Everything You Always Wanted To Know
Joshua Smith
Founder and Editor at Cruising Freedom
This is the definitive guide to The O’Kelly’s for 2023.
Over the last 3 years, I have spent so many hours watching and researching everything I could about S/V Clarity as their channel is so helpful.
And yes, I really do love Nick and Megan’s funny side!
In this article, you’ll discover:
➔ How Nick and Megan afforded their 4th boat
➔ How they make their money while cruising
➔ What boat they have and its current upgrades
➔ How you can start crossing oceans just like them
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… 🙂
The O’Kelly’s FAQs (April 2023)
Boat Name
Clarity
Crew Members
Nick O’Kelly (age 48)
Megan O’Kelly (age 49)
The Boat
The O’Kelly’s from YouTube were sailing a 2009 Leopard 46 fitted out in the 4-cabin charter version. This is their first catamaran and they had owned 3 yachts previously.
Clarity has just been sold after being for sale for 4 weeks. They are in the market for a new boat.
Upgrades
To make Clarity capable of crossing oceans, Nick and Megan have outfitted her with:
➔ 9KW Northern Lights Genset
➔ 900AH of Relion lithium batteries
➔ 2400watts of solar panels (the highest I’ve seen)
➔ AIS Class B and Radar
➔ Spectra Newport 400 Watermaker
➔ Rocna 33kg Vulcan anchor (very popular)
➔ Spinnaker, Genoa and Code Zero
➔ Sewing room and salon
➔ Highfield RIB dingy with 30hp outboard
➔ Sat phone and new EPIRB
➔ 3 Cruiseair airconditioners (needs a genset running)
Location
The O’Kelly’s are currently sailing in Australia.
They are trying to acquire their next boat while dealing with Megan’s skin cancer diagnosis.
Past Cruising
Onboard Clarity, The O’Kelly’s have explored in:
➔ The Bahamas
➔ Panama
➔ The South Pacific
➔ United States
Affording It
Nick and Megan don’t have kids and worked hard while saving/investing to make their dream happen. Their previous boat cost them around $520,000.
Net Worth
YouTube cruisers are often millionaires…
As of 2023, the O’Kelly’s have a net worth of $1,700,0000 USD.
This is based upon the value of their catamaran, stock portfolio and online business.
Making Loot
In 2023, the O’Kelly’s make their money from:
➔ Stock market trading
➔ Sales of Nick’s audiobooks
➔ YouTube ad revenue
➔ 1-hour consulting calls
➔ Affiliate links to Squarespace & Amazon
➔ Their Patreon members
➔ Brand sponsorships such as Athletic Greens
It’s estimated that the O’Kelly’s YouTube channel makes $12,000 per month sailing and producing videos.
They still put in 20 to 30 hours per week on content creation, so it isn’t as glamorous as you see on YouTube.
Collaborations
Despite how outgoing they are, the O’Kelly’s have not collaborated with any other cruising YouTube channels at this stage.
Big Moments
Some cool moments in The O’Kelly’s journey:
➔ Having a snake sliver onboard their catamaran
➔ Sailing very close to a hurricane with 40-knots
➔ Many comical videos about the reality of sailing
Future Plans
It’s unclear what they’re doing now. After all, they have been ‘boat shopping’ for months on YouTube!
That uncertainty has made their channel stagnate a little!
Key Takeaways
Things we can learn from Nick and Megan are:
➔ Buy the right boat for you and your needs
➔ Avoid crowded anchorages and tourist spots
➔ Stay fit cruising to avoid weight gains/injuries
➔ Do your research years before setting off
➔ Don’t take everything in life so seriously
Conclusion
Nick and Megan are an oddity in the sailing community with their humourous style. Their educational videos are extremely valuable and have inspired thousands of couples to plan their escape from the daily grind.
So with that, I hope you’re just as inspired by Nick and Megan as I am. They make the dream real. 👍
Create Your Own Cruising Freedom
Hey! 😃 it’s Joshua again…
I’ve been very inspired by Nick, Megan 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…🙂)
