Affordable, expert support to get your Southeast Asian sailing adventure on track
Visas, sponsors, banking, boat check-ins, agents and anchorages … there’s a lot to get your head around when you decide to cruise in Southeast Asia. Want to get the best Starlink deal, find the best marinas and boatyards along your route, or how to put together unforgettable inland trips? Having cruised the region since 2019, we can help negotiate the challenges of cruising so that you can focus on what matters most — a once-in-a-lifetime trip through the most beautiful islands in Southeast Asia.
We are Catherine Lawson and David Bristow — liveaboard cruisers, sailing journalists, authors and mentors — with 20 years of liveaboard experience and extensive knowledge of cruising Southeast Asian waters.
Personalized Cruiser Coaching: How We Get Your Sailing Adventure on Track
Through personalised, one-on-one video consultations and ongoing, unlimited guidance while your cruise, we’ll set you up to explore with confidence and mentor you through every challenge.
Navigating Monsoon Seasons, Complex Border Clearance, and Boat Gear Obstacles
Whether you need help navigating the weather, currents and those tricky monsoon seasons, route planning, advice on buying and installing gear (and customs obstacles), boat projects, provisioning, clearance paperwork or where to leave your boat when it’s time to renew visas, we’ve got your back
Making the Leap North: Planning Your Sailing Route from Australia to Asia
Having clocked up more than 25,000 sea miles in Northern Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, we can show you how to see the best of this region’s incredible archipelago of islands, coastlines and countries. If you are setting out from Australia, we’ll help you plan the leap north too.
Our Consulting: Comprehensive Yacht Life Support
We can help with:
- Weather in Southeast Asia: Seasonal route planning and storm tactics.
- The Cruising Ground: Locating the very best anchorages, local marinas, and secure boatyards.
- International Paperwork: Clearing in and out, export documents, cruising visas, and reliable local agents.
- Vessel Refitting: Prepping your boat for a remote voyage, choosing and installing new gear, and boat systems (navigation, safety, solar power, and lithium batteries).
- Liveaboard Lifestyle Transitions: Safety at Sea, traveling with pets, transitioning to homeschooling (boat-schooling), working from your boat, and managing long-term cruiser budgets.
Choose Your Coaching Track: Single Consultation or Continuous Mentorship
1. One-on-One Video Consultations (Pay-As-You-Go)
Book a single hour-long session to get your trip on track.
- How it works: We encourage you to compile a list of questions or topics you need help with. We schedule a video chat and go through everything, face-to-face.
- The Follow-Up: Afterwards, we follow up each session with written notes and the exact resources you need to move forward. You pay only for the chat.
- Investment: AUD $90 per hour.
2. Join the Wild One Cruising Club (Continuous Sailing Support)
As a Cruising Club member, you get to schedule five, one-on-one video sessions and receive ongoing, unlimited support while you cruise. This means that you can phone, message, or email us whenever you need help to get real-time advice as you sail.
Here’s what you get as a club member:
- 5 x 1 Hour Video Coaching Sessions: Complete with customized follow-up resources, detailed plans, and session notes.
- Unlimited Priority Access: Real-time advice via phone, messaging, or email to troubleshoot boat problems, revise your sailing itinerary, or get quick contacts for resupplying and repairs between islands.
- Monthly Cruising Updates: Tailored regional updates about topics that matter directly to your active route, emailed straight to your inbox.
- Investment: 3-month membership — AUD $600.
Testimonials –
“We first discovered Catherine and David through their incredible book, ‘The Hunter and the Gatherer’ which we stumbled upon at the Hamilton Island Post Office. Captivated by their work, we began following them on social media, eventually gathering the courage to reach out for advice. We’re so glad we did!
As we prepared for our journey with the Wonderful Sail to Indonesia Rally, we had countless questions, especially with the daunting task of sailing up the Queensland coast ahead of us. Catherine and David not only provided us with invaluable insights about both Indonesia and Queensland, but they also offered us detailed plans that made our journey smoother and more enjoyable.
Now, as we sit anchored in a stunning location in remote Indonesia, about to embark on what will surely be a bucket-list experience, we can’t help but feel grateful for their guidance. We now consider Catherine and David an essential part of our sail planning, and we can’t imagine this adventure without their expert advice”Scott and Sandy Trevethan – S.V. SeaMoon