Many of us enjoy ‘test runs’ of the cruising lifestyle by chartering a boat and island hopping for a week or two. Holly and her husband, Scott, have reversed that path. Holly and Scott sold everything, bought their boat Sailing the Space Between, a Leopard 46, and opened her up for charters in Florida and the Bahamas, inviting charter guests onboard to be temporary cruisers.

Holly has been working hard to document a variety of their cruising and charter adventures over the past three years. Sometimes they create an entire video for their guests and share it on YouTube, but they also document the projects and pitfalls of the cruising lifestyle.

Amy: Sailing the Space Between was in Key West, Florida, with charter guests when the COVID-19 pandemic began. What had your plans been and how have they changed? 

Holly: The plan was to show our guests a great time and we accomplished that. It was sad to see Key West shut down, but it was all still new, and the bars were still trying to figure things out. We were still able to walk the streets, buy some libations and party back on the boat in quarantine. We did postpone the other two charters so we could get back to our family in these uncertain times. We were able to reschedule them in June and have continued to be a safe place where small groups could travel, have fun, and experience new adventures during the pandemic.

Amy: How do you divide video production between you and Scott?

Holly: Scott pretty much does ALL the postproduction; I do most of the filming. I do a final edit and some voice overs. It takes me way too long to make the videos. Our latest intro (which had to turn into a trailer because it got too long) took me over a week to make, and it was only just over a minute. My perfectionism gets the best of me.

Amy: How has creating videos enhanced your sailing experience?

Holly: I think it helps to try to look at the learning experience or humorous moments as filming. Whatever is happening may suck right now (if something breaks or goes wrong) but if I grab the camera and can show everyone that shit happens all the time and you just gotta deal with it, I think it helps us process it and hopefully others too. 

Amy: How has it helped your charter business? 

Holly: YouTube is our main source of advertising. We want to be real with people and we find that this makes the potential guests at ease, like they know us before even contacting us. A week in close quarters can be intimidating for people to spend with people they don’t know. I think the videos help alleviate that.

Amy: Your videos have documented selling all of your stuff and buying a boat. Tell us about that process. 

Holly: Well, it took a year and we’re still not done. Scott has always been an adventurous man which translates into lots of toys and hobbies. We sold an RV, a Harley, two RZR side by sides, a trailer, and an antique truck, which helped us in purchasing our boat.  

Amy: What’s your biggest struggle with your videos? 

Holly: Consistency, which boils down to time. Most successful channels produce at least a video a week. We run two businesses, and videos (directly) aren’t a source of income. Unless Scott has great content to work with, the motivation to put the time in to make them isn’t there.

Amy: You’ve stayed in Florida for hurricane season for several years. What advice do you have to cruisers living on or leaving their boat for hurricane season? 

Holly: I’m a born Floridian, hurricanes are just a part of life. You plan for the worst and hope for the best. Find a safe/secure harbor and do what you can to secure her and if it looks like it’s going to be a direct hit, get off the boat. Your life is more important than the boat.

Amy: You get to introduce your guests to the cruising lifestyle. What usually surprises them the most? 

Holly: How much work it is. Something is always breaking or going wrong, kinda like a house. There’re lots of moving parts to a boat and it takes a lot to make sure they’re all working properly. Especially on a four-cabin cat, it’s usually at least two, sometimes four-times the headache!

Amy: What’s one piece of gear you wish you had onboard Sailing the Space Between?

Holly: I’d say a dedicated cameraman. Is that considered gear? It’s just us two and when crazy stuff happens, we both have to help to work through it. There’s no time to pick up the camera to document it. I try to recap after the fact, but it would be nice to get some of the action. Guests have been known to do some filming for me.

Amy: What’s your favorite modification you have made to Sailing the Space Between?

Holly: It’s either the SeaDek or the extra fridge/freezer.

Amy: Your videos include amazing drone footage of remote islands. Tell us about your drone. Who flies it? What advice would you give to someone who wants to fly a drone off the boat? 

Holly: Scott has a love/hate relationship with his Mavic 2 Pro. It’s always throwing error codes at him and he’s crashed it twice while doing an in-sail flight which makes him gun shy. Practice a lot in a stationary place before attempting to launch from a boat, especially a moving one.

Amy: Landlubbers often wonder how sailors can live in a small space with their partner. What tips do you have for maintaining sanity with Scott?

Holly: We have lots of practice. We have been together for 26 years and have worked together for most of it. We’re pretty much together 24/7 anyway. That’s not to say we don’t fight, but the amount of space around us doesn’t change anything.

Amy: What’s been your hardest or scariest moment on Sailing the Space Between?

Holly: There have only been two times I’ve been scared so far. The first was when we were chased by a waterspout. The other was when we anchored in a spot in the Bahamas and the winds turned and picked up to 35 knots in the middle of the night. The anchor drug and we had to pull it up in three-foot seas and navigate through two reefs in 35 knots and the dark.

Amy: What’s one quality Scott has that makes him a great sailing partner?

Holly: He knows how to do and fix EVERYTHING. It boggles my mind, and I don’t know how other sailors out there can live on a boat without being super handy. 

Amy: What strength do you have that you think makes you a good sailing partner? 

Holly: The ability to see the good in things. Not everything goes the way you want it to, but that’s just life. I try to find the bright side when possible.

Amy: Is there anything else you want to share with the readers of SisterShip Magazine?

Holly:  I look forward to getting to know more of your audience and hope they enjoy our goofy adventures in return.

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/SailingTheSpaceBetween

https://www.sailtsb.com/

https://www.instagram.com/sailingthespacebetween/

https://www.youtube.com/c/sailingthespacebetween

Amy Alton, in partnership with her husband, shares their journey on their YouTube channel, Out Chasing Stars. You can also enjoy her writing and photography on their blog, OutChasingStars.com.

Reprinted from SisterShip Magazine January 2021 issue:

SisterShip Magazine January February 2021 by SisterShipMagazine - Issuu