Cruising Conversations – Episode 16 – NAVIGATING NIETZELS

Welcome to our latest #CruisingConversation with Evan and Karly aka Navigating Nietzels. What happens when high school sweethearts from the middle of America, decide to enjoy some boating adventures and film their story while working from their trawler? It’s all here on their YouTube channel, Navigating Nietzels – Here is a link so you can subscribe and follow along. https://www.youtube.com/@navigatingnietzels One message that kept coming through it is their theme, “Don’t wait for someday…” They are floating proof that if you have the desire, you can find an affordable trawler and set it up for taking on the Great Loop. They have enjoyed thirteen months of cruising and working, guided by their enthusiasm, optimism and their loveable dog, Ripley. This video originated when Jeff attended the May 2025 AGLCA (America’s Great Loop Cruising Association) event in Norfolk, VA aboard the Ocean Alexander Classicco 50 Lightning to learn more about trawlers doing the Loop (and in the hopes of finding a buyer for Lightning). JMYS encourages everyone thinking about doing the Loop to join AGLCA and attend their events – they are first class. The owner of Lightning asked Jeff if he was following Evan and Karly’s channel, Navigating Nietzels. The conversation started something like, “You’ve got to meet the Nietzels; they also have a YouTube Channel”. Why not? After a brief introduction on the docks—they were a couple of slips over from Lightning—we agreed to meet the next morning aboard Northern Latitude for an impromptu interview. With no preconceived notions or background, it was a fresh conversation with a younger couple just beginning their trawler lifestyle journey. We set up our video cameras, sat in their saloon and enjoyed an unscripted, general conversation about their background and their early days starting the Great Loop. What a treat! Evan and Karly are personable, thoughtful and just great people to hang out with. I was impressed with their energy and enjoyed hearing about their story that others had already been watching online. There is so much good stuff on YouTube, it is always rewarding to discover an interesting new channel. The Norfolk AGLCA event ended, the film footage that was recorded became a back burner project for all of us, and ultimately the interview was never composed into a video. Fast forward to Fort Lauderdale TrawlerFest in February 2026 when we met up again and lamented that we never found time to produce that video from our first meeting. By this time, Evan and Karly were less than 100 miles from finishing the Great Loop and the ultimate Looper accomplishment, crossing their wake. Like many others who subscribe and watch their episodes I felt I knew them pretty well from the content they shared. We talked about shooting a new film and splicing the original in between. Trawlerfest had just wrapped up for the day and our friends at Selene Yachts Americas let us set up in the pilothouse of the gorgeous Selene 60 Classic, Kaimana. We turned on the cameras and set out to finish what we started – catching up on their Loop lessons and talking about their future, which seems to be a planned continuation to work while aboard, sharing their lives with an ever-expanding audience of YouTube subscribers. I hope you enjoy this episode. Be sure to subscribe to the Navigating Nietzels YouTube channel to follow their latest travels. You’ll also have opportunities to meet Evan and Karly at Trawlerfest—they’re speaking in Anacortes in May 2026 and will likely appear again in Baltimore in September. If you attend, be sure to say hello. With the Loop complete, what lies ahead? They are preparing to sell their current boat and transition into another trawler, with several intriguing projects and new possibilities already taking shape. Thank you for watching, don’t forget to subscribe to their channel and if you have any questions or would like more information about trawlers, please call or text Jeff using +1 949.355.4950 or send him an email to Jeff@JMYS.com. #boats #boating #yachts #jmys #trawler #NavigatingNietzels #CruisingConversations Please subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/JeffMerrillYachts?sub_confirmation=1 Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeffmerrillyachtsales/?fref=nf Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmys_trawlers Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jmystrawlers/ Music: Sunrise From a Moonbeam - Dan _Lebo_ Lebowitz, Tone Seeker - YouTube Library Jeff Merrill Yacht Sales, Inc. is a licensed and bonded yacht brokerage in California, Florida, Virginia and Washington – we travel the world to be with our clients!