Young Aussie couple, Riley Whitelum and Elayna Carausu went from backpackers to superstar sailors via their video posts on YouTube that gleaned them enough subscribers (a staggering 1.6 million) that enables them to sail full time. Recently, their fame was extended when they took teenage environmental activist Greta Thunberg across the Atlantic in order to reduce her carbon travel emissions.
The couple began their sailing life on a small monohull and then an Outremer catamaran before ordering the Rapido 60. “We started
looking to upgrade and while I wanted a boat that could go fast, I’m much more interested in average crossing times. I mean, it’s good fun to go fast but that’s the least important on my list of things. I want to be able to go at a good pace safely,” said Riley.
After an extensive 18 month global search, well documented on their YouTube channel, the family flew to New Zealand in 2019 for a sea trial with Paul Koch on the Rapido 60 Romanza, owned by Dougall and Jaz Love. The couple were duly impressed, as Riley recalls: “I know that the Rapido sails unbelievably well, which is the main thrust behind all of our decision making … The only thing I was worried about was the amount of space on board.”
However, after visiting Romanza the couple were more than happy. “When you’re standing in the saloon, you’re actually standing in a huge room.” Partner Elayna has just had their second child,
so had her own priorities for the new boat: “One thing that was really important for us with the trimaran was that Riley will have the ability to sail it single-handed because we will have two kids on the boat.”
The new boat will be named La Vagabonde III and launch in 2022.