sailing la vagabonde trimaran cost

Sailing La Vagabonde: Net Worth, Boat, Crew and Elayna’s Income (2024)

Everything you always wanted to know.

Joshua Smith

Founder and Editor at Cruising Freedom

This is the definitive guide to Sailing La Vagabonde for 2024.

Over the last 6 years, my Youtube stats tell me that I have spent around 170 hours watching and researching everything I could about La Vagabonde because I adore their channel. 😎

Being obsessed, I’ve watched almost EVERY episode to date!

If you wanted to know:

➔ How Sailing La Vagabonde afforded all their boats

➔ How much they make on YouTube today

➔ What boat they have now and its upgrades

➔ How you can start crossing oceans

Then you’ve definitely come to the right place.

Think of this like a wiki for Sailing La Vagabonde.

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… 🙂

La Vagabonde FAQs (2024)

La Vagabonde

Crew Members

Riley Whitelum (age 37) from Kimba, South Australia.

Elayna Carausu (age 34) from Perth, Western Australia.

Lenny Whitelum (age 3) who is now actively talking and swimming all by himself.

Elayna gave birth to their 2nd child, Darwin, in 2021, who is now almost 2 years old!

Riley and Elayna are NOT married, nor has Riley ever proposed to Elayna. They remain in a de facto relationship.

If you’re wondering if Elayna Carausu from Sailing La Vagabonde had breast enhancement surgery (fake breasts), then the answer is YES.

Riley actually confirmed it on a recent episode. He also appears to be juicing… 😲

Because, you know, they have to keep up…appearances…

Sailing La Vagabonde’s current catamaran is a 2022 Rapido Trimaran 60 with an owner’s cabin in the starboard hull.

This is designed for serious performance and sailing beyond the wind speed.

Some say this boat isn’t ideal for family cruising with very young children, and I tend to agree.

Sailing La Vagabonde’s previous catamaran was a 2017 Outremer 45 with an owner’s cabin in the starboard hull.

Previously to this, they owned a monohull which was a 2007 Beneteau Cyclades 43. This is the original ‘La Vagabonde’, a yacht that was designed for the charter market without a dedicated owner’s cabin.

They had planned to sell the Outremer but decided against it:

In short: They’re creating Vagabonde Adventures which will become a boat charter company where you can learn to sail on their very own catamaran.

Their friend Jack, a sailing instructor, will run the business so Riley and Elayna can continue sailing as a family.

More info at: VagabondeAdventures.com

A very wise choice I must say! They will still buy the Rapido 60 for themselves.

Before taking ownership, Outremer had spec’d the 45 at the factory in France with:

➔ Code D and Code Zero lightwind sails (the code D is Elayna’s favorite sail)

➔ Two upright 12v fridges in the galley

➔ Retractable daggerboards (a rather expensive optional upgrade, yet highly recommended)

➔ Twin 215hp diesel inboard motors

Meanwhile, Riley and Elayna have added:

➔ Fortress Spade Anchor (they use it as a spare)

➔ 560watts of solar panels on the bimini

➔ Dessalator Freedom Cruise Water Maker

➔ Watt And Sea Hydro Generator

➔ Inflatable tender called Cunningham II with 15hp Honda outboard. Their first tender mysteriously disappeared 5 years ago as it was being towed while sailing. (Whoops!)

Riley and Elayna are currently in Vietnam to assist in building their trimaran. It’s likely that they’ll spend a few months here before it’s launched.

Past Cruising

In prior years, Riley and Elayna have sailed extensively to:

➔ The Mediterranean

➔ The Bahamas

➔ United States of America

➔ The Azores

➔ Cape Verde

➔ Australia (Riley sailed as a crew of a racing team)

➔ British Virgin Islands

➔ Venezuela

➔ Panama Canal

➔ French Polynesia

➔ New Zealand (friends boat)

➔ Gibraltar

Affording It

They didn’t start out with an epic lifestyle and the freedom to live their dreams.

Riley worked for 4 years in the mining industry in South Australia (just like me!) and he saved $100,000, earning *just* enough to purchase his monohull before meeting Elayna.

Once their channel blew up, they were approached by various boat manufacturers, ultimately settling with Outremer.

The purchase of La Vagabonde II didn’t cost them $1,200,000 USD (the retail price of La Vagabonde’s Outremer 45), and instead, was based off their audience size and Outremer’s potential for marketing reach similar to a sponsorship deal.

(And if you’re wondering, I’ll be buying either a Seawind or an Outremer myself)

The La Vagabonde II catamaran itself, just like the original monohull, is legally owned by Riley and Elayna. Outremer simply assisted with the loan on the catamaran.

Outremer has never given a free boat to Riley and Elayna. This is the biggest false rumor on the internet which continues to haunt the couple to this day.

YouTubers are wealthier than we imagine, and after watching Riley and Elayna for many years, the following is my best estimation…

Right now in 2024, Sailing La Vagabonde has a net worth of $6,700,000 USD. This is based on the value of their two boats, online business and personal investments.

They have also saved around 85% of their income over the last 6 years.

Making Loot

In 2024, Sailing La Vagabonde makes money through:

➔ YouTube advertising revenue

➔ Amazon affiliate links

➔ Official La Vagabonde merch

➔ Elayna’s songs and CDs

➔ Their thousands of Patreons

➔ Brand sponsorship with Audible

So it’s clear that cruising YouTubers know how to monetize their audience well.

It’s estimated that Riley and Elayna make $27,000 per month in US dollars, or $8,200 per episode published . However, earning that much money requires 30 to 50 hours of editing to eventually publish one polished YouTube video.

Elayna recently created Vaga Bella Swim™︎ – a 100% recycled swimwear company that is definitely worth checking out.

Collaborations

Sailing La Vagabonde has collaborated with the following YouTubers:

➔ Adam Stern from Free Diving Family who held the Australian record for freediving

➔ Yosha, a previous crewmate of SV Delos , also stayed on board several years ago

➔ Eamon & Bec who usually do Van Life.

➔ Lost Leblanc who is a very popular travel vlogger

After all these years, I’m still waiting for a collaboration with SV Delos . 😃

Big Moments

Memorable moments in the Sailing La Vagabonde journey include:

➔ Being chased by a powerboat late at night during a potential pirate attack. This was on the original Beneteau. While Elayna hid in the aft cabin, Riley avoided the attack by throwing cans of tin food. Surprisingly (and fortunately) the strategy worked.

➔ Lenny having stopped breathing and being rushed to hospital.

➔ Sailing 22 knots in high winds without putting a reef in the main, causing Elayna to panic and the YouTube community to voice their concerns.

➔ Sailing Greta Thunberg across the North Atlantic with Lenny in tow.

➔ Freediving in the deepest hole in the world where Adam was featured.

In recent episodes, both Riley and Elayna have really struggled to manage 2 young children AND all the work that’s necessary on a boat.

Future Plans

With their Outremer 45 being listed for sale, Riley and Elayna are now working on building their 3rd boat, a Rapido 60, announced in June, 2021. It should be ready in a few months.

Interestingly, despite the growing family, they have chosen a boat with orientation for speed over comfort.

As mentioned previously, I disagree that this is the right boat for their growing family and many within the cruising community agree with my stance.

Key Takeaways

We can learn from Riley and Elayna that:

➔ Cruising isn’t always moonshine and sunsets

➔ Men and women play an equal role on board

➔ Much of the world is actually a safe place

➔ Raising children on sailboards is trending

➔ Always speak the truth, even when it’s hard

➔ You only live once, so make life happen

Riley and Elayna are authentic yet polished influencers of the sailing world. Some would say modern-day sea gypsies!

Fun fact: They even have their own Subreddit !

We see Riley and Elayna’s epic lifestyle today but we don’t see the consistent work over multiple years prior.

Getting here and finally living #boatlife certainly wasn’t an easy process, but through their commitment, but we can clearly see it’s been well worth it.

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…🙂)

1 thought on “Sailing La Vagabonde: Net Worth, Boat, Crew and Elayna’s Income (2024)”

Pingback: Eamon And Bec: Everything You Wanted To Know - Van Life Freedom

Comments are closed.

Visit our Popular Forums

Monohull Sailboats
Multihull Sailboats
Powered Boats
General Sailing
Antares Yachts
Fountaine Pajot
Lagoon Catamarans

Cruising Business

Boat Classifieds
General Classifieds
Crew Positions
Commercial Posts
Vendor Spotlight

Life Aboard a Boat

Provisioning: Food & Drink
Families, Kids, & Pets Afloat
Recreation, Entertainment, & Fun
Boat Ownership & Making a Living
Liveaboard's Forum

Seamanship, Navigation & Boat Handling

Seamanship & Boat Handling
Training, Licensing, & Certification
Health, Safety, & Related Gear
Rules of the Road, Regulations, & Red Tape

Engineering & Systems

Const. / Maint. / Refit
Product / Service Reviews
Electronics: Comms / AV
Electrical: Batts / Gen / Solar
Lithium Power Systems
Engines & Propulsion
Propellers & Drive Systems
Plumbing / Fixtures
Deck Hdw: Rigging / Sails
Aux. Equipment & Dinghy
Anchoring & Mooring

Recent Photos

		> >

Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums.

07-06-2021, 18:57
Boat: Pearson 365 Sloop and 9' Fatty Knees.

07-06-2021, 20:39

07-06-2021, 23:39
Boat: Jeanneau 349	space. Feel that would be very much needed for a full time cruising couple with .

08-06-2021, 00:25
	or . Nothing special. Seems the is to stick two amas onto such a to make it 12m wide for bonus marina costs and severe headaches finding a yard able to haul it out. As racers Elayna and Riley aren't really star-material and that never was their appeal to the audience. Perhaps this is cunning plan to move away from the bikini-lifestyle once there are two around and instagram-ing now needs a triple dose of filters to achieve the desired reality. This leaves the Oh-We're-So-Wonderfully-Electric narrative, which I never cared for much. I respect more Uma or Doctors for retrofitting a to drive.

08-06-2021, 01:15
Boat: Dragonfly 920 / 30 ft	. There is so little information about cruising trimarans out there, they will get a lot more people interested. And as long as they like their living space why would we care? Plus a fully long-distance cruising running circles around all the old-school catamarans with "range anxiety" will be fun to watch.

08-06-2021, 05:14
Boat: TRT 1200

08-06-2021, 05:20
	speed in the 50 (than currently). t and has he solo sailed a 60 with this sail size? It is rather a jump up in sail handling. It was obvious when they sailed with Nikki Henderson that Riley was not really a large performance sailor - ofc he could grow into it. Interesting choice either way - not what I would have guessed with a 2nd child on the way. I wonder if there is some 'Riley with pro' making in the future with Elayna and flying in.

08-06-2021, 05:41
	to get to them.

08-06-2021, 05:48
Boat: 2017 Leopard 40	. I've owned and sailed tris for the last 20 years, and I love the boat they chose, but not for a cruising with toddlers and babies. I also raised kids and know what it's like to keep the family involved and safe. If they have a while sailing at speed (Reilly's notorious for not tethering) and whoever is left has to handle kids and boat while watching/locating and retrieving the ? Terrifying thoughts.

08-06-2021, 05:55

Boat: TRT 1200

08-06-2021, 05:57
Boat: Chris Craft 381 Catalina	, as it can likely be sailed during more of the times when others would resort to motorsailing or just motoring.

08-06-2021, 07:00
Boat: Colegate 26	systems and generation. They have a paltry amount of and on the but seem to make it . Using it for is going to take copious amounts more .

08-06-2021, 07:23
Boat: Pearson 365 Sloop and 9' Fatty Knees.	but repeatedly mentioned speed. With a wife and two kids on board I'm not sure the speed factor should have ever been considered. If speed was not a factor, why not just go with a larger Cat. Larger with a little more speed. Basically this thing takes up twice as much real estate on the with 1/2 as much volume. Even though Riley said 30% less. Parking at the will be more difficult. Given his

08-06-2021, 07:32

Boat: 2000 Catalina 470 #058

08-06-2021, 07:39
Boat: Beneteau Oceanis 50	a vessel that wide, and finding a yard capable of hauling a 38' wide vessel will be challenging. Heck the fairways in my marina is barely that wide at certain points.

Thread Tools

Rate This Thread
:

Posting Rules
post new threads post replies post attachments edit your posts is are code is are are are

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
	Red Herring	Multihull Sailboats	14	25-04-2017 13:57
	Jadam79	Multihull Sailboats	184	24-10-2016 04:46


No Threads to Display.

- - - - - - -

Privacy Guaranteed - your email is never shared with anyone, opt out any time.

AMERICA'S CUP
CLASSIFIEDS
NEWSLETTERS
SUBMIT NEWS

Riley Whitelum & Elayna Carausu's new yacht ‘La Vaga III'

buy A propspeed FOUL-RELEASE COATING FOR ALL UNDERWATER METALS

buy ar pantaenius insurance

buy rx kingpin peg

buy gold coast city marina

sanctuary cove marina

buy ozwinch marine queensland

buy redlands city marina queensland

buy s horizon shores marina

buy e airlie summit queensland

buy l ocean arrow marine harpoon boats

buy first mate boat service app gold coast

buy sealegs

buy inflatable pontoons

buy z east coast marina manly

Z go kingpin eco pack

WORLD FAMOUS SAILING LA VAGABONDE UPGRADES TO RAPIDO 60

The world’s most exciting sailing news is the long awaited decision that Sailing La Vagabonde will sail the world’s oceans aboard a Rapido 60.

Rapido is filling a segment in the market that is missing: a trimaran that is owner-operated, powerful, ocean-cruising, and can be safely crewed by two. The concept for the world’s fastest production cruising trimaran is designed by world-acclaimed naval architects, Morrelli & Melvin.

SLV comprises an Australian couple, Riley Whitelum and Elayna Carausu and their two young children. Each week, they bring their adventures to our phones, desktops and iPads via their YouTube videos.

They began documenting their evolving journey on YouTube back in 2014 with a single-hull vessel. After a time, they upgraded to a twin-hull vessel. For the last 18-24 months, the couple have been researching which boat would become the future of their sailing story, and would proudly wear the title Sailing La Vagabonde III.

With the extraordinary reach and exposure of Sailing La Vagabonde, perhaps the Rapido represents the future of sailing. Riley and Elayna explain why and how the Rapido 60, a three-hulled 6o’ (18m) trimaran, met their criteria.

Initially, they were worried about the amount of space on board. However, once they were on board, this concern was perfectly fine. Riley describes the fore cabin as being “massive” with a “huge” bed. When you’re standing in the saloon, it’s actually a huge room.

During the test sail, the couple were convinced the boat could move at lightning speed. With just one hand on the helm, they were travelling under sail, maintaining speed at 25.7 knots. Even at that fast speed, it was only slightly heeling over. A Rapido trimaran only gets a heel of up to 15 degrees, this is important as they both want to travel safely while at a good pace. They said that when they were travelling at 20 knots, it felt like they were only going at 10 knots, and it also felt like they had so much more power sitting in reserve.

One thing that was really important with the trimaran was that Riley will have the ability to sail it single-handed, when Elayna cares for the two children on the boat.

The Rapido trimarans are stable boats that do not heel, ideal for long distances, short sprints and the passage between. They are ideal for discovering places that others cannot venture to when you sneak up alongside a secluded beach or glide over a reef. The draft of the Rapido 60 is just 0.75m with the rudder and daggerboard retracted.

Having the flexibility to power up and sail away from bad weather systems is paramount. The Rapido can be sailed short-handed with centralised systems, Karver reefing hooks, self-tacking furling jibs, furling reacher and stay sails. Boasting excellent safety, the Rapido is designed to put you in control for fast, safe, fun sailing.

The nets on each side of the Rapido 60 measure 6.3m x 3m (that’s 18.9 m2), providing enormous space to play or lounge upon when the fish are not biting. They also provide an exhilarating vantage point when cruising to watch the water rush by beneath.

The foam sandwich and carbon construction provide an extremely strong and rigid structure. This enables the Rapido to withstand the might of the oceans, without carrying excessive weight.

The T-foil rudder blade is designed to provide additional stability and control. Each float (ama) has four watertight bulkheads. The main hull has five bulkheads to ensure that the Rapido 60 is as safe and unsinkable as possible. The engine and main equipment compartment has two bulkheads and is located under the saloon.

There are three emergency escape hatches: one located in the forward cabin, the second is in the aft cabin, and the third is in the main storage compartment under the cockpit. This storage compartment has been specifically designed as a safe survival area. Automatic and portable bilge pumps are provided.

The helm position offers superb all-round visibility. It is in an elevated position, away from the elements with a hard top bimini with sliding roof. It has a 1.2m wide seat/leaning post for seating comfort and standing support. Main controls are at the helm making single or short-handed sailing easier and safer. Steering is direct with strong well-engineered Jefa systems.

An emergency rudder blade is ready to deploy in an emergency. The engine compartment has an auto fire extinguisher system. There are an additional three portable fire extinguishers and a fire blanket. Diesel is the only fuel on board for engine, stove and heating, which removes the need to carry highly flammable cooking gas.

The head sails are on furlers for ease of deployment and operation. There are twin bow anchors with the main anchor ready to deploy. A dedicated storage area for safety equipment and wet weather gear is located in the cockpit. Jack stays and clip-on points are provided, as are bow and stern cockpit safety rails. Even in the storms of the southern oceans, trimarans are safe, easy to handle and faster on all points of sail due to their wide beam and light weight.

Riley plans to be on hand at the Vietnam-based factory to customise certain aspects of the boat to better suit their family. www.sailing-lavagabonde.com

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

LENGTH: 18.1M

BEAM: 11.7M

DRAFT: 0.75M

DISPLACEMENT (LIGHT): 10,000KG

DISPLACEMENT (MAX LOAD): 12,000KG

HEADROOM (AVERAGE): 2.1M

SAIL SPECIFICATIONS

MAINSAIL: 125M²

SOLENT: 71M²

STORM SAIL: 25M²

REACHER: 130M²

ASYMMETRIC SPIN: 225M²

MAST HEIGHT ABOVE: 25.3M

Rapido have also developed a folding trimaran system, making their new Rapido 40 and 50 models available with a folding mechanism that will allow them to access monohull marina berths. The Rapido folding system keeps the floats vertical when in the folded position, preventing growth from occurring on the sides of the floats and ensuring they remain in pristine condition. The Rapido system also adds to the overall strength of the boat by reducing the loads on the beams when sailing without adding any length to the boat when folded.

Rapido Trimarans are distributed by Multihull Solutions as the Asia and Pacific dealer for its innovative range of ocean-cruising trimarans. Further information on the Rapido Trimarans range can be obtained by contacting Multihull Solutions on 1300 855 338 or emailing [email protected]

Published in print January-March 2022

buy d scibs sanctuary cove boat show ticket sales 2024

buy sanctuary cove boat show

find mercury outboards

find yamaha outboards

Share this article, related reviews articles.

MARINE TRIMMING & UPHOLSTERY SPECIALISTS

THE HOME OF THE BEST TRAILER BOAT BRANDS IN QUEENSLAND

Sail Care and Maintenance

Loading, please wait.

0 No item in your cart
The magazine

Current issue

All the issues
My magazines
Technical specifications
Multihull of the Year
Classified Ads
Destinations
Online store
All the magazines
Subscriptions
Accessories

Sailing La Vagabonde

Today's most famous sailors have little in common with a quiet man like Eric Tabarly or a scholarly writer like Joshua Slocum... Riley Whitelum, Elayna Carausu and their son Lenny sail, and they look good: they have a whopping 1.59 million subscribers to their YouTube channel (Sailing La Vagabonde) and have become serious pros at video and social media communications.

Create a notification for Catamaran

We will keep you posted on new articles on this subject.

Published 09/06/2021

By Dick Sawyer

Published: july / aug. 2021

Choose the option that suits you best!

Issue #: 178

Published: July / August 2021

Price per issue - digital : 6.50€ Digital magazine
Price per issue - print : 8.50€ Print magazine
Access to Multihulls World digital archives Digital archives

Most-read articles in the same category

Dream Odyssey

Neo 560 Cat

Swisscat 55

What readers think

Aquila 50 Yacht

Smart Cat S280

Subscribe now.

The latest news from €3 / month

Video of the month

Our latest YouTube hit!

The Multihull of the Year

The 2024 results

Classified ads

Woods Flica 35

Bosgraaf 15m trimaran, minicat 310.

Nautitech 48 0pen Available

Vous avez ajouté " " à vos favoris., vous avez supprimé " " de vos favoris., in order to add this article to your favorites, please sign in..

Sailing La Vagabonde – Rapido 60

"Oceanvolt will be the perfect compliment to the Rapido Trimaran and Project SLV. Silent, emission free propulsion is a dream for sailors everywhere and the regeneration curves on a vessel as powerful as the Rapido are extraordinary!" "The Oceanvolt motor has already proved itself invaluable. On our first crossing our diesel had a major failure and was inoperable. The Oceanvolt gave us power and got us home." – Riley, Sailing La Vagabonde

Billed as the World’s Ultimate Ocean Cruising Trimaran, the Rapido 60 really is the Queen of the Oceans. It offers speed, safety, performance – and luxury.

The inspiration behind the Rapido 60 comes from Paul Koch (co founder of Rapido Trimarans), arguably, the man who has built more production trimarans than anyone else on the planet.

The design is by world renowned naval architects, Morelli & Melvin Design and Engineering who use some of the most sophisticated technology in the world.

Technology used in the electric Rapido 60 Trimaran:

Boatbuilder: Rapido Trimarans
Length overall: 18.1 m
Boat beam: 11.7 m
Displacement: 10000 kg
Electric motor system: Oceanvolt ServoProp 10 saildrive motor
Electric motor system nominal power: 10kW
Electric motor system voltage: 48 V

Written by Anna

View all posts by: Anna

Comments are closed.

Sponsorships
Hydrogenerator

Outremer 45
Outremer 4X
Outremer 4.zero
Outremer 52
Outremer 55
Outremer 51
Outremer 5X
All the Outremer Fleet
Personalized support
Blue Water Sailing Seminars
Our concept
The Outremer team
Our commitments
Construction principles
Our catamaran services
After-sales customer service & Quality control
Offshore Connected Catamaran Maintenance
Concierge Services
Our owners’ stories
FAQ – Outremer catamarans

Brokerage: used catamarans for sale
Privacy Policy
Legal Notice
Grand Large Yatching

Sailing upwind on Outremer 45 Sailing La Vagabonde — PART 01

Writer: Nikki Henderson

18th november 2019 was the fifth day of our 18-day transatlantic delivery on la vagabonde, the outremer 45. the unseasonable nature of the voyage did not disappoint; this was the fifth consecutive day of upwind sailing..

I wrote home:

“Last night the conditions were pretty rough. We had all been looking forward to a bit of relief, expecting fast reaching conditions, but the upwind sailing prevailed. It was like that moment you think you have gotten to the top of a hill, to find it was a false summit and there is still another ahead. We all know there is nothing to do in these conditions than to pull together, be safe and just get on with it – but it still tests on emotions.”

On reflection, it feels like that first week in the North Atlantic was preparation for: ‘2020: The year we sailed upwind on land.’

The introduction of new covid19 related regulations have felt like consecutive days crashing into the chop; uncomfortable, limiting, slow, relentless. With every two steps forward in mental health, plans, finances, freedom – the next news bulletin sends you one step back.

I have spent many a night watch reflecting on how blue water passages are like accelerated lessons in how to cope with the challenges of land life. From people management, to provisioning, to engineering, to self-help – sailing builds skills like resilience and adaptability in the most intense way.

This second blog was meant to be about what sailing upwind is like on an Outremer. Now, I think it might be more relevant to pull that back to earth. What lessons can sailing upwind teach us for today? How can we draw from our experiences of upwind sailing to help us find strength and positivity for the coming months?

As winter approaches in the northern hemisphere the second wave of Covid19 is building momentum and national lockdowns are looming all over the world. After a year spent running off adrenaline (storm-tactics?), I’m now tapping into my inner ‘strength for windward’ pot. This is my emergency reserve for when the weather is really, really bad.

On day five of that North Atlantic crossing we were weighed down by the responsibility and enormity of the challenge ahead of us. Svante sat down beside me that night, “Nikki tell me honestly. Is this OK? Should we turn back?”

I steadied myself in the violent upwind chop, considered all the factors, looked him in the eye, and said “yes”.

The courage to dare to feel positivity, when the easier choice is negativity, is what protects me emotionally during the tough times at sea. The same goes for life on land…

… Each morning I take the treacherous route to my 2020 version of ‘on-deck’: ‘to the desk’. The land ‘office’ has remarkably similar qualities to the boat version; conveniently doubling up as the dining room, living room, home-gym, and in my case also renovation workshop equipped with all the staples: Leatherman, white spirit, wet vac, mallet, drill, socket set and spare Allan keys.

Before entering, I run through my all too familiar pre-on-watch routine: coffee in hand, big breath in, big sigh out, close eyes, pause, find inner strength, buckle up life jacket (dressing gown?), step out, frigid gale force wind on your face (still no double glazing), body tenses, the bow drops over the wave landing with a gut wrenching slam (that will be upstairs neighbours doing their home workout), knees bend, icy blast of salt water spray on one cheek, that devilish trickle of water down past your ear, (home schooling gone wrong?) open your eyes, yep still here – big smile “Another day in paradise then is it?”

Optimism, with a hearty dose of realism, was our superpower on-board La Vagabonde. It helped us leave the dock in the snow with a smile on our faces. It got us through five days of sailing upwind in the wrong direction. It helped Riley and I find hilarity in the fifth reef of the night on a 2-on-2-off double handed watch system. It focused my mind through the dark nights, remembering Elayna would make hot cocoa and porridge at dawn.

This superpower, should we choose to take it, will help fuel us through our own storms this winter.

–> Read part 02 here

Continue navigation

40.000 miles and 3 years to get from La Grande Motte to La Grande Motte

Marijke and Mark sail the Outremer 55 Great Circle.

Since its launch in 2021, the boat has sailed around the world with the GLYWO 500.

Setting off on a catamaran with the best sailing weather

When you’re getting ready to set off on a sailing trip, it’s vital to find out about the seasons and weather phenomena in your chosen sailing area. Even before choosing your cruising destination or travel itinerary, or even selecting your yacht!

Catamaran VS Monohull: what should you choose to sail around the world?

Sailing around the world is a dream come true: you discover the world to the rhythm of the wind and the stopovers, exploring new destinations every day as you sail. If you’re just starting to read this article, you’re probably nurturing this project. Are you planning to sail around the globe? Then the choice of ship for your next voyage is crucial.

About Rapido

The idea behind building the world’s best ocean-cruising trimarans came from the team that has built more than 1,500 production trimarans globally. The world-acclaimed Morrelli & Melvin was then tasked with developing the design and engineering for Rapido to start building! Separately, for those who think our advanced lightweight construction techniques have other applications, Rapido Catamarans adds an exciting new dimension to the fleet.

Latest News

August 22, 2024

Rapido Trimarans Statement regarding issues raised in Sailing La Va...

August 21, 2024

Cannes Yachting Festival 2024: International Debut of the Rapido 53XS!

August 17, 2024

Press Release! New Class Racer, Rapido 40R to be launched. Special ...

July 29, 2024

Slalom among the Greek islands with a supertrimaran at the Aegean 6...

May 07, 2024

Cruising World reviews Rapido 40, a sailor’s dream boat

Rapido host much anticipated launch of first Rapido 53XS, Sails Mag...

Rapido 53XS – A peak speed of 24 knots during initial sea trials!, ...

April 17, 2024

Video: Launch of Rapido 53XS #01 (Picomole) – event highlights

Discover rapido.

IMAGES

Our Trimaran
Sailing La Vagabonde
Sailing La Vagabonde
This is our NEW TRIMARAN! (Boat Build Begins!), video by Sailing La
Sailing La Vagabonde
Sailing La Vagabonde's video tour of the Rapido 40

COMMENTS

Sailing La Vagabonde choose Rapido 60 to sail world ...
Rapido Trimarans is thrilled to confirm that Sailing La Vagabonde (SLV) will sail the world's oceans aboard a Rapido 60! In fact, SLV's video announcing the decision to their 1.59 million subscribers (yes, 1.59m subscribers!) will go live live at 8.30am, Adelaide time in Australia (GMT/UTC +9:30) on 8 June 2021. See the SLV video … Continue reading Sailing La Vagabonde choose Rapido 60 ...
Sailing La Vagabonde: Net Worth, Boat, Crew and Elayna's Income (2024)
Sailing La Vagabonde's current catamaran is a 2022 Rapido Trimaran 60 with an owner's cabin in the starboard hull. This is designed for serious performance and sailing beyond the wind speed.
OUR NEW HOME (60ft Carbon Trimaran)
OUR NEW HOME (60ft Carbon Trimaran) Sailing La Vagabonde 1.89M subscribers Subscribed 39K 886K views 4 months ago
Launching our New 60ft Trimaran! (La Vagabonde III)
Launching our New 60ft Trimaran! (La Vagabonde III) If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.
Rapido 60
Sailing La Vagabonde post a video of the launch of La Vagabonde III (Rapido 60 #04) on 2 November 2023. See video below. Launching our New 60ft Trimaran! (La Vagabonde III) Watch on Sails
Sailing La Vagabonde is a wild and remote voyage on a 60 ft Rapido Trimaran
Sailing La Vagabonde Sailing La Vagabonde is a YouTube channel run by Australian video bloggers Riley Whitelum and Elayna Carausu along with their children Lenny and Darwin. The channel documents the couple's life aboard their sailing catamaran La Vagabonde.
1 Month Alone at Sea! (Sailing on my 60ft Trimaran)
1 Month Alone at Sea! (Sailing on my 60ft Trimaran) Sailing La Vagabonde 1.92M subscribers Subscribe Subscribed 26K 427K views 3 weeks ago
Sailing La Vagabonde
The trimaran is entirely built in carbon fiber, allowing for it to be kept under 10 tons lightship weight, while the prospect of stepping the 78-foot (23.8 m) rig with twice the sail area they had previously on their Outremer 45 is a source of great joy for the family, who may be dreaming of future speed records.
Sailing La Vagabonde
Sailing La Vagabonde is a YouTube channel run by Australian video bloggers Riley Whitelum and Elayna Carausu along with their children Lenny and Darwin. [ 2] The channel documents the couple's life aboard their sailing catamaran La Vagabonde.
An Interview with with Riley and Elayna of Sailing La Vagabonde
Australian sailors Riley Whitelum and Elayna Carausu are known around the world, thanks to their social media accounts and YouTube channel, Sailing La Vagabonde, in which they document their experiences afloat—at the same time using the power of crowdfunding to help cover their costs. They recently decided to make the switch from a monohull to a catamaran.
OUR NEW HOME (Full Boat Tour) : r/SailingLaVagabonde
28 votes, 46 comments. 4.2K subscribers in the SailingLaVagabonde community. For Elayna and Riley's adventures around the world on their boat La…
La Vagabonde's new Trimaran
Tags trimaran « Annapolis Sailboat Show 2021 | Those crazy Italians, Barcolana 53 »
This is our NEW TRIMARAN! (Boat Build Begins!), video by Sailing La
This is our NEW TRIMARAN! (Boat Build Begins!), video by Sailing La Vagabonde. December 27, 2022. Sailing La Vagabonde were recently in the factory to video their new Rapido 60, Hull #04, Sailing La Vagabonde III. They have just released their first video of the build - see below (not sure why the video is "age restricted" - perhaps ...
This is our NEW TRIMARAN! (Boat Build Begins!)
This is our NEW TRIMARAN! (Boat Build Begins!) Sailing La Vagabonde 1.92M subscribers Subscribe Subscribed 34K 732K views 1 year ago #383
Riley Whitelum & Elayna Carausu's new yacht 'La Vaga III'
Riley Whitelum and Elayna Carausu have been travelling the world by yacht for more than five years and have built a "Sailing La Vagabonde" fan base of close to 1.6 million subscribers on YouTube along the way!
World Famous Sailing La Vagabonde Upgrades to Rapido 60
The world's most exciting sailing news is the long awaited decision that Sailing La Vagabonde will sail the world's oceans aboard a Rapido 60. Rapido is filling a segment in the market that is missing: a trimaran that is owner-operated, powerful, ocean-cruising, and can be safely crewed by two.
What do we think of the Rapido 60 from La Vagabonde? : r/sailing
A friend of mine who sailed on a high performance carbon trimaran which was even larger than their boat likened the experience to being in an empty paper towel roll while someone banged on it with a wooden spoon.
Sailing La Vagabonde
For this relatively confidential boatbuilder, this represents an unprecedented development opportunity. A quick look at the backstory: in 2014, Elayna and Riley began their great journey aboard a monohull, La Vagabonde. A few years later, they switched up to a catamaran and set out aboard an Outremer 45, logically named La Vagabonde 2.
RAPIDO 50
Rapido 50, 360 degree Virtual Tour. Click to play. The Rapido 50 - The World's Ultimate Folding Cruising Trimarans. Every exceptional product needs a source of inspiration. For the all-new Rapido 50, that source has been the Rapido 60 which has proven herself to be an exceptional trimaran for: Podium performances. Fast passage-making.
Sailing La Vagabonde
We are an Australian couple (now with two kids) who had the dream of circumnavigating the globe by sailboat… initially having no clue of how to sail. We have now sailed over 90,000 nautical ...
Sailing La Vagabonde
Sailing La Vagabonde - Rapido 60 "Oceanvolt will be the perfect compliment to the Rapido Trimaran and Project SLV. Silent, emission free propulsion is a dream for sailors everywhere and the regeneration curves on a vessel as powerful as the Rapido are extraordinary!" "The Oceanvolt motor has already proved itself invaluable.
Sailing upwind on Outremer 45 Sailing La Vagabonde
18th November 2019 was the fifth day of our 18-day transatlantic delivery on La Vagabonde, the Outremer 45. The unseasonable nature of the voyage did not disappoint; this was the fifth consecutive day of upwind sailing.
Home
Home of Rapido Trimarans - the world's best ocean cruising trimarans.