Here is where you can find out more about us, Florence, our dinghy (The Machine) and how we came to be sailing around the world together. Just click on the image to find out more.
Sail with the Flo – from England back to England – via the rest of the world
Sailing Yacht Florence 
Best of luck with what sounds like a well-organised plan. I sailed with John and Jenny on Florence in French waters and from the Baltic back to the Deben. I’m delighted that she is getting a new skipper and crew and will follow this blog with interest. All the very best. Charly
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Thanks Charly, we’ll try to do her proud.
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I wish you both every success and happiness with your new adventure and what an adventure it will hopefully turn out to be. Matt told me today just before he left the office – to say I’m jealous is an understatement. I will follow your blog with great interest.
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Cool! I have to say, as a sailor, surfer, and life long waterman, it’s super refreshing to see a couple putting out sailing vids that actually know what they’re doing in a boat. Thanks! I’ll keep watching and subscribe to your youtube channel. Feel free to subscribe to mine as well, it’s for my music. Talk soon 🙂 Peace ~ Curtis
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Hi Curtis, We just checked out some of your music and we love it! Awesome stuff, it put a real grin on our faces. Thanks for sharing. Matt and Amy
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Awe super awesome!! 🙂 Not many things better than making people smile! Thanks for subscribing too, that’s so nice! Hey you guys are welcome to use any of my music on your vids. I know it’s not really the genre most sailing vids use but feel free. Delos has used one of my tunes so far. My first album might be a little more friendly for sailing vids though, there’s some guitar work on there. It’s on bandcamp, or Itunes, or Amazon, but give it a listen, and if you like anything I can maybe send you an mp3 or you can download something for like .99c Either way, just plug me if you do 🙂 https://curtisprince.bandcamp.com/
I haven’t had time to check out any of your older vids yet, but I’ll get to em soon. Checked out your FB page, I’ll catch ya on there too. 🙂 Peace
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Hi guys,
Do you intend to sail to Brisbane Australia at all ??
Dave & Sharon
david@poseidonnz.com
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Hi Guys, Possibly we have not planned as far as that yet but next year is looking like Fiji, Vanuatu, New Cal, Australia. Just not sure where in Australia yet.
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Loving your YouTube, I’ve had to binge watch the entire (up to now) series of videos. I’m hoping the openness and beauty of your productions will help persuade my wife that a multi-year sail is not madness !
I have a question – what make is that catboat dinghy ? I didn’t realize for many episodes of your travelogue that it disassembles!
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Hi mark
She is a spindrift 9n design from B&B yacht design. Built for us by Amy’s dad.
It doesn’t have to be a multi year sail. It can just be a multi day sail that lasts a few years. Just take it one small step at a time, if you don’t like it you can always stop and try something different.
Cheers
Matt and Amy
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I’m with Mark, I keep looking at the older episodes as I’ve been waiting for an update to come out
Tried watching some of the other people out there, but they seem to lack the passion, sincerity, and genuine goodness of you two guys – seems the others do what you are doing for a hand out and using others to support the financing of their way of life, yours seems to be more of sharing passion of life and adventure, with the love of sailing – need the next episode guys – waiting is killing me !!!
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Kudos to you both for living your dream. Hubby and I are hooked on your voyage. Can’t wait for more episodes. Sail on!!!
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You guys are so well organised. You make a real couple made for each other. Enjoy following your voyage. Good luck. Watch for the Mermaids.
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Hi both great to see you having a fab time.
What make and size is Flo
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Hi Chris, She is an Oyster Heritage 37. https://sailwiththeflo.wordpress.com/florence/
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My girlfriend and I are jealous of you guys! We’ve been shopping for a sailboat for a few months. Do you guys fit comfortably together in the v-berth? or do you have a different sleeping arrangement?
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We fit, but we would prefer a square bed if possible! All V berths are not equal, ours is bigger than a queen at the top but smaller than a single at the bottom. When on passage we sleep in the saloon as it is more comfortable in a sea. The experience of doing this is amazing though so we think it is better to go on a smaller boat now than to wait ages to save up for a bigger one.
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Thank you so much for the valuable feedback! Happy sailing!
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Hi Matt,
Interesting to me that your field is electronics. I am an Australian manufacturer of small welding ancilliary machines, but have recently purchased a Southerly 135 which will be based in the Netherlands. As I face the issues of owning a boat at the other end of the world in a cold climate I see potential product ideas. For example looking at setting up for winter the book says drain the engine and water heater. The alternative would be to do what Canadians do with their cars, keep these items slightly warm by applying a small amount of energy through the element on the water heater and a sump heater plug on the engine, and manage the whole boat with a raspberry pi that can report via the internet. Something to think about on those long passages. Drop me a line sometime to bill@weldbrush.com if you feel the desire to apply your knowledge and talent.
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Great videos! Classy and interesting. Thanks for sharing.
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Dear friends (i hope i can call you friends) as you let me following your dream through your videos !!!!! I hope one day i ll be able to do the same with my wife and now i gather experiences through your trip. I would like to have in the future videos with more details for more inexperienced people like me. For instance the time table schedule, staff you had to buy in order to have minimum problems, gear, monthly costs, etc.I wish you a safe trip onward and keep on sailing.
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Where are you guys now? Loving the series. Really interesting.
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Hi Eoin, We are in Sydney, Australia. The blogs are always a bit behind where we actually are. M&A
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Well done guys, Tassie isn’t too far now and you will be richly rewarded with stunning anchorages + magnificent hiking. Memories you make now will last you a lifetime…I’m 71 now after circumnavigated in the 90s and following your videos to revisit all those places brings me to joyful tears. Go well!
Alan
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Thanks Alan. Tassie does look amazing but boat work and the sailing schedule later this year we have decided not to sail down that far…this time. Glad to hear you are enjoying revisiting your own circumnavigation. Amy and Matt
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New Zealand is just a skip an a jump from Aus. Marlborough Sounds is a must do. Call in to Nelson for a visit! Love watching your vids
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Thanks Kevin, we had a month in South Island last year and loved it.
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Hi Guys, you’re videos on youtube are one of several I’ve been watching lately, nice job on your channel. I have a question about Florence. She looks like a production boat, as opposed to a blue water cruiser, built for circumnavigation. She seems to be doing a fine job. When you started planning the trip was this a consideration, and do you have any thoughts about it now that you’ve been out sailing so many miles? Have fun the rest of you’re trip.
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Hi Leonard, Florence is an Oyster built in 1985 so she is a very solid capable yacht. With an encapsulated keel, skeg hung rudder and keel stepped mast, she is a very safe sea boat. She also sails incredibly well for a cruising boat. These are the reasons we chose her over a more modern production boat. However since we left the UK we have seen all sorts of boats sailing across oceans, so we would probably relax our requirements slightly if we were to be buying a boat for a circumnavigation again.
Thanks Matt and Amy
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Love your videos . I sailed to NZ on a Contessa 32 spent 6 years just loved it all though a few times I wondered what i was doing out there. Have been keeping an eye on you in ozz.
Look forward to you next video as you do to a lot of places i visited on my trip.
Cheers Bob
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Thanks Bob. 6 years is a great amount of time to spend sailing 🙂 We hope you are still managing to get out on the water.
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Hello Amy,
My husband and I have followed your journey and sailing life. We absolutely love your videos. Every week I have to check for “Flo!” Thank you for keeping the videos “clean” and providing quality viewing. We are seriously thinking about sailing off in about a year . I’m afraid…yes, I admit that! But oddly my main concern is “having a bed that doesn’t roll around and rock during the night…I want my sleep!” Is that something that I will get used to?
Thank you Amy!
Jo’ell
Tallahassee FL. USA
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Hi Jo’ell,
Thanks for your kind comment.
Being a bit scared is good, it just means you are about to have a great adventure.
I find I get used to the motion/noise at sea after the first couple of days but it does hit me if we haven’t been on passage for a while. Sometimes it’s really easy and sometimes it’s not. We have learnt how best to look out for/after each other when we are tired but it took time.
You can always travel slower meaning you get more time at anchor and less time at sea or take on an extra crew member. We have worked things out that help us i.e. always taking the same watch patterns, earplugs/eyemask, trying to each get a nap/time out of the sun in the day etc. The motion is always best low down and in the middle of the boat so try and bag your bunk there too!
Best of luck,
Amy
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We are recent empty nesters -but supporting our kids’ college pursuits- and I have started wondering what’s next. Each year, we took our kids on extended backpacking trips throughout the Pacific NW and the Maritimes. Now that the kids are gone, what’s next? This summer I will be on a 5-week backpacking trip in the northern Cascades…the first of many planned. But, I happened upon your videos and find myself reminiscing on 1994 -when my wife and I sailed around Australia on a 39′ Catalina (and I sailed off/on growing up). So, thank you, I appreciate the memories you have brought back. I am now even thinking about sailing again. Whatever happens, I am looking forward to Season 3…
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Great series! I’ve got the bug now thanks to you two. 🙂 I enjoy watching the open water video that shows life on the boat. From fishing to cooking to lessons-learned and how you deal with the sea-state. It’s all good. You two have really done a wonderful job filming and editing your adventure. One recommendation: When attaching the line to the jib clew I recommend using a mountaineer bowline. This is much more secure and there is little chance of the knot working itself out. One thing that amazed me were your repairs in [NewZealand?]! Great job! Not sure if I’d have been that savvy and knowledgeable on repairing everything myself. You two make the best team. Also, the food looked delicious! It appears that cookbooks are a must on a long voyage. I’ve got the bug so bad now! 🙂
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You both do the REAL stuff..sailing the oceans, using common sense and enjoying it a lot..Your video work is outstanding and I do enjoy your style..Godspeed..
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Only half a day’s viewing {15’ish episodes}and, I, also, am totally hooked. I concur with every single complimentary comment made. I want you to carry on sailing for as long as possible {I’m 65!}. Be happy, be safe.
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My name is Ben Brewer and although you don’t know me I feel like I’m getting to know you. I’ve started at the beginning of your story and have watched every episode. I am planning on being on a boat myself with my better half and my son in 4-5 years and would dearly love to meet up with you sometime shortly after that. We are planning to get a catamaran for my better half because she doesn’t walk very well due to both her knees being bad and needing to be replaced. As such, I really would love very much to meet up with you and just have a very lengthy and pleasant visit and maybe cruise somewhere together?.
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When you guys make it back are you done or are you going to make another trip around.
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If we can grow the audience of our youtube channel and gain enough Patrons then we hope to go around again (but a different route to see new places)
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How do you do with the weather report? Do you have Iridium Go, for example? Or is that no longer a problem anywhere?
Thanks
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You are correct we use an Iridium Go, we show that in some episodes.
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Do you have the littering vessel detail at all as shown in latest video? If yes, might be worth reporting to the IMO, or the related shipping line?
Best wishes
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Hi, is this a scam? Has your youtube been hacked or are you genuinely offering me a iphone 13 as a top fan prize?
I wrote a comment on your latest YouTube video saying, I love you guys…such inspiration etc……
I then received a reply on youtube saying it was you & that I’m a top fan & have won a prize. It said i just need to message you on telegram & give you my full name, addesss & email.
I said I need to check this is genuine before I give out personal details on telegram. Lol.
Can you please confirm this is genuine?
All the best
Marnie
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Its a scam. Unfortunately anyone can comment and they can copy our picture to make it seem like us. It is very annoying that they can get away with doing so.
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Thanks so much for letting me know. It is annoying and wrong that YouTube allows this to happen. I hope nobody falls for it. Thanks and happy wonderful adventures x
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Hi MATT and AMY..my name is johnnymac from New Zealand,,i have been watching your adventures for some time now,,really enjoy them..Im a Singer Song writer and love the Ocean..your Trips inspired me to write a Song called Time Passengers,,which i would like to Dedicate to you Both and Florence, but i need your help . what would be the best way for me to gift this song to you..Ido have a mp3 file..cheers..johnnymac
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Hi, Matt and Amy,
We have enjoyed your travels enormously. We step off again in Apr (this time without our kids, that have grown up a now will join us for their holidays from work / Uni), this time on a more sporty J130 (Adrenalina).
Like yourselves we are a couple that sail short-handed. We were watching one of your YouTube episodes that explained your 2-handed watch system – which we thought would work really well for us. For the life of me I can’t now find it… I wonder if you might just outline what it is – we have tried all sorts and ideally take on a third crew for our longer passages as 3 on 6 off works very nicely, but for the two of us it is a slog (particularly on our 3-4 day’ers when we don’t necessarily get into a rhythm).
Looking forward to seeing you set off again this summer.
Great stuff,
Gill
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We do 3:4:4:3, 3 hours at start and end when it is too light or early to sleep properly and 4 in the middle of the night. Then take turns to sleep during the day depending on who is most tired.
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