Sampson Boat Covideo
Q&A - Answering your questions about life, the universe, and Tally Ho.
May 16, 2026 · 36 min · 218K views · Panama
Man sands wood at Tally Ho’s workshop bench
What this video covers
Leo Goolden answers viewer questions about Tally Ho's sailing performance, maintenance demands, and future plans while hauled out in a boatyard in Panama, where mosquitoes and no-see-ums make outdoor work unpleasant.0:28
Tally Ho sails better than expected overall, though she struggles to point high upwind — a problem Goolden plans to address by tweaking the rig on the next windward passage.1:32 Her weight, roughly 8.5 knots hull speed, proved an advantage in light air: momentum carried her through lulls that stopped lighter boats dead.2:13 She is stiff rather than tender, a result of extra ballast added to offset heavier-than-planned frame construction; Goolden considers this the safer direction to err.2:43 Tool storage in a salty environment gets a practical answer: he keeps power tools — three drills, an impact driver, die grinder, battery router, angle grinder, jigsaw — in dedicated bags below.8:08 On going aground twice since launch, he explains his risk calculus: confidence in the hull's strength and keel shape, sole ownership removing financial accountability to others, and nearby anchored boats eliminating life-safety risk.18:38 An autopilot software conflict with the trim tab causes an erratic course; he is working with the manufacturer to fix it.12:50 He holds a B1/B2 visa after an O1 "Alien of Extraordinary Ability" visa expired.23:55 Annual haulout and antifouling, biennial topsides painting, and constant small projects are normal for a cruising wooden boat, especially a custom new build in the tropics.31:47
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