Everything You Always Wanted To Know
Joshua Smith
Founder and Editor at Cruising Freedom
This is the definitive guide about Sam Holmes for 2023.
Over the last 4 years, I have spent 75 hours watching and researching everything I could about Sam Holmes as a true fan of his channel.
Yes, I really am *that* obsessed with his single-handed adventures on the open ocean!
If you wanted to know:
➔ Why Sam became so popular on YouTube
➔ How he makes his money today
➔ What boat he has and its upgrades
➔ How you can start crossing oceans
So 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… 🙂
Cruising Freedom FAQs (April 2023)
Boat Name
His boat is called S/V Pickled Herring. His previous boat to that was called Swedish Fish.
His Hobie 16 doesn’t have a name currently.
Crew Members
Sam Holmes (age 30) from the United States
Sam’s Girlfriend
Sam Holmes doesn’t have a girlfriend at this time. He’s had a couple of short-term relationships during his time on YouTube.
The Boat
Sam owns a 1979 Cape Dory 28 which he paid $9,000 for. This vessel was previously called FellowShip II out of Vero Beach, Florida.
He later painted the hull blue in North Carolina.
It’s currently in Sweden and hauled out for the winter while he explores the United States and the Bahamas.
He recently moved on to a Bayfield 29ft.
Upgrades
Sam has undertaken a massive renovation and upgrades including:
➔ A new wind vane
➔ Replacing the aging solar system
➔ Replacing the self-tailing winches
➔ A unique open-source autopilot
➔ 3d Printed sail parts
Location
Sam is currently in Florida. He was previously in Sweden, and previous to this, the Bahamas where he was sailing with a Hobie 16 Catamaran and keeping things simple.
Past Cruising
Sam has explored mostly single-handedly in:
➔ The United States
➔ Hawaii
➔ Ireland
➔ Portugal
➔ Scotland
➔ Norway
➔ Sweden
Sam has done one crossing of the Pacific with a 23ft sailboat (his most popular video) plus one crossing of the Atlantic.
We can’t wait to see him come to Australia!
Affording It
Sam lived very lean with minimal expenses, no children and worked hard to fund his dreams.
Net Worth
YouTubers are typically wealthier than we assume.
As of 2023, Sam Holmes has a net worth of $270,000 USD. This is based on the value of his boat and online business.
Yet as we all know, money means very little to Sam.
Making Loot
Sam Holmes makes around $4,700 per month.
He makes his income via:
➔ Venmo donations
➔ Patreon subscriptions
➔ Cash app donations
➔ Paypal donations
➔ Amazon affiliate links
He’s certainly treating his YouTube channel like a real business and so he doesn’t need a conventional job.
Collaborations
Sam hasn’t collaborated with any famous sailing YouTubers as he has chosen to stay low-key.
However, he has sailed with Olivia Wyatt on her Panda 34 in Hawaii which had previously considered to be the beginnings of a romatic relationship.
Big Moments
Sam has some incredible moments in sailing:
➔ His #1 video about solo sailing across the Pacific earned him millions of views for its genuine appeal
➔ Sam has openly talked about his challenges with living without a large intestine while sailing
➔ Selling his boat and meeting a girl who has a boat
➔ Numerous low-cost and creative DIY projects
Future Plans
Sam is in Europe and will explore the Mediterranean this summer. From there, he’ll sail to Asia and towards Australia.
At the moment his yacht is on the hardstand in Sweden while he learns gliding in Europe. He’s also be sailing and exploring with a Hobie 16 trailerable catamaran.
Key Takeaways
Sam reminds us that we:
➔ Don’t need a million-dollar boat to go cruising
➔ Many audiences don’t like the glam and gloss
➔ Learn your boat well and all its devices
Conclusion
Sam is encapsulates raw, unpolished and passionate solo sailing for budget-friendly cruising. Many of us can relate more easily than luxury cruisers with their million-dollar floating condos.
Despite his worst moments, he still wears a smile. An infectious positive mental attitude to not let his challenges prevent him from seeing the world.
Create Your Own Cruising Freedom
Hey! 😃 it’s Joshua again…
I’ve been very inspired by Sam Holmes and his travels…
Some say I’m obsessed, but sailing the world is my childhood dream.
Sam’s 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…🙂)
