedom
This is the definitive guide on Sailing Avocet for 2023.
Over the last several years, I have spent many hours watching and researching everything I could about Sailing Avocet to learn more about their story.
(Yes, I really am *that* obsessed with Chris and Marissa 😃)
If you wanted to know:
➜ How Sailing Avocet afforded their boat
➜ How they make their money today
➜ What boat do they have and its upgrades
➜ Where they are planning to sail to next
➜ 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… 🙂
Sailing Avocet FAQs (April 2023)
Boat Name
S/V Avocet
Crew Members
Chris Neely (age 24)
Marissa Neely (age 25) who is a USCG licensed Captain and one of the youngest in the country.
The Boat
Sailing Avocet sails on their 1979 Cheoy Lee 41
They bought this as a project boat and have been working on it while living aboard since 2018.
Upgrades
They have touched every inch of this boat through projects and upgrades including (but not limited to) a mast rebuild, bulwark conversion, fridge rebuild, quarter berth remodel, head remodel, galley remodel, nav station remodel, dodger build, major haul out (linked here) lithium battery build, and more!
Location
They are currently in California and doing more boat work.
Past Cruising
They have mostly sailed in the Bahamas and United States.
Affording It
How did they afford their boat right after college? Well, they worked hard (60 hours/week) and saved a lot. By paying off their student loans and having a budget-friendly wedding, they were able to save enough for their simple yacht on the water.
Net Worth
Sailing Avocet has an estimated net worth of $370,000 as of 2023.
Making Loot
They might be a smaller channel but they do take YouTube seriously.
➜ They run ads on their channel
➜ They link out to Amazon via affiliate links
➜ They also receive a few dollars from Patreon
That said, YouTube isn’t their primary source of income and they don’t publish as much as other channels do.
Marissa owns a digital marketing firm called Fair Winds Media (100% remote agency and highly recommended!) while Chris works as a cinematographer.
Collaborations
I have seen them sailing with SV Prism (Chris’ older brother) who are slowly growing their YouTube channel. Avocent was also featured with David Shih (a friend of mine) and Expedition Evans at the Annapolis Boat Show recently.
Big Moments
They haven’t really experienced anything bad, controversial or disastrous in their few years on YouTube.
I highly respect that they’ve avoided all the click-bait drama that some other channels have. They simply focused on the boat work that had to be done.
Future Plans
Where to next? Right now they’re planning on leaving California and heading to Mexico, and fingers crossed they’ll tackle the South Pacific in 2023.
Key Takeaways
What can we learn from this young couple?
➜ Find the right partner to have by your side
➜ If you’re young, your career can wait
➜ Work towards common goals starting today
➜ Freedom is found by working remotely
Conclusion
I really like these smaller YouTubers who have a unique sailing vessel. They have leaned in to do as much boat work as they can, and have inspired many of us younger adults to get out there and explore the world!
Create Your Own Cruising Freedom
Hey! 😃 it’s Joshua again…
I’ve been very inspired by Sailing Avocet 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…🙂)
