Everything You Always Wanted To Know
Joshua Smith
Founder and Editor at Cruising Freedom
This is the definitive guide on Sailing Dawn Hunters for 2023.
Over the last few years, I have spent around 17 hours watching and researching everything I could about William and Iana to learn more about their story.
(Yes, I really am *that* obsessed with their channel, Sailing Dawn Hunters 😃)
If you wanted to know:
➜ How Sailing Dawn Hunters afforded their steel yacht
➜ Exactly how they make their money today
➜ What boat do they have and its upgrades
➜ Their age differences and more about Iana
➜ How you can start crossing oceans too
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 Dawn Hunters FAQs (April 2023)
Boat Name
S/V Dawn Hunters
Crew Members
The Sailing Dawn Hunters cast are:
William (56) from the United States
Iana (27) originally from Russia
They have been married for 4 years, and yes, they are 30 years apart in age!
The Boat
Dawn Hunters have a 1985 De Vries 45′ steel motor sailor and also had a 1984 Jefferson motor yacht. Some call it a frigate because of how strong and powerful it is!
Upgrades
There have been a ton of upgrades:
➜ Pulpit for the anchor and furling
➜ 3 different types of anchors (150lbs, 75lbs and 80lbs)
➜ Twin lifting frames (Davits) that double as booms
➜ They also retrofitted the interior extensively, but it’s a work in progress
Location
They are currently in The Bahamas.
Did their boat sink? I do check their channel often and still haven’t found anything new. If you have more information, please let me know.
Affording It
William worked for decades as an engineer on offshore oil rigs and mines in Africa. He saved up a ton and was able to buy his steel yacht for cash.
Iana was a dentist, author and photographer and was looking for a way to continue living nomadically.
Net Worth
Most cruisers are millionaires, but not this couple.
As of 2023, Sailing Dawn Hunters have a net worth of $570,000 US dollars.
This is based on the value of their boat and William’s retirement account. Still, you don’t have to be wealthy to see the world via sailboat.
Making Loot
Despite not really trying, they do make $1,700/month on YouTube via:
➜ Patreon and PayPal subscriptions
➜ Selling their own merchandise
➜ Running YouTube advertising (although they did get de-monetized for breaching community guidelines)
➜ Affiliate links in their description
They have a smaller channel and so the revenue isn’t as high as others.
Iana has just started her own jewelry boutique (Jewls and Times) which features some incredible nautical jewelry. If you want to support their channel, then I definitely recommend buying a piece or two. 😊
Collaborations
Have you seen Sailing Dawn Hunters on any other channels? If you do, please reach out and I’ll update this article. I do see a lot of synergy between them and Free Range Sailing.
Big Moments
Some experiences they’ve experienced include:
➜ Doing a Mayday call
➜ Getting caught in storm seas
➜ Suffering a shark attack
➜ Experiencing a fire on board
Future Plans
They are into their next season and provide some guidance about their lives and the future of their channel in this video:
Key Takeaways
What can we learn from these YouTubers?
➜ You can definitely sail with a steel yacht
➜ Don’t be afraid to take on big projects
➜ If you catch a mermaid, don’t let her go 😎
William is certainly one lucky guy!
Conclusion
I have thoroughly enjoyed their boat build and can’t wait to see them uploading videos once again!
Create Your Own Cruising Freedom
Hey! 😃 it’s Joshua again…
Clearly I’ve been very inspired by Sailing Dawn Hunters 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.
And William certainly has caught himself a beautiful mermaid!
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…🙂)
