So after deciding to list our beautiful boat we sold her within 3 weeks and she's now gone to her new owners. I had been keeping an eye on the market and it wasn't looking great so I thought I would list her and quietly hoped we may have another season. Working in sales I know the worst time to sell anything is when you are desperate and we had no plans of 'giving her away'! Therefore when we had a call around 3 weeks after listing her saying ' I think I have sold your boat' we were quite shocked! Having said that I knew that someone would walk on her and just like us fall for her and it was the first couple that viewed her and that was only on an off chance. She is a beautiful boat in great shape for her age so I can't really say I am surprised. On to the next chapter of our sailing life we go... Yes we will continue the YouTube channel.. Yes I have found another boat.. No I haven't yet got the price I am willing to pay so we will see how things progress! Thank you all for watching and I will look forward to catching up soon. Love Carl, Charlie & Lillia x

? **Solo sailing on the River Orwell** + a **3-minute, no-fat Cajun Wings & Rice** recipe-all cooked in one tiny sailboat galley pan! Perfect if you love quick, healthy meals and sailing vlogs. ? **In this episode** 00:00 Welcome aboard & why I'm test-sailing after an engine service 01:35 River Orwell conditions (5-10 kts, flat water) 03:10 Prep starts - 7 minutes from chopping to oven 05:45 Sailing reflections & viewer shout-out 07:20 Taste test & recipe adaptations 09:05 What's next on the channel ? **Recipe (serves 1-2)** - 150 g long-grain or basmati rice - 300 ml chicken stock (or veg / water) - 1 red pepper - 3-4 spring onions - 8 cherry tomatoes - 4 chicken wings (swap to breast, thigh, or fish) - Cajun seasoning + S & P **Method:** Layer veg ? rice ? stock ? wings. Season. Cover with foil. **Bake 180 °C / 35 min**, uncover 10 min, rest 10 min. *2 : 1 liquid-to-rice ratio is the magic!* ? **Your turn:** Got a go-to *fast* galley (or van / RV) meal? Drop it below so we can all try it! ?? **Binge more galley recipes:** [Quick Boat Meals playlist] ? **Subscribe** for weekly solo-sailing & cooking-at-sea videos

Sometimes you just need to untie the lines and sail - with no plan, no rush, and no destination. Just the wind, the water, and a bit of headspace. ?? In this solo sailing episode, I head out from [Woolverstone] on a calm day along the UK East Coast. It's not about getting anywhere - it's about the *journey*. ? Route: [River Orwell, North Sea Coast ] ?? Conditions: Light winds, flat seas - ideal for a chilled-out solo sail ? Shot from aboard Crazy Diamond If you love solo sailing, relaxed adventures, and just being on the water - this one's for you. #solosailing #sailinguk #eastcoastsailing #boatlifestyle #relaxingsailing #sailingvlog

It's time for our **annual haul-out and boat maintenance**, but before we do - we put the **Scrubbis Hull Brush** to the test! ? Can it really clean the hull below the waterline without lifting the boat? ?? Is it worth the money - and does it replace a haul-out? In this episode: - Scrubbis brush in-action demo - Annual haul-out checklist - Maintenance tasks (antifoul, zincs, through-hulls, and more) - Final thoughts on whether Scrubbis is a good investment ? Boat: [Moody 30] ? Location: [Woolverstone / Foxes Marina] #boatmaintenance #scrubbis #haulout #hullcleaning #sailingvlog #boatyardlife So we've been gone a while now and the reasons have been multiple. We have been out sailing but in the interest of not repeating ourselves I have not been filming our day sails on the Orwell and Stour! I give a brief on where we've been and what's been going on in our world and then get back to an episode filmed back in MAY! Serious delay in getting this out I know. For numerous reasons I wanted to test this brush to see if it could really do the job of a haul out. It doesn't. However for a regular hull clean it works well and providing the hull is not heavily fouled it is much better than a normal brush to clean the hull. It's easy to use and you can visibly see it working but naturally its difficult to check progress as you cant see what you are doing with the hull being under the water. We also hauled out and did the sand down, anti foul, replaced the anodes on the prop and hull, painted the prop, cleaned the hull and polished the hull, took our cockpit cover and spray hood for refurbishment and repair and jet sprayed the deck. I didn't film most of the work as at the time I was juggling, doing house renovation work that had to be completed before we could get new windows and doors installed, full time work and getting the boat work done, plus of course general father and husband duties!! It was a hell of a couple of weeks. As mentioned in the video I plan to get some solo sails in as I want to boost my experience levels and confidence as its not where I would like it to be now we have the little one on board. I am fine on my own but want to push that further to make life easier for everyone on board so we can do some longer passages together when the weather permits. It's been a funny year for weather and life. As always thank you for watching. Love Carl, Charlie and Lillia xx

Up before dawn for a peaceful **solo sail on the North Sea coast** ? Calm seas, gentle breeze, and a stunning sunrise made it all worth it. ? What's inside: - Early departure and prep - North Sea coastline in the morning light - Reflections on sailing solo and simple pleasures at sea ? What's your favourite time of day to sail? ? More sailing videos from the North Sea: [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbL5CRDatccQ9AKusyEJVRiwMdDv4-OSX] ? Subscribe for weekly boat life & galley food adventures!

Sometimes the job list just doesn't stand a chance - especially on a perfect sailing day. ? In this episode, I *intended* to clean the hull, but once I got out on the River Crouch? plans changed. With sunny skies, calm water, and just enough breeze, I opted for a chilled sail instead. ? What's inside: - Quick check-in on hull cleaning goals - Solo sail on the River Crouch - Reflections on balancing maintenance vs. enjoyment ? Episode 26 aboard [Crazy Diamond] ? Location: River Crouch, East Coast UK Let me know: do you ever ditch the to-do list just to go sailing? #sailinguk #rivercrouch #boattasks #boatlife #sailingvlog #sailingescape Thats right... I go over the side into the murky river Crouch in an attempt to clean the hull and prop!! I fail miserably due to the temperature... and currents... oh and the fact I couldn't hold my breath for longer than 30 seconds! We continue our journey up and down the river Crouch, ground from Burnham Marina to Fambridge Moorings and then back again ready for our departure. We take a very slow down wind sail in company on the best weekend of the year so far! Weather great, wind, minimal.. I also have a rant regarding the power boaters who deem it FairPlay to blast past at 20kts in a 20m vessel... not good.. saw a fisherman nearly flipped out of his small boat.. As I mention I love a powerboat as much as the next person BUT I don't like the lack of consideration for others especially bordering on dangerous!! Next time we will be sailing back and may even film a little cooking... Thank you as always for giving us your time and sharing our trips! Love Carl, Charlie and Lillia xx

We took our baby on our very first weekend away as a sailing family! ?? It was a huge moment for us - the first time all three of us spent a full weekend living, sleeping, and sailing on the boat. From preparation, safety, and naps underway - to some stunning sailing moments - we share the highs, the challenges, and the joy of introducing our child to life on the water. ? Location: [River Orwell, River Crouch, North Sea] ? This is Episode 25 of our sailing life aboard Crazy Diamond! ? Would you take a baby sailing? Let us know in the comments! #sailingfamily #sailingwithbaby #boatlife #tinyboatbiglife #sailingvlog

I always strive for honesty and clarity and the truth is in the title, unless of course you enjoy watching a little day sail then here it is, but in truth we shoot these videos for our family and as a great diary and sometimes it may not be that interesting for the masses. We are planning a few trips and some boat work soon but until the temperature picks up a little at night we don't want to subject our little crew member to any unnecessary discomfort and likewise stress ourselves out. I am also finding our safe limits with dealing with a small person on board as the basics are all there, I know I can sail the boat single handed so that's fine, but particularly Charlie needs to get used to dealing with the little baby on board when the world aka the boat is tipped on its side and bouncing up and down. I never want to cause any discomfort to anyone on board and we have the luxury of time to get to grips with this. For those of you that enjoy our videos and watch regularly and comment, thank you and we appreciate each and everyone that takes the time to write and time to watch. I have an idea in mind for the channel but its taking some time to come to fruition.. Thank you all Carl, Charlie & Lillia xx

In this episode, we're joined by our new addition Lillia for a relaxed sail along the East Coast - and I cook up one of my favourite **easy one-pan dinners** in the tiny galley! ???? ? What's Inside: - Sailing with calm winds and great company - A simple, flavour-packed one-pan boat meal - Introducing our newest crew member aboard Crazy Diamond ? Location: [insert sailing area] ? Recipe is at [timestamp] if you want to skip to the cooking Let us know what your go-to easy boat dish is in the comments! #sailingfamily #easyboatmeals #onepandish #sailinguk #galleycooking The Ragu Recipe This is a fairly light Beef Ragu that works really well with the pasta. It's a one pot wonder so no messing about and saves on the washing up! It's purposely wet during the simmering so you can simply add the pasta at the end and the pasta cooks in the juices which ultimately creates mega flavour pasta. Ingredients (Makes 6 main portions) - 2 x Beef Shins (1kg approx) - 3 x shallots or white onions (Diced) - 3 x carrots (Diced) - 2 x sticks of celery (Diced) - 4 x garlic cloves (Diced) - 6 x tomatoes (Diced) - 1 x Tin chopped Tomatoes - 1 x Bouquet Garni (Thyme, Rosemary, Bay Leaves) - 2 x tsp oregano - 2 x tbsp Worcestershire sauce - 2 x tbsp tomato puree - 1 x glass red wine or red wine stock cube (I used a cube in the video as we had no red wine) - 500mm beef or veal stock - 2/3 can of water (fill tomato tin and shake out and add to pan) - heavy seasoning of salt and pepper - 1 x 500g packet of pasta (Your choice, I used Conchigile Rigate (Shells) - Parmesan to finish (or any cheese you like) - huge glug of olive oil Method - Cut beef into big chunks & brown beef in oil - Throw in carrots, onions, celery, garlic - Leave to sauté for 5 mins - Throw in tomato puree cook out for a minute - Add red wine or red wine stock cube (Cook off wine for 2-3 minutes if using) - Add Tomatoes, bouquet Garni, tinned chopped tomatoes (and water) , stock, oregano, Worcestershire sauce and seasoning. - Stir well - Add lid and leave for 2-3hrs on low simmer (or in slow cooker) * If you have a pressure cooker then this would be ready in about 1-1.5hrs. - Test beef for tenderness and then break up with a masher (You can leave big if you like the chunks (I like a 50/50 mix) - Add pasta and lid and leave for 15 minutes - Test pasta and serve with parmesan when ready and a drizzle of oil. ADDITIONAL TIP - If you have leftovers you can put this in a tray and add a layer of Béchamel sauce for a lasagna style pasta bake! I hope you enjoy!! Thank you for watching! love Carl, Charlie & Lillia x

A simple 4k cockpit view sailing video. This was the last said I made a few days before my daughter was born. From our home Berth in the River Orwell to just past Felixtowe Docks. It was a fantastic sail with 15-20kts blowing at just enough of an angle to get down out to sea without to many tacks. I was pushing my luck a touch with just one more buoy.. oh and another.. ok last one.. before it dawned on me that I was around 8 miles from tying the boat up and I could get a call at any point to say its time! I went with 2 reefs in the main and the full jib then shook the reefs out on the way back downwind as the wind. Can't wait to get back out!! More stuff coming soon. Thank you for watching. Carl x

Another day of **sailing, cooking, and eating well on board** - this time it's ultimate comfort food: *crispy jacket potatoes* and *oozy quesadillas* ??? ? Light sailing with great weather ?? Cooking in the tiny galley: Jacket potatoes in the oven + spicy, cheesy quesadillas ? Good food, good views, and good vibes This is Episode 22 of our sailing adventure aboard Crazy Diamond - showing you how delicious life can be even on a small boat. ? Sailing Location: [insert location] ? Recipe breakdowns below! #sailingandcooking #galleycooking #sailingvlog #comfortfood #boatlife So where do I begin. We (I) changed our plans a lot! And I think most part down to my nerves about sailing with the bump and risking anything with mother or baby ... I think it's down to my confidence or lack there of, or just being to sensible?I would caveat this with the fact that I am more than happy to go out alone but struggle with the responsibility of the crew! Any advice regarding this would be great! _____________ We had planned this trip to the #rivercrouch and all was set.. it then very quickly felt lie the omens were aligning to stop us in our tracks. Firstly, a 2hr delay due to an overturned lorry, then the wind picked up to a force 6, so not only would we have missed the tide it would have been a bumpy ride to boot. We decided on stick,ing in our safe haven and doing the sensible thing by going for a walk to the pub #butt&oyster. The #riverstour needed to wait and so did our lovely #crazydiamond We cooked a jacket potato and fillet steak with some coleslaw (I know a jacket is not a culinary masterclass BUT simple things done well are often the best and I rarely get a good one if out and about! A good nights sleep was in order to rest and begin again in the morning! Up, shower, and of course breakfast and off we set... We enter the sea and hoist the sails.. the wind was a comfortable 3-4 and sea state had some swell left over from the winds the night before. As we turned down wind the motion of the #boat was very jolly which u fortunately nothing could be done about. We endured for an hour or so and after getting around 5 miles off shore I looked at Charlie and realised that this would not be great for her and the baby bump as we had around 7-8 more hours to go and the constant need to support herself (As we all do in these conditions) would not have been a wise choice.. Am I pushing my luck sailing at #31weekspregnant. (At the time of filming) (We are now 38 weeks!) ? We make the sensible choice and turn back to calmer waters and the relaxing #babymoon we had planned for the weekend. The sun agreed and shone hard on us all day and night and gave us a fantastic sunset.. we wafted down the river and cooked lunch. Quesadillas 1 x white onion 1 x red pepper 2 x garlic bulbs 10 cherry tomatoes (others will do) 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 x tsp smoked paprica 1 x tsp oregano 1 x tsp chives (Optional spices include, cajun, cayenne pepper, chilli) 80g grated cheddar 80g either gouda, red leister, mozzarella, (to be honest any melting cheese will do and the more the better) 4-6 x large tortillas to finish 2 x diced spring onions 1 bunch coriander, 1 bunch parsley diced Method... Watch the video! The next day we considered going back to the #riverorwell but decided to go out to #sea to have a sail.. the weather was perfect and we had a fantastic day! Not to mention sailing through a race at #felixstowe port / #harwich As always.. Thank you for watching Love Carl & Charlie x

So we have been listening to comments and the wind noise was a problem. We have since purchased a GoPro 11 with the creator kit (Mic attachment and other bits). Side note.. it's great. What's not been so great it when I have tried to edit the videos, the 4k footage has continually crashed the computer.. We have taken footage on a couple of trips and this was a more recent one and shorter. I thought I would keep it simple and just show the day as it was. I was surprising our friend who was anchored in the #riverstour and had to make best speed up the #riverorwell as after checking the AIS for his movement noticed that the boat was on the move! It worked out very well as I got to the mouth of the Stour so did he and I had a message on my phone saying he could see a familiar shaped yacht on the horizon! (Crazy Diamond was his boat for many years). We drifted and chatted for a while then time to part ways, I followed out to sea for a while but alas the Diamond could not keep up! The extra 8ft makes a big difference.... or was it the sailor?! I turned and wafted back down the river and tied back up after a spot of lunch. Don't worry... Charlie will be returning in the next episode and we will be back to our usual ways of cooking, sailing somewhere and changing our minds continually! love Carl & Charlie

This sail didn't go quite as planned. ?? In this episode, I head out expecting a relaxed trip - but quickly run into **challenging conditions** with **highly variable winds** and shifting weather. From frustrating lulls to sudden gusts, this sail kept me on my toes the whole way. ? What's in this episode: - Sailing in unpredictable conditions - Wind shifts, sail trim challenges, and tactical decisions - Lessons learned for handling light + gusty winds ? Sailing location: [East Coast UK, River Orwell] ? Filmed aboard: [Crazy Diamond] If you've had a day where the wind just *wouldn't make up its mind*, you'll feel this one! #sailingconditions #variablewinds #sailinguk #sailinglife #solosailing #sailingvlog

A full day of boat maintenance ahead! In this episode, I tackle some essential tasks: ? Winch servicing ? Replacing our raw water pump ? Fixing and replacing the halyard It's all part of keeping the boat cruising-ready. Whether you're a fellow sailor or just boat-curious, this one gives a real look into the less glamorous but necessary part of sailing life. ?? Tools used: [optional list] ? Location: [River Orwell? Marina?] What's your least favorite boat job? Let me know in the comments! #boatrepair #sailingmaintenance #sailingvlog #winchservice #halyardreplacement #boatlife On the list in the next episode or 2. - Winch servicing - Halyard replacement - Engine Service - Replace raw water pump - Splicing - Grease steering rods - Replace a seal on engine hatch - Clean - New Stack Pack - Service Sails As always it took longer than we thought and I thank the good boat workers out there for their time and effort to make instructional videos that get the likes of me and my lack of experience through! #boatlife Thank you to @RefitandSail and @svfairisle for making some great winch servicing videos! Link below. Refit and Sail https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SK3DmBEYEFE Sailing Fair Isle https://youtu.be/pGFPatTB_YE Hats off as I seriously lack the patience to film the boat jobs! Thank you for watching as always. Carl & Charlie x

Join us on our thrilling sailboat trip from the picturesque River Deben to the stunning River Orwell. Immerse yourself in the scenic beauty of the English countryside as we navigate through calm waters, passing by quaint towns and villages. We will guide you through the journey. Whether you're a seasoned sailor or a curious traveler, this adventure is sure to leave you spellbound. Watch our video now to experience the magic of this incredible journey. ? I used chatAI to write the description to see if it made a difference to the Youtube algorithms.. We also took off our sails and had some lovely beef! Thank you for watching. Best Carl & Charlie xx

So this week we enter the River Deben.. For anyone that knows this has a reputation for a tricky entrance as there are constantly moving shingle banks. The passage is not to be taken lightly and like most entrances with a reputation the conditions need to be right. On the day we went they were as good as it gets thankfully but we still felt the powerful and confused currents running wild. The River Deben itself is beautiful and a very peaceful place with lots of stop offs. We stayed for the night, had a lovely walk down the river and a stop off at the Ramsholt Arms.. The nights sleep was calm and morning ball was free which is always great. I highly recommend downloading the latest chart when planning a trip as the entrance changes frequently. At the time of filming Easter weekend 2023 they had just published a new chart and placed the buoys for the year which was handy to say the least. As always thank you for watching. The final part will be out next week. Best wishes Carl & Carlie xx

SO WELCOME TO OUR BANK HOLIDAY ADVENTURE! We are taking a trip down the River Orwell to the Walton backwaters (Walton on the Naze) and then heading over to the River Deben. (Will be in part 2) Along the way cooking up some food and displaying our life on board. I found the following website really handy for the the Deben entrance and you can download the latest charts and call the harbour master for any advice or to raise any concerns. https://www.eastcoastpilot.com/media/other/1889/Deben2023downloadv229Mar2023.pdf It was a fantastic weekend and great to be back on the boat. We hope you enjoy the video. Please don't forget to like and subscribe as it helps the Chanel grow. Thank you for watching Carl & Charlie xx

It's been a full year since we bought our boat, Crazy Diamond - and we've learned A LOT. ?? In this episode, we break down: - The best moments of boat ownership - What surprised us - What we would do differently - Costs, maintenance, and lifestyle shifts - And whether we'd do it again! This is a candid, honest reflection after 12 months living and sailing on our boat. If you're thinking of buying a boat (or just dreaming), we hope this helps! ? Boat: [Moody 30] ? Episode 17 of our sailing life series ? Let us know in the comments - what surprised you most about owning a boat? #boatlife #sailingreview #boatliving #owningaboat #sailingvlog TOPICS COVERED How has the first year been? Learning to sail? Have you become sailors? Did we use the boat as much as we thought and How far have we sailed? Highs and lows? Costs and budgets? Maintenance? Sailing Community Cooking on the boat What have we learned? Would we recommend it? How's YouTube going?

We thought we would show what we do the majority of the time as we don't normally film it. We would love to sell up and set off but it's simply not our time to do this yet. I admire anyone that has the courage to take this leap and it's certainly on the cards in some form or another for us but just not for now. This time we sail down the River Orwell with no plan and nowhere to go. Cook a great one pot lamb roast and MESS UP our departure! Lamb Recipe - 1.5-2kg lamb shoulder - 1 lemon - 3 tbs oregano - salt and pepper - 50mm olive oil - 2 medium / 1 large white onion - 5 cloves garlic - optional veg, (Courgette, peas, green beans, kale, tomatoes... whatever you like) Hope you enjoy Carl & Charlie x

Fresh bread. On a boat. In a tiny galley oven. Yes - it's possible and surprisingly simple! ?? In this video, I show you **step-by-step how I bake a delicious, crusty loaf** while sailing. No fancy ingredients, no kneading, no problem. - Mix, rest, shape, bake - it's that easy - All done in a gas boat oven! Whether you're sailing full time or just want to try this at home, this recipe delivers *real bread* with minimal effort. ? Filmed aboard [Your Boat Name] ? Let me know your favourite thing to bake on board! #breadonaboat #boatlife #easybreadrecipe #galleycooking #sailingvlog So simple and so rewarding. ? Ingredients: 500g of strong bread flour 2 tsps salt 7g dried yeast 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil 350g luke warm water ? Method: 1) Mix together 2) Kneed for 7 minutes 3) Proof for 1hr 4) Knock back and kneed again for 3-5 minutes 5) Shape into whatever shape you like and at this stage add any additional ingredients you would like 5) Proof for another 45mins - 1hr 6) Pre heat the oven to 220c 7) Put bread in oven and turn oven down to 200c 8) Bake for 30-35 mins or until you can tap the bottom and it sounds hollow. Enjoy. As always any questions just ask. xx