Deck Tour - Nonsuch 26 Swallow Liveaboard Sailboat

A guided tour of the deck of Ben Stookey's Nonsuch 26 liveaboard cruising sailboat.
Ben Stookey was introduced to sailing at a very young age by his parents. His father sailed a 21 foot sailboat from England to Antigua in the Mini Transat Race in 1977. When Ben was 14, his parents bought a boat in Finland and they spent years cruising all over Europe. Ben's first year of high school was in Spain. Today, Ben lives aboard a Nonsuch 26 named 'Swallow.' He is currently cruising the US East coast, and earning a living from computer programming remotely aboard his boat using a wifi connection.
Ben's Blog: 'Life Aboard Swallow' is online at boat.stooks.me

[@NYWaters]

Nice video tour of the Nonsuch 26.. Ben touched on all the features of the rig and what makes them a real nice boat to sail and liveaboard. I have owned a Nonsuch 30 since 1995 and have not felt the need to look at another boat since I bought her. Looks like Ben enjoys his Nonsuch as much as I do mine. Look forward to the inside tour next week.

[@Flyingsailordiver]

I have fitted a Tides Marine Strong track to the mast of almost every boat I have owned. I am on boat 14. The tracks are so smooth and easy to fit.

[@castaway123100]

Sammy, keep rocking those golden curls!

[@joecaley]

Great tour of the boat, thank you Ben for letting us see your Nonsuch

[@drakeParagon]

Thank you so much for your kind words! We love reading your comments and they inspire us enormously.

[@AdventuresofanoldSeadog]

Wow such an interesting boat.

[@adam56usa]

Really decent young man. Thanks for the interview and tour of his boat.

[@charlesrondeau1352]

Hello, Drake. I bought a friend's 1981 Hunter 30 after having enjoyed sailing with him and his wife on Saginaw Bay in Michigan, My lady friend, Anita and I are looking forward to spending a lot of time on the boat next summer. Guess I'd better choose a name while she's (the boat!) in storage over the winter! I'll keep watching your great videos in the meantime and stay inspired. Have a great Christmas!

[@LOUP30S]

Yes NS gets a bit chilly. Try a Wabasto diesel heater they work great and you can get one from truck dealerships or so and much cheaper.

[@topkat48]

Waiting patiently for the interior video. Hope your trip up the Atlantic coast is safe and pleasurable. Say hi to momo!

[@drakeParagon]

Hi Wahledu, Thank you for your kind and inspiring words! We've working on a lot of great episodes to publish soon! Thank you for sailing with us,

[@charlesrondeau1352]

Drake, I stumbled across your sailing videos a few days ago, and absolutely love 'em. I bought a sailboat late this past summer, and can't wait to launch it again in May, 2013. I look forward to all your future videos. They're great!

[@ahikernamedgq]

That guy has fabulous hair!

[@mboyer68]

I was always curious about that boat..I figured that it MUST be an awesome boat to have been made looking like it does. But after I learned about it, I love the looks now, honestly! And no, I don't own one. They're so..they make sailing so easy and likely it will reduce your cost of ownership significantly. There's no standing rigging to buy or to fail, the running rigging is about as extensive as a sunfish (kidding), and the one sail does everything. That is an amazing boat. It was designed by a guy who just wanted to sail. He didn't want to work when he was out on the water. And he nailed it. Learn about the boat and you'll fall in love...really!

[@dwayneguydammit]

thanks for the tour! i want to get a cruiser to live on soon, this is awsome to see what is being run

[@drakeParagon]

Hi Lou, thanks for the comment. Aboard Paragon, our primary heating comes from a Hurricane II hydronic diesel boiler with zoned radiator space heating. It also produces instant domestic hot water. We also have a Little Cod wood burning stove, and 2 reverse cycle air conditioners.. I've also installed insulation throughout 100% of the topsides, and plan to someday insulate the interior of the cabin top.. Hopefully we'll be warm in Ireland or England next winter!

[@BenjaminWStookey]

I definitely love her. The only drawback I've found to the rig is the fact that the boom hangs so far off the side of the boat with the wind anywhere abaft the beam. In a big sea, the boom can dip into the water, which can do some damage. It has made me more cautious of the weather when I plan a passage.

[@drakeParagon]

Hi Charles and Anita, Congratulations on your Hunter 30! My first boat was a 1982 Hunter 30 too! I bought her in November 1995 and immediately started living aboard in a marina in Boston harbor. I have wonderful memories of how my liveaboard cruising life started with that boat... If you ever get to make any videos of your boat please let me know.. :) Happy sailing, Drake

[@SpiritQuest]

Great boat Ben! I just picked me up an unstayed 31Cat Ketch half wishbone (Spirit Quest) and cant wait to see what she can do! Very helpful hearing how you sail yours! Thank You! And thanks Drake, good tour! Maybe 'ketch' (haha) ya out cruising! Well If ya ever make it to pacific side that is..;)

[@DaveinNewport]

Drake ~ really good work again...Ben does a great job sharing his world as well. Thanks. Would love to see a video of Parigon made in the same fashion

[@Wahledu]

Thanks Drake for all your videos I am officially hooked and can't wait for the next one.

[@plstrom]

dude you really get surprised with what he says ! LOL lots of WOW'S !

[@drakeParagon]

plstrom It's interesting that once you start filming yourself you realize all of the little quirks you have while speaking. It's not such a big deal in a single conversation, but on film it doesn't quite always work. I'm certainly working on it. Almost every day Mo is now telling me not to say 'um' and 'wow' all the time. Thanks for the honest critique and I'm really glad you're enjoying the videos.

[@annemarit21]

DrakeParagon's Real Cruising Life I noticed it too but I actually like it, you sound so enthousiastic! Please don't feel embarassed or anything. This is only your second video I've watched but I really like them so far! Thanks so much for the effort :)

[@ProfChaoss]

I just watched this video and I have a few... youtubey comments. 1. Thank you for doing this video and your other ones that I am about to go watch. 2. This guy seems very nice, and his boat is amazing. I like his ingenuity with some of his ideas like the solar panel. 3. I am very upset that his boat is named "Swallow" that is what I wanted to name my future sailboat :(

[@plebiansociety]

jeffrey seneff You can always name yours Spit...

[@seikibrian8641]

Don't fret about it, Jeffrey; lots of boats share names. Just try to use a name that's not shared by another boat in your local marina.

[@drakeParagon]

Hi ThereWillBeHellToPay, I've never sailed one, but I've heard from many people who have that they're really easy to sail. Seems really neat. No jib and staysail to deal with.. easy reefing from the cockpit..

[@toosinbeymen6304]

Nonsuch 26, for the win!

[@10bbremer]

Thanks for doing these!

[@hangemhigh2000]

That mast is something else, as big as boats twice its size. Amazing stuff, thank's for the upload. I to never seen a wishbone boom. They aren't hatch boards. Its the companionways Crib boards FYI.

[@Rikasso66]

Great interview thanks for all the great videos. I also went out, and got the book Voyaging on a small income thanks. Keep on keeping on

[@drakeParagon]

Hi Dave, Thank you. We're working on a little Paragon video and hope to publish it after Ben Stookey's interview series. Please stay tuned! :)

[@drakeParagon]

Hi Capt'n Tom, I think the interior also seemed a lot bigger because of the mast being so much further forward.. Looking forward to your next videos!

[@michaeli8505]

that's living free , wish you luck ,

[@drakeParagon]

Hi Charles, thank you for your kind and inspiring words. Welcome aboard! What kind of sailboat did you buy and where are you sailing?

[@tizit88]

You should do another walk through of your own sail boat.

[@mboyer68]

If I owned that boat I'd somehow add something to the sail so that from a distance it would look like a massive dude windsurfing a massive windsurfer! Like iron on patches but not. Imagine drawing a dude standing up and hanging onto the boom...then figure out how to get it onto the sail. How much was a new mast? Could you find a used one? How do they get away with no stays? Are masts really that strong? Thank you:)

[@drakeParagon]

Hi tizitt88, We're working on a little Paragon video and hope to publish it after Ben Stookey's interview series. Please stay tuned! :)

[@BenjaminWStookey]

They are 145w panels from DW Solar in Ft Lauderdale.

[@bizim_eller]

The belt and gears are inside the autopilot thingy.

[@BenjaminWStookey]

I think that helps, but I've found that I need to essentially tack down wind if it gets really rolly.

[@NYWaters]

Ben I think I only had that problem once when running in gale conditions. Just can't remember what I did to minimize it then. Perhaps adjusting the topping lift might help.

[@bizim_eller]

4 minutes into the video and I concluded that smoking weed makes you happier by way of ignoring reality 😂😂

[@graemzilla]

Hi Drake love your channel :) Do you know if Ben had his cockpit hatch door custom made or did he purchase it?Thanks Graeme.

[@Nickccann]

What kind of solar panels does Ben have aboard swallow?

[@QBBSAXET]

Awe.....summmm!

[@craigvietor6891]

would you go around the world with that boat

[@seikibrian8641]

You could. Robin Lee Graham set out on a solo circumnavigation in 1965 in a somewhat smaller, lighter boat, and Lin and Larry Pardey cruised the world for more than a decade in a 24-footer, although Serrafyn was a heavy-displacement cutter-rigged sloop.

[@U.S.SlaveOfficial]

not set for mobiles??

[@glenswada]

"I might need a heater", "you will" ..... Perhaps a solar pop can heater (watch?v=QLNViUsRCVU) might work if had room to mount such a device and even solar water heater (watch?v=19HbHYQzo_k).

[@Flashem2me]

the Camera guy.. always keeping the cam.. On the sailor.. wierd..

[@aztekjp]

*

[@CaptainHook86]

Hey I found 3 35 ft nonsuches for less than 25000