Everything You Always Wanted To Know
Joshua Smith
Founder and Editor at Cruising Freedom
This is the definitive guide on Sailing Nahao for 2023.
Over the last few years, I have spent 75 hours watching and researching everything I could about Sailing Nahao as their channel is so captivating.
Because I really am *that* obsessed with Ben and Ashley!
If you want to know:
➔ How Ben and Ashley afforded their boat
➔ How they make their money today
➔ What boat do they have and its upgrades
➔ How you can start crossing oceans
Then you’ve definitely come to the right place.
Many consider this site to be the Wikipedia of the YouTube cruising community.
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 Nahao FAQs (2024)
Boat Name
Sailing Nahao, previously named Marheva.
Crew Members
Ben Stobbart (age 40)
Ashley Stobbart (age 42)
Willa Stobbart (age 4)
Their son Bodhi Stobbart (age 2)
The Boat
Nahao is a 2005 Lagoon 410.
This often isn’t consider a blue water cruising catamaran as it’s best for the charter market.
And yet, Ben and Ashley have made it work for their cruising adventures.
Fellow YouTuber David Shih has a similar boat and is planning a world expedition with his young family too!
Upgrades
Nahao has had many upgrades:
➔ A Code Zero and Main Sail
➔ 1200w of solar panels + D400 mount
➔ 3000W Victron inverter
➔ Iridium Go + Antenna
➔ Badelf GPS puck + iPad for navigation
➔ New Dacron Sailbag which Ashley made herself
➔ New Hardtop custom-made by Just Catamarans
➔ 10ft Inflatable Dingy with 15hp outboard
This video explains some of their favorite gear:
Location
They are in Africa:
Past Cruising
Nahao has been sailed extensively to:
➔ North America
➔ Venezuela
➔ The Panama Canal
➔ Columbia
➔ The South Pacific (Coconut Milk Run)
➔ New Zealand
➔ Papua New Guinea
➔ Indonesia
Affording It
After the loss of Ashley’s father, Ben and Ashley worked hard, invested and sacrificed plenty for 7 years to afford their catamaran. The boat cost approximately $320,000 and required additional work to be cruiser-ready.
Net Worth
YouTube sailing channels are often multi-millionaires…
Here in 2024, Sailing Nahao has an estimated net worth of $1,900,000 USD. This is based on the value of their boat, online income and stock portfolio.
However, they hold very little available cash.
Making Loot
In 2023, Sailing Nahao makes money on YouTube with:
➔ YouTube advertising revenue
➔ Affiliate links on their website
➔ Patreon memberships (600+)
➔ Substack memberships (this is new!)
➔ Selling sailing fan merchandise
➔ Brand sponsorship with Precision Sail Loft, OceanRodeo, Steiner Optics and Brnkl
It’s estimated that Sailing Nahao makes $12,000/month which is enough to allow them to keep sailing.
They discuss how they make money in this episode:
Collaborations
Sailing Nahao hasn’t collaborated with any YouTube channels, however, they have a close connection with Sailing Zatara.
Big Moments
Sailing Nahao’s remarkable moments in cruising:
➔ A video on defending against pirate attacks
➔ Catching some seriously big fish while sailing
➔ Coming across a sinking catamaran on an Atoll
➔ Assisting with an amazing boat build in Indonesia
➔ Crashing into a rock after 4 years of cruising
➔ Being approached at sea while cruising
➔ Almost getting arrested in the Maldives
This is perhaps their scariest encounter where they were almost boarded in Seychelles:
Future Plans
Sailing Nahao are cruising Africa and will venture into Europe next year.
Key Takeaways
There is much we can learn from Ben and Ashley:
➔ Living on a catamaran is normal
➔ You can cruise and work remotely
➔ A production catamaran is still fine
➔ Affording a boat requires some sacrifice
➔ Work hard so you can live your dreams
Conclusion
In the wise words of Ben and Ashley: Never grow up.
I look forward to seeing their adventure continue with their two children too. This would be the ultimate #worldschooling experience.
Create Your Own Cruising Freedom
Hey! 😃 it’s Joshua again…
I’ve been very inspired by [Channel Name] 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…🙂)
