Sampson Boat Co · video

What this video covers

Leo Goolden is preparing the 50-ft gaff-rigged cutter *Tally Ho* for a return voyage to the United Kingdom to compete in the 2027 Fastnet Race.0:03 He is currently evaluating four potential routes: heading east through the Panama Canal, south around Cape Horn, west through the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean, or north through the Northwest Passage.5:12 Each route presents significant logistical challenges, including seasonal weather windows, limited repair infrastructure, and the risk of ice in the Arctic. To prepare for the departure, he is vacating his workshop in Port Townsend, Washington, and transitioning to a winter cruising schedule that allows for maintenance work to be completed in various anchorages.18:27 Alongside this planning, he fabricated a new pair of oars for the boat's PT-11 rowing dinghy using Douglas fir shafts and carbon fiber blades, finishing them with eight coats of varnish and leather oar-lock protectors.0:59

More from Sampson Boat Co

Tally Ho sails into England after 59 years overseas!Aug 2026A very brief update from the Fal estuaryAug 2026Piracy and Peril - stories from the boatyards of West CorkAug 2026Tally Ho completes her Atlantic Crossing at the Fastnet Rock!Aug 2026

From Sampson Boat Co — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analysed video.

The Sailing Directory Newsletter

One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.