Hi! We are Billy, Sierra, and Jetty. We wanted to do a little Q and A with the Tula Crew to give you guys more info about us! You asked and we answered! Here you go 🙂
Q and A with the Tula Crew
Let’s Get Personal…
The Tula Crew
How old are you?
Billy:29
Sierra:24
Jetty: 5
Where were you born?
Billy: East Islip, New York
Sierra: Jupiter, Florida
Jetty: Somewhere terrible in Alabama
What is your nationality?
Billy: Italian and Polish
Sierra: Irish and German
Jetty: Australian
Where did you go to college?
Billy: Stony Brook University
Sierra: Florida Atlantic University
What did you study?
Billy: Marine Science, Environmental Studies, and Business
Sierra: Marine Biology
Are you Religious?
Does praying to Poisidon count??
Our moms are very religious and we were raised going to church.
How long have you been together?
4 Years
Are you married?
No
When are you getting married?
If he ever proposes I am sure it will be filmed and you will know as soon as I do 😛
What are your long-term plans?
To be happy, healthy, and travel as much as possible. Whether on this boat, the next, or other means of transportation. We do not want to stop moving!
Adrenaline Revealed
Our Home!
What year was Adrenaline built?
1988
Where was she built?
Gabon, Africa
How did you find her?
Lots of Craigslist searching.
How much did she cost?
Hmm too personal, ballpark under $50,000.
What is the head room?
In the cabin the head room is about 5’10 and the hulls are around 6’0.
Max speed so far?
13.8 knots
Any plans to sell her?
Not anytime soon!
Could she cross an ocean?
She has already crossed the Atlantic 🙂 We would need to do a few upgrades before she would be ready to do it again though!
Travel Itinerary:
Where to next?
Where are you now?
Fire Island, New York
Why did you go to New York?
Multiple reasons: Most importantly, to see Billy’s family, avoid hurricane season, lifeguard for the summer to save some money, and we got the chance to complete many boat projects before we set sail again.
Where to next?
We are going to sail around New England a bit to finish off the hurricane season.
Are you going anywhere besides the Bahamas?
Yes! After New England, we are going to sail back to Florida for a week or two and then over to the outer islands of the Bahamas. From there we want to visit the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, USVI’s BVI’s, and many more before we lay the boat up in Grenada for next hurricane season:)
Any plans for a big ocean crossing?
Not in the year 2019, but it is not out of the question. Importing a pup is pretty complicated in some countries. Once I get a better grasp on what we would need then maybe!
Would you cross the Atlantic or Pacific?
Hmm that’s a hard one. Atlantic is shorter and supposedly easier (our friends Ruby Rose have done it!), but the Pacific crossing would lead to warm islands with amazing waves… decisions, decisions.
What is your dream destination?
Billy: The Marqueses
Sierra: Galapagos, so many different animals!
Have you ever considered a road trip?
Yes! Prior to buying Adrenaline we had a full-blown plan to buy a slide in camper and drive through Central and South America. We decided we were not ready to give up boat life just yet. We still want to do that trip someday!
All about the Boat Dog
Jetty the Gypsy
Where did you get her?
Second Chance Puppies and Kittens. An organization that goes to high kill shelters and picks up any puppies or pregnant dogs. They are GREAT!
What kind of dog is she?
Australian Cattle Dog Mixed with who knows what 🙂
How did you pick the name Jetty?
I wanted something nautical but original. Reef and Coral were contestants but they seem extremely popular. I had never met a Jetty before. She was originally named Sashia.
How much does she weigh?
Haven’t you been told to never ask that?? Just kidding. Currently 38 lbs. She should be 35lbs but we all get the short end of the workout stick when we get stuck doing boat work.
Is she nice?
Not exactly. Sounds cruel but she is very protective. If she knows you she LOVES you. Until then do NOT go on the boat without permission.
When did Jetty move aboard?
When she was about 1.5 years old.
Where does she go to the bathroom?
We walk her multiple times a day, so on the grass or sand like any other dog. If we are doing a long trip such as our sail from Florida to Charleston she goes on the trampoline.
Has she ever fallen off the boat?
Yes. Once on Neverland when we were anchored. I was inside sanding something and she slipped off the swim platform. I was in a panic looking for her and eventually heard a soft bark coming from the beach about 300 meters away. She was sitting on a dock waiting to be picked up. Oh, and we had this incident…
What is the process to bring her to different countries?
I have the Bahamian requirements pretty wired. Health Cert, Import Permit, and up to date on all her shots. All other countries vary. The BVI’s and some other Carribean countries require a Rabies Titer Test, not commonly administered vaccines, and a vet to meet you at customs. Some countries even require a quarantine. We will skip any that do.
Boat Life Uncovered
We love our life at sea!
How do you get internet?
We hotspot from our phones.
How do you stay in contact with family when out of the country or at sea?
We have an Inreach satellite phone and a Spot Satellite GPS Messenger for when service is not available. We also get a Bahamian sim card and pay for minutes and data.
Do you get bored?
No. During the day we stay busy sailing or exploring and at night we usually cook dinner, play cards, read, edit, and watch movies.
Do you ever worry about leaving the boat?
Always! We recently installed a Siren Marine system that lets us check Adrenaline’s location, batteries, temperature, and bilge activity which is a big help.
Have you ever been scared?
YES! Billy pretends not to be. Mother nature is not something to mess with.
What are the biggest waves you have encountered sailing?
I would say about 6 feet. We try to pick our long sails very carefully but Adrenaline handles rough water very well.
What is your biggest fear while at sea?
Losing someone overboard.
What is the coolest thing you have seen?
A Whale Shark! They are endangered so seeing one off our home beach was extremely lucky.
What is the strangest thing you have seen?
Bioluminescence! They are super cool but also super strange! They light up the water at night like a glow stick.
Movie Making Secrets
All you need to know about our videos!
What camera do you use?
iPhone 8, Canon G7X, GoPro 3+,4, and 6
What do you use to edit?
Imovie
Where do you get the music for the videos?
Epidemic Sound
How long does it take to make a video?
It takes about an hour of work for every minute the video is. Not including filming.
Who does the editing?
Billy and Jetty for her channel of course.
Well, that is probably more than you ever wanted to know about us. I hope you enjoyed this Q and A with the Tula Crew:)
Thank you to everyone for the questions!
Sierra:)
Thanks for the endless entertainment.
It’s better than anything on tv. Real, educational, and never made up for entertainment.
Thanks again.
After watching other sailing explores, only you guys including Jetti have the magic!
Love the Q&A! You two are awesome. My wife and I enjoy watching each episode and can’t wait to begin the cruising life (4 more years :(…..ahh…kids).
That was an awesome Q & A thanks Sierra! I agree with above comment that you guys are the top sailing channel on YouTube! Happy Sailing!
Enjoy watching your videos! Would you ever plan a trip to the Great Lakes area around Michigan? 🙂
Bueno chicos yo solo puedo decir además de ustedes son lo máximo es….porfa si alguna vez vienen a Cuba avisenme para vernos….les deseo éxitos en todos sus futuros planes de corazón se los digo….aaaaatutipleinnnn
Thank you so much for taking us along on your adveventures. And for taking the time to do the work to share it with us. As Bruce Hood said, the result is far better than anything on television.
I admire how you were open to doing a question and answer piece and yet you managed to gracefully set and protect boundaries.
As always, may you three always be blessed by fair winds and warm following seas.
May you Always have
Fair winds and following seas
for the nicest you tube sailars
Would love to see more about dealing with less than ideal weather. When to keep moving, when to seek shelter or anchor and what you think is bad weather. You both do a good job at spreading knowledge about repairs and anchoring. Keep it up.
Thanks
Besides the obvious big storms and lightning and such moving through it’s a bit of a preference. Generally we are coastal sailing and island-hopping but we somedays we are 3-4 day underway. The most comfortable conditions to travel in while maintaining good speed are 10-14 knots to windward, 15 Knots +/- on our beam, and maybe 18-25 knots downwind or on a run. All with minimal swell. Those are ideal conditions. We are much more flexible in what we will sail in when we are on a run but close-hauled we really try to stick to 10-15 knots with minimal swell. If it is approaching 20 knots we will bear off for a little more comfortable ride and to not beat up the boat too bad.
Hi! I’m sure you get asked this question often, I cannot find the answer! Is there a way to track your day to day progress and location? Thank You! Really enjoy your videos! Keep Grinding!
Sincerely, Reid Skinner