Deciding to go on a sailing holiday might feel overwhelming and you may not know where to begin your search. Luckily, with the rise of social media comes the rise of influencers, and we know just the people to follow to prepare you for your next sailing adventure. Whether you want to learn how to man your own boat, or find the best destination for your next charter, whether you are a beginner, or an advanced sailor there is a place to start for everyone.
1. HannahSailing
TikTok followers: 1.0M
Quickly shooting to fame on TikTok in 2021, Hannah is the sailor to follow on the platform. Hannah quit her 9-5 and began sailing and travelling the world living at sea and decided to share her tips and tricks with her one million followers. Having since 2021 travelled over 10,000 miles on 5 different boats, she has a wide range of knowledge to share with her followers, including travelling to Columbia, Panama, England and Antigua. From her ‘Day in the Life’ vlogs to recommendations on where to visit when sailing through different areas of the world, Hannah’s channel is a great place for beginners to get an understanding of the day-to-day life on a boat.
TikTok: @hannahsailing
2. Sailing Zatara
YouTube followers: 468K
Sailing Zatara is a family channel of 6 who have been living at sea since 2016, and it is fair to say they have a deep understanding of the nautical world. It is the perfect channel to explore for families thinking of going sailing together. Unlike other influencers, the Zatara family doesn’t shy away from talking about the lows of sailing and talk authentically on their channel about their adventures, the struggles of living on a boat with your family and the issues you can encounter through travelling. Sailing Zatara is the channel to check out if you want to see the realities of a sailing holiday, while also reminding you of the fun you can have sailing as a group.
Youtube: @SailingZatara
3. Lauren Landers
YouTube followers: 40.9K
For the more advanced sailors, Lauren Landers has a great channel for exploring the different aspects of solo travel. Perhaps on the more extreme side than the other influencers mentioned in this list, Lauren both educates with videos teaching about different struggles you may encounter, such as waiting out a storm or replacing anchors underwater, while also highlighting some unique activities you can do while onboard, like freediving or spearfishing with sharks. Despite growing up studying marine life and biology, once travelling alone Lauren still has her share of difficulties, with each of her videos showing her problems and her solutions to help others in the same situations.
Youtube: @laurenlanders
4. Sailing Uma
YouTube followers: 411K
When you hear the words ‘sailing holiday’ you may immediately think of beaches, sun, and clear waters. Sailing Uma turns this on its head. Instead, they brave the icy waters by going on adventures such as sailing across the North Atlantic Crossing, or across the Greenland Sea where they pass through glaciers and spot mammals such as polar bears. And sailing is not their only talent, having been known to also build and fix up their boats. Dan and Kika decided they wanted to live their life at sea in 2014 and haven’t looked back since, and watching their videos, you can’t fight the urge to do the same.
Youtube: @SailingUma
5. Nauti Styles
YouTube followers: 311K
Perhaps, rather than sailing personally you prefer travelling through the water in luxury. Nauti Styles is the perfect channel and blog to check out before you set off. Victoria Chalaya began her channel where she shows off her own yacht and others and adds authenticity to her channel as she refuses to accept payments for Yacht Tours. Head over to her YouTube to see regular yacht tours for those curious to see what a $10 Million Yacht really looks like. Alternatively, Victoria’s Instagram may be a better place to look for a soon-to-be traveller, giving advice from fashion to day trips for your next charter.
Youtube: @NautiStyles
6. Gale Force Twins
TikTok followers: 454K
One of the top sailing activities is fishing, and there are no influencers who understand it better than the Gale Force Twins. Amanda and Emily began fishing when they were young off the docks of Florida, however as they grew, they quickly advanced to deep-sea fishing. Beginning as YouTubers, they shot to fame on TikTok recently where they show off their catches and educate their followers on the different types of fish and how-to deep-sea fish. It is important to know that bay fishing is very different to deep sea fishing and if you are planning on fishing off your boat on your next sailing holiday, the Gale Force Twins is a great channel to learn the skill. If you are interested in learning more about places to fish for your next holiday, check out our blog post about it here.
TikTok: @galeforcetwins
7. MJ Sailing
YouTube followers: 173K
Veterans of the sailing world, Matt and Jessica, began their journey back in 2012, and they have since travelled to places such as Florida, the Caribbean, The Azores and more. Over the past 11 years, Matt and Jessica have perfected their video style and do something that no other sailing influences do on their blog; break down the costs of their journey. So often online we receive an idealized view of people’s lives, while Matt and Jessica have broken down the costs month by month from costs of boat maintenance and insurance, to eating out and entertainment. Recently, the duo has been building a Catamaran to continue their adventures, which you can follow on their YouTube, Instagram, or blog.
Youtube: @MJSailing
8. The Crew Chef
YouTube followers: 176K
With the popularity of the hit tv show ‘Below Deck’, there has been a rising interest in the inner workings of the luxury yacht world. The Crew Chef gives an honest and entertaining view of this lifestyle, while also showing life jet-setting the world and giving recommendations for places to visit for your next trip. Nina began working on a superyacht as a deckhand before rising to the position of sous chef, and now lets her followers know the secrets of how to get this position and the benefits and problems with sailing full time.
Youtube: @the_crewchef
9. RAN Sailing
YouTube followers: 140K
While influencers have been mentioned on this list that often visits and explores tropical places such as Lauren Landers or visits and explore colder places such as Sailing Uma, RAN Sailing does all the above. Since 2016, Malin and Johan have been travelling the world on the water, before welcoming their daughter Vera to join the crew in 2019. From 2016 to 2022 they visited 27 countries, from the Caribbean to Portugal, to Sweden, and despite hanging up their sails in 2022, they now document their journey building their new boat to show the behind-the-scenes of the nautical world.
Youtube: @RANSailing
10. See The Little Things
YouTube followers: 26.8K
This up-and-coming channel may be the perfect channel for you if you and your partner are planning your next holiday today. Although when watching Alex and Mandy’s videos it is obvious that they have a lot of knowledge about the water and sailing, their videos still explain what they are doing and why in language that even someone with no sailing experience would understand. They also help create a bond with their audience by bringing their followers along for the ride, showing on their blog a map of all the places they have docked or flown. Their attitude towards sailing is just as their name says, where they appreciate the small things in life, and their positivity is contagious.
Youtube: @seethelittlethings
