What We’re Watching
YouTube: Western Flyer Foundation
The 77-foot Western Flyer, built in Tacoma, Washington in 1937 as a purse-seiner for sardine fishing, is a vessel with a storied past and a future carefully being restored. Most famously, the boat served as the floating base for author John Steinbeck and marine biologist Ed Ricketts during their 1940 expedition into the Gulf of California. That voyage became the basis for Steinbeck’s book The Log from the Sea of Cortez, a work that continues to draw readers interested in marine science, natural history and literary travel.
Like many working boats of its era, Western Flyer eventually fell into disrepair. Today, the Western Flyer Foundation is leading a comprehensive restoration at the Port Townsend Shipwrights Co-Op, and the process is being documented on the foundation’s YouTube channel. The restoration series offers an immersive look at traditional wooden boatbuilding techniques and modern conservation practices. As of now, there are 15 episodes covering key stages of the rebuild: steam-bending frames, sourcing appropriate lumber, shaping and fitting timbers, and fabricating the vessel’s backbone. The channel serves as both an archive of the restoration and a resource for anyone interested in ship restoration, maritime history, and hands-on craftsmanship.
The footage and commentary make the restoration accessible to viewers with varying levels of nautical knowledge—whether you’re a professional shipwright, an amateur restorer, or someone who simply loves maritime stories. In addition to the technical work, the series highlights the vessel’s cultural significance and the challenges of returning a historical boat to seaworthy condition while preserving its character. For anyone researching classic wooden vessels, restoration techniques, or maritime preservation projects, the Western Flyer Foundation’s documentation is a valuable, SEO-friendly resource that combines visual storytelling with detailed, practical insight.
More salty reads
Road Less Traveled
Cruising sailors Glen and Julie Bradley have made a life of exploring remote islands, primitive villages and unconventional cruising grounds. In Julie Bradley’s recent book, Crossing Pirate Waters, she recounts the couple’s extended cruising in the Mediterranean, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, as well as stops across the South Pacific. The narrative opens in the South Pacific and follows the couple as geopolitical tensions intensify, eventually steering them toward the challenging passages of the Indian Ocean, Gulf of Aden and Red Sea.
Crossing Pirate Waters blends practical cruising experience with travel writing, chronicling encounters with cultural friction, unexpected crises and the everyday problem-solving required when living aboard a cruising yacht. The Bradleys’ observations are pitched to fellow cruisers and adventurous readers who seek honest accounts of long-distance passages, security considerations in volatile regions, and the emotional realities of extended life at sea. The book is published by Close Reach Publishing and is priced at $15.
Wicked Waters
Author Marlin Bree’s new collection, Bold Sea Stories, gathers 21 true accounts of storms, shipwrecks and survival at sea. The anthology spans coastal and oceanic settings, offering adrenaline-filled narratives alongside thoughtful reflections on human resilience when conditions turn dire. Stories range from brutal storms on the Great Lakes to extreme small-boat crossings and encounters with violent weather in open ocean passages.
Bree presents each episode in a clear, readable style that accommodates sailors and non-sailors alike, making technical situations understandable without oversimplifying the peril. Examples in the book include a harrowing storm on Lake Superior, a daring Pacific crossing in a homemade 10-foot boat, and survival in 100-knot winds aboard a small sailboat—each illustrating different aspects of seamanship, preparation and the psychology of crisis. Bold Sea Stories is available from Marlor Press for $15 and is suited to readers interested in sailing, maritime history, and real-life adventure narratives.
Galley Confidential
For practical onboard advice delivered in a compact format, the podcast “The Boat Galley” is a reliable resource. Hosted by Carolyn Shearlock—who, with her husband, has over a decade of experience living and cruising aboard—the show offers short, focused episodes covering galley life, provisioning, gear selection and systems maintenance relevant to liveaboard sailors.
Episodes typically run five to 10 minutes and address a broad range of topics, including staying warm on board, choosing teak cleaners and finishes, cruising the Bahamas, 12-volt wiring fundamentals and winterizing engines. The podcast is available on major platforms such as Spotify and Apple’s Podcasts app, making it easy for cruisers to access practical tips while underway. Whether you’re meal-planning for long passages, maintaining boat systems, or refining onboard routines, The Boat Galley delivers concise, experience-based guidance for everyday life at sea.