7364 Subscribers, 34 videos, and over 3 millions minutes of watch time now!
Watch the video to find out why Patrick loves YouTube…And Read below for his background…
Who is Patrick Childress, and why a Youtube channel? Patrick and Rebecca Childress are sailing around the world on their 1976 Valiant 40, SV BRICK HOUSE, one of the sailing world’s most famous Bluewater Cruising sailboats.
Patrick learned to sail when he was a young child, and has played around and worked around both sailboats and powerboats for half a century. Rebecca didn’t learn to sail until she was in her 20s when the sailing bug bit her hard!p, but has been at it with both feet in for a few decades now. But we are both still really young!!!
Patrick completed a solo-circumnavigation on Juggernaut, a Catalina 27 in his younger days. He has been published in most U.S. and many foreign sailing magazines, for both his writing and photography. He co-authored a book titled “The Cruising Guide to Narragansett Bay and the South Coast of Massachusetts”. He holds his 500 Ton Masters Captains License, and is an active delivery captain and instructor. His Ham license is a General.
Captain Patrick Childress owned a home improvement business in Newport, RI but retired in June 2007 to cruise a second time around the world on Brick House.
He is also, most importantly, Captain of SV Brick House, AND married to Rebecca Taft, now Rebecca Childress! (July 4, 2007)
Rebecca Childress is an accomplished sailor as well. She has owned many boats ranging from a 17′ MacGregor, a Catalina 27′ and a 36′ Catalina, and now the Valiant 40 that she purchased a few years before meeting Patrick. (Lucky Patrick hah?)
Before meeting Patrick and heading out on this circumnavigation, she had completed numerous blue water passages between Rhode Island and the Caribbean and passages across the Gulf of Mexico. Cruising has included the Bahama Islands, New England, Nova Scotia, the Florida coast and the BVIs, all in preparation for the day she could circumnavigate.
Rebecca holds her 50 Ton Masters Captains License with towing and sailing endorsements. She is also a General Licensed Ham Radio Operator.
She met Patrick on her first NARC Rally from Newport to Bermuda. She had always dreamed of sailing around the world, and knew that a passage to Bermuda in November would teach her more about heavy weather sailing since it is usually rough that time of year.
Several years later when Patrick and Rebecca got together, they set their sites on earning enough money to cruise around the world together! Three years later, they had saved just enough money and were ready to move aboard!
First mate Rebecca became a successful Realtor in Newport, RI, and has an extensive list of Computer Certifications and experience as well.
Now they are both retired!
After almost 8 years of exploring the Globe, they decided to add another crew member to Brick House. This was while in the island nation of Palau. They got Lily, a 7 week old practically wild little tiger kitten from a local apartment building. She has grown up on Brick House, learning how to sail ( the first time a freighter passed and stirred up a wake, she vomited at the sight of it. She hasn’t been sick since, even in 50 knots of wind!) She has learned how to fish, lets us know when people approach the boat, and has learned how to swim too. With almost 15,000 miles and 18 countries under her belt, she is a well traveled cat. On the rare occasion she gets to a marina, she decides its time for her to to see the world! I guess she takes after us!
Together, we make a great team taking our home around the world,
Here is a good place to start…and continue your sailing education:
YouTube Sailboat How To Videos…Tools we use for growing our sailing Youtube channel that have worked
I love your videos. You offer a perspective that is practical and informative. I learn something with each video.
One area that I am looking for more information is on the subject of leaving and entering countries. I guess once you have it figured out it seems obvious since nobody really discusses this topic in depth. A few channels complain about the process but nobody describes it. Have you covered this in any of your videos?
I know you need to fly a quarantine flag when you arrive and then there are boardings and inspections, but don’t you need to request permission to enter before you leave your previous port? How do you figure this out?
I am a little sensitive about this topic due to my last adventure with the US and Canada. I sail up Lake Michigan to Canada where they have customs stations. I’ve botched this process a few times as they change the rules periodically, requiring inspections of the boat and a form filled out by customs and immigration at an airport 20 miles inland…. So even in my own backyard, I’ve been short on the information needed, or assumed incorrectly, so what do you do as you are moving about the world?
Is there a list of paperwork that you need to carry and have ready for these entries and exits? Do you need to have multiple copies or will one master copy be sufficient?
Are there limits to how long you can stay in each country?
How do you handle money / cash / credit? Exchange rates?
If you really need a part, how hard is it to get a part shipped to you? Do you send it to where you are or have it sent ahead to the next port? (I suppose it depends on what broke, but you know what I mean.
Thanks so much!