About
Sailing La Vagabonde: The Australian Couple Who Sailed 90,000 Nautical Miles and Built a YouTube Empire
They're an Australian couple who, by their own admission, knew little about sailing when their journey began. A decade later, Riley Whitelum and Elayna Carausu, along with their two sons, Lennon and Darwin, are the undisputed titans of the sailing vlogosphere. Their YouTube channel, "Sailing La Vagabonde," isn't merely a travel diary — it's a carefully crafted media entity and the promotional engine for a sprawling commercial operation. With 1.96 million subscribers, over 460 million views, and more than 90,000 nautical miles sailed, the brand has evolved from a crowdfunded adventure into a study in modern influencer marketing, corporate partnership, and the complex reality of monetizing an "authentic" life.
How Sailing La Vagabonde Started: Greek Islands, Oil Rig Savings, and a Camera
The origin story — now a core part of the brand's mythology — began in July 2014 on the Greek island of Ios. Riley Whitelum, having banked eight years of savings from offshore oil rig work, had purchased his first vessel in Italy in 2013 — a 2007 Beneteau Cyclades 43.4. It was there he met Elayna Carausu, then working as a musician for a travel company. Their decision to sail together became the project's catalyst. On October 25, 2014, the "Sailing La Vagabonde" YouTube channel was created.
Carausu was the architect of the media side. Using a camera Whitelum owned but didn't use, she began documenting their life, producing what she'd later describe as "terribly edited" early videos. This raw, unfiltered approach — capturing their steep learning curve — formed the bedrock of their initial appeal. When funds ran dry, early viewers encouraged them to launch a Patreon account, a move that professionalized the venture and provided financial runway to continue full-time.
By 2017, their success enabled a significant upgrade: a new Outremer 45 catamaran, La Vagabonde II. This offered more stability for a growing family and a superior filming platform, marking the transition to a more professional production style. The brand's global profile exploded in November 2019 when they provided transatlantic passage to climate activist Greta Thunberg, her father Svante, and sailor Nikki Henderson, sailing them from Virginia to Lisbon for a UN climate conference. The journey catapulted them from niche sailing channel into global headlines — features in The New York Times, CNN, and The Guardian.
Formal recognition followed. YouTube Creator Awards for 100,000 and 1,000,000 subscribers (the latter in 2019). A Shorty Award nomination in the "Travel" category. "Best YouTube Channel" at the International Cruisers Awards, sponsored by PredictWind. In June 2021, they announced their most ambitious project: a custom-built Rapido 60 trimaran, signaling their arrival at the apex of the cruising world.
Sailing La Vagabonde Content: Three Eras Defined by Three Boats
The channel's content divides into three distinct eras, each defined by the vessel that served as home and studio.
The Novice Era (2014–2017) aboard the Beneteau monohull was characterized by a "learn-as-you-go" narrative. Production was rudimentary, budget was tight, and the drama was authentic. This period cemented their relationship with a core audience invested in their struggles and triumphs.
The Professionalization Era (2017–2021) on the Outremer catamaran saw a dramatic shift. Production value increased to what's been described as "slick TV-quality," incorporating drone footage and polished editing. The narrative expanded to include family life, with the births of Lenny and Darwin becoming central content pillars.
The Enterprise Era (2021–Present) began with the high-performance Rapido 60 trimaran, La Vagabonde III. Content now features expeditions to remote, challenging locales — their "Mission Micronesia" series. Videos heavily integrate promotions for their expanding portfolio of businesses, reflecting their complete transition from hobbyists to full-fledged media entrepreneurs.
Sailing La Vagabonde's Business: Merch, Swimwear, Charters, and Marine Tech Partnerships
Sailing La Vagabonde is a diversified commercial operation. While audience-funded through Patreon — where they had 4,670 paying members before making the data private on February 8, 2022 — direct support is just one pillar of a complex structure.
Their e-commerce arm includes SLV Merchandise (sailinglavagabonde.shop), selling branded apparel and books with plastic-free, compostable shipping. Carausu co-founded VagaBella Swim with Ava Brannon, a sustainable swimwear line made from recycled plastics with a stated portion of proceeds intended for charity. The brand licenses its name to Vagabonde Adventures, a sailing charter company operated by Jack Whitelum that offers holidays and certifications on their former catamaran.
In the technology sector, they partnered with the Young Cruisers Association to launch the SeaPeople App, a social media and vessel tracking platform for the boating community. Carausu has also established herself as an author with two children's books: The Little Sailor's ABCs and First Mate Lenny.
Corporate sponsorships have evolved significantly. Their initial deal with boatbuilder Outremer was a "hire-purchase agreement." Their current vessel represents far deeper industry integration. The Rapido 60 project, framed as a quest for a "zero-emissions vessel," involves major partnerships with Rapido Trimarans, sailmaker Doyle Sails, and marine systems supplier VETUS, positioning their voyage as a high-profile marketing and R&D platform for cutting-edge marine technology.
Sailing La Vagabonde's Key Collaborations
The brand's most pivotal collaboration remains the 2019 Greta Thunberg voyage, which provided immense mainstream visibility and aligned them with the global climate movement. They've also produced content with major travel vloggers, including a 2021 video with Kara and Nate, and featured wellness influencer Sjana Earp. Extensive media coverage spans premier sailing publications like Yachting World and Sail Magazine to global news organizations, solidifying their status as influential figures far beyond digital creator space.
Sailing La Vagabonde Controversies: The Japan Collision and Rapido Dispute
On the night of November 4-5, 2024, their journey was violently interrupted. While anchored off Shodoshima island in Japan's Seto Inland Sea, their trimaran La Vagabonde III was struck by a local fishing trawler. The family, asleep on board, was unharmed, but the vessel sustained "extensive" damage to a forward structural beam. The incident triggered a multi-month repair process in Japan with estimated costs exceeding $100,000 USD, covered by insurance. Rapido Trimarans fabricated and shipped a new 3.5-meter forward fairing for the intricate carbon fiber repairs.
The couple has also had a public disagreement with Rapido. After Whitelum and Carausu released videos detailing cracks and other perceived issues with the boat, the builder issued a formal statement. Rapido asserted there were no dangerous structural problems, suggested the issues were exaggerated, and disclosed that the creators had insisted on removing standard safety features like the helm seat and bimini against the builder's advice, requiring them to sign a liability waiver.
This dispute feeds into a broader critique found on forums like the subreddit r/SailingLaVagabonde. There, some long-time followers allege the channel has lost its original relatability, criticizing a perceived shift toward commercialism, clickbait-style titles, and a lifestyle now far removed from that of the average cruiser.
Sailing La Vagabonde's Philanthropy
Despite criticism, the creators have engaged in documented philanthropic efforts. In 2020, they launched a GoFundMe campaign "Supporting Refugees" to raise funds for SARAH (Search And Rescue for All Humans) and Save The Children. They've participated in volunteer efforts including cleanup in Barbuda after Hurricane Irma in 2018, and used their platform to fundraise for recovery from the 2020 Australian bushfires. This ethos extends to business: VagaBella Swim uses recycled ocean plastics, and their Doyle Sails partnership connects them to marine conservation charity Live Ocean.
Sailing La Vagabonde Today
Having completed the arduous repairs to their vessel, Riley Whitelum and Elayna Carausu resumed their voyage in mid-2025. Their course is set through the Mariana Islands and Micronesia, with future plans for the Solomon Islands and an eventual return to Australia. The collision in Japan, while a significant setback, underscores the central theme of their decade-long narrative: resilience. Sailing La Vagabonde is no longer just a story about two novices learning to sail. It's the story of a modern media business navigating the waters of fame, commerce, and the perpetual challenge of keeping an adventurous spirit authentic — or at least, authentically produced.