Episode 18 · August 1, 2026 · 1 hr 11 min

From "You're Nuts" to "This Is My Dream Too": A Skeptic, a Pilot & the Life They Built at Sea

Tammy and Dale Johnston spent four decades dreaming of life at sea. A retired Air Force and airline pilot and the skeptic who became a believer, they finally set sail at retirement aboard their 2022 Leopard 45.

In this episode

  • The Bluewater Cruising lesson that changed everything: you have time or you have money
  • Why people overspend on the wrong boat and not enough on the right one
  • Going from "sailing is all storms and danger" to "this is my dream too"
  • Cruising as a couple: communicating for connection, not just understanding

Book a call with an experienced cruiser

From dreaming to doing. It starts with one call.

Get your first steps into bluewater cruising, mapped out on a free 15-minute call with an experienced cruiser. We'll look at where you are, what you're working with, and map the real next step for your situation.

Completely built around you and not a template, because no two cruisers are the same. Stop wondering where you stand and come find out.

Pick a time that works Bluewater Cruising Compass Call

Podcast library

Other episodes

▶
Episode 17 · 1 hr 16 min

Struck by Lightning: A Family, a Catamaran, and the Day Everything Changed
▶
Episode 16 · 1 hr 8 min

The Reality Of Buying A Boat Out Of Charter: What One Cruiser Wish He Knew Before Buying
▶
Episode 15 · 43 min

Exploring Propeller Types, Materials, and Efficiency for Smooth Sailing
Browse all episodes →
Bluewater Cruising founders aboard a catamaran Relaxing aboard a Bluewater Cruising catamaran Catamarans anchored over a reef The Bluewater Cruising community at a live event

Who we are

From cruisers who've done the miles

Bluewater Cruising is a complete support system for people serious about living aboard and cruising long term. We are working captains and real cruisers, not classroom instructors, covering the whole path: choosing the right boat, setting it up, building the skills, and a community that has crossed oceans together. Everything you need to go from dreaming to doing, all under one roof.