Tom Cunliffe RECYCLED // One for the Books
On the Wind Sailing
Andy Schell
4.8 • 593 Ratings
🗓️ 21 December 2021
⏱️ 87 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
RECYCLED #231. Tom Cunliffe is one of the great sailor/writers of the past 30 years. His old-school style in both the boats he chooses to sail and the way he tells his story is fascinating. Tom grew up in the UK and went to sea at a very young age on an actual merchant sailing vessel trading along the coast. His adventurous spirit goes beyond the high seas too - he and his wife motorcycled across the US, and he keeps a 1949 Bentley in his garage that he affectionately calls Reggie. After sailing classic, wooden gaff pilot cutters for most of his career, Tom now sails a (relatively) modern Mason 44. Mia & Andy met Tom at his house in the New Forest in England in February 2018 to talk sailing, and even got to sit in the Bentley! This one's an all-timer, so listen closely!
--
The QUARTERDECK is the destination for all things seamanship. You can join us at quarterdeck.59-north.com
--
2023 Passages on both ISBJORN and our new Farr 65 FALKEN are published and ready to book! Go to 59-north.com/2023 to see what's available.
--
ON THE WIND is presented by Weems & Plath, makers of fine nautical & weather instruments since 1928. Check out all their navigation tools, clocks, barometers and more at weems-plath.com.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | If nothing ever happens to you, you're a good seaman. The opposite of the Wind. That's one of our all-time favorites. |
| 0:30.6 | As we wind down 2021 and get ready to take a little holiday break, we thought we would bring you some of our |
| 0:38.6 | timeless episodes. |
| 0:40.5 | This one is an interview that Andy did with Tom Cunleff in 2018 before I worked for 59 North |
| 0:47.7 | and on this podcast. |
| 0:49.7 | August Sanbury, who's another host on the show, immediately suggested to me today that I do this |
| 0:55.4 | episode, which I hadn't listened to yet. As I listened today, I got drawn into the little |
| 1:01.4 | interview room in the woods, inland of the solent, with maritime art adorning the walls. Tom Conliff's |
| 1:08.2 | name can be found on most sailors' bookshelves. |
| 1:11.3 | He's certainly well represented aboard the 59 North votes. |
| 1:14.9 | I spent the weeks leading up to my yachtmaster exam on the settee on ice bear with my nose in his book, |
| 1:20.6 | The Complete Yachtmaster. |
| 1:22.5 | This interview with Andy plucked a few wonderful yarns from Tom's log of sea stories, |
| 1:28.7 | but it was their conversation on good seamanship that really hooked me. If you spend any time with this podcast and with us at 59 |
| 1:34.7 | North, you know that we love to talk about seamanship. We have a whole other podcast dedicated to it |
| 1:41.2 | and an entire online platform to dig even deeper on all things seamanship. |
| 1:46.9 | It's called the quarterdeck. You should check it out. |
| 1:50.7 | And what is good seamanship, you ask? Well, Tom can definitely, definitely answer that for you, |
| 1:56.6 | and a whole lot more. So I suggest you stay tuned to this recycled, timeless episode of On the Wind. |
| 2:10.4 | This season of On the Wind is brought to you by Weems and Plath, makers of fine nautical and weather instruments since 1928. |
| 2:18.3 | I've referenced a weems and plath barometer many times on our offshore sailing passages. |
| 2:24.3 | On top of gaining some information about changes in the weather, their brass barometers are also a classically beautiful addition to the main saloon. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Andy Schell, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Andy Schell and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.