Sailing Zatara follows the Whitaker family’s life aboard. The channel brings together family routines, ocean passages and the practical demands of keeping a large cruising boat running.
In this article
The people behind Sailing Zatara
Keith Whitaker
Renee Whitaker
Anna Whitaker
Jack Whitaker
Finn Whitaker
Kate Whitaker
They have another older daughter (Tait Whitaker-Cargo, aged 26) who hasn’t sailed with the family as she is already married and with two children.
Interestingly enough, Jack Whitaker recently started his own YouTube channel, providing a unique insight into cruising as a teenager:
Jack is single but dated previously.
While Jack has his own channel, that pales in comparison to his younger brother Finn Whitaker (150,000 subscribers) who appeals to a younger audience:
And well, Finn just has better content over all! 😂
And no, Finn Whitaker does NOT have a girlfriend.
In his words “I think teenage romance is kinda stupid. You’re dating to break up basically unless you get married which is highly unlikely. So relationships don’t really work on a sailboat”
Both brothers have discussed personal finance. Neither Jack or Finn have made much money from their channels, apart from ads on their videos, but it’s probably around $700/month which is still better than most adults!
Family routines also feature in Sailing La Vagabonde and Sailing Nahoa, with different boats and children at different stages of life.
Boats and projects
This section covers boats and projects described in the channel’s history; it is not a current ownership register.
Sailing Zatara owns a 2009 Privilege 585 Catamaran with a 4-cabin layout.
Previously they owned a Beneteau 55-foot monohull which they later sold as it was a little too small and somewhat unsuited to crossing large oceans.
Fun fact: I was kayaking past the Mooloolaba marina recently and went past their old yacht on the dock!
Sailing Zatara have upgraded their catamaran with:
- Upgraded B&G electronics
- New Highfield Dinghy
- Movie projector for the kids
Journeys and notable episodes
Sailing Zatara has explored in:
- The United States
- The Caribbean
- The Bahamas
- The Marquesas and Fiji
- Australia and New Zealand
Their biggest crossing is the Pacific crossing making it their longest time at sea.
Sailing Zatara have featured with these other YouTube channels:
While they haven’t met in person, the Whitaker family has a good friendship with Sailing Nahao and they met David Shih at a recent boat show.
Fun fact: David is also a friend of mine.
They have also featured numerous other smaller channels and seek out other cruising families to keep the kids entertained while home-schooling.
Notable episodes
Sailing Zatara have had numerous cool moments:
- Coming across Lady Erel 2 stuck on a reef
- Being at sea for 30-days as a family of 4
- Having Anna leave the boat for college
- Keith getting into heated arguments with Australian government quarantine officials 😅
- Having Jack’s internet girlfriend on board
- Keith accidentally ran over Anna and she went to hospital
So the most dangerous that has happened…actually happened off the boat! I applaud them for avoiding the click-bait drama that other channels often create.
For background on passage lengths between Pacific stops, see our Pacific crossing guide.
Income and funding
Keith’s background in the oil industry is part of the family’s story before moving aboard.
The channel’s income cannot be established from views or subscriber counts alone. Advertising rates, audience support and commercial agreements vary, while filming, travel and boat expenses affect what is left after costs.
The earlier profile describes the following sources of revenue. These do not establish a verified monthly earnings total.
- Amazon affiliate links under their YouTube videos
- PayPal and Patreon donations from their audience
- $10/month membership to their Facebook group
- Sailing Zatara ‘Let It Flow Away’ merchandise
- Homeschool education for other sailing families
More to explore
Frequently asked questions
Which boat names feature in the story?
S/V Zatara
Which locations does the profile cover?
The journeys covered in this profile include Europe and the Somali coastline. These are locations from the channel’s earlier story, not a statement of its current position. Check the date of a creator’s update before using it to infer where they are now.
What is known about Sailing Zatara’s net worth?
This profile does not have verified financial records establishing a net-worth figure. Earlier estimates based on boat values, views or assumed business income were not supported by sufficient sourcing and have been removed. A vessel’s value alone does not establish its owner’s wealth.
