Everything You Always Wanted To Know
Joshua Smith
Founder and Editor at Cruising Freedom
This is the definitive guide on Sailing Learning By Doing for 2023.
Over the last 2 years, I have spent 2 hours watching and researching everything I could about Sailing Learning By Doing to learn more about their story.
(Yes, I really am *that* obsessed with my small-time cruisers 😃)
If you wanted to know:
➜ How Sailing Learning By Doing afforded their boat
➜ How they make their money today
➜ What boat do they have and its upgrades
➜ Who Marie is and how old is she
➜ 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 Learning By Doing FAQs (April 2023)
Boat Name
S/V Schiehallion
Crew Members
Vernon James Deck (age 35)
Marie-Morgane from France (age 29)
The Boat
Sailing Learning By Doing sails a custom-built 37-foot-long yacht which is very different compared to factory-built production vessels. Allyacht Spars Australia did the design.
It was built in Brisbane by older sailing enthusiasts by RQYS Manly and is pretty light compared to other boats of the same length and beam. Its bottom is significantly flatter than most other yachts too which makes it seriously fast.
The boat was designed for racing rather than cruising, but that works as a true benefit. Vernon can get to his anchorages significantly faster than others, while also being able to avoid storms by sailing faster.
Upgrades
Vernon has upgraded his boat with:
➜ Mantus anchor with 60m chain 100m nylon rope.
➜ New jib and genoa, plus 2 spinnaker poles
He has a fridge and freezer onboard unlike others.
Location
They are currently on the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia.
Past Cruising
Vernon has explored:
➜ SE Asia including Indonesia and the Solomon Islands
➜ Australia (his Whitsunday video went viral with 5m+ views!)
Affording It
Vernon wasn’t rich but did save up as much as he could, much like Riley from Sailing La Vagabonde.
Net Worth
Vernon Deck and his girlfriend from Sailing Learning By Doing is worth $320,000.
Making Loot
Vernon and Marie-Morgane make $2,700/month with:
➜ Donations via PayPal and Patreon
➜ Selling merchandise on Teespring
➜ Referrals to watersports brands
➜ Running ads on his channel
He hasn’t monetized his channel as much as he could, but he does pay his living expenses reasonably easily.
Collaborations
Vernon hasn’t really collaborated with other YouTubers. Most of his cruising grounds have been quite remote.
Big Moments
Some epic moments in his channels include:
➜ Encountering a live volcano
➜ Swimming with sharks more than once
➜ Helping school kids in Indonesia
➜ Crashing his drone on a cliff
He hasn’t created any click-bait content or created drama as other channels do, as they’re simply trying to get more views rather than help people.
Vernon is simply as authentic as they come and gains a lot of respect from the cruising community.
Future Plans
He is looking to sail back to New Zealand, but he’ll probably sail around Australia first. He’ll probably be much faster than the typical 12-months that most people take.
Key Takeaways
What can we learn from Vernon and his wonderful partner?
➜ Don’t leave your boat in a marina
➜ You can certainly sail short-handed
➜ Buy a race boat to see more in less time
➜ Find a beautiful woman to join you
And of course, make the most of your younger years!
Conclusion
I’ve really enjoyed Vernon’s channel. Simple, lower key and refreshing. I can’t wait to see him explore Australia!
In the meantime…
Create Your Own Cruising Freedom
Hey! 😃 it’s Joshua again…
I’ve been very inspired by Sailing Learning By Doing and their travels…
Some say I’m obsessed, but sailing the world is my childhood dream.
Vernon is 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…🙂)
