Virtual Cruising

MV FREEDOM

By Darren O’Brien

It goes without saying that cruising means different things to different people. However, the concept of “freedom” is likely one of the primary reasons those of us who choose this incomparable lifestyle have in common. Even when the vessel of choice and cruising grounds vary so dramatically from boater to boater, region to region.

While the majority of popular YouTube boating channels feature sailboats in tropical locales (because what’s not to like about that?), Shawn and Elizabeth Krenke, based in Seattle, WA, have chosen to live and cruise aboard a long-range trawler in the Pacific NW. For the time being, anyway.

“The plan is we’re going to work another one to three years then take off for Alaska,” explains Elizabeth, acknowledging that all cruising plans are drawn in the sand

at low tide. “After that Mexico, the Panama Canal, Caribbean, eastern seaboard, and then across to Europe.” If they’re lucky, this intrepid married couple will eventually make the Mediterranean and cruise to Sardinia, one of seven “Blue Zones” in the world. If the rest of us are really lucky, Elizabeth will continue to churn out their highly entertaining videos. Their YouTube channel, MV Freedom, started as a hobby for Elizabeth back in 2015 when they owned their previous and third boat, a 40-foot Sea Ray Sundancer. Viewership began to grow in 2018 with the acquisition of their dream boat, a 2004 Nordhavn 43 they aptly named Freedom. Once the pandemic set in, their views and subscribers really took off.

With her mechanical engineer husband, Shawn, working full time and keeping their boat in peak operating condition, Elizabeth spent a great deal of 2020 further honing her video skills as a photographer and editor. Her shooting and editing style consists of, in her own words, “less is more.” You won’t find an overabundance of special effects, zooms or swish pans. Rather, you’ll find just the right balance of art and reality. She recalls one video instructor’s camera directive as “don’t move!” In other words, frame the shot and let the action do the work. The result is some stunning imagery while underway and at anchor. Even her drone shots are tastefully captured with a modicum of slow movement, allowing the viewer to soak in the scenery.

Watching their videos, you will also discover Elizabeth’s excellent storytelling skills. She excels at creating narratives that capture not just the location or the journey, but the entire gamut of feelings and emotions that living aboard and cruising evokes. Especially while juggling Shawn’s work schedule, a marriage, and most recently, that pesky worldwide pandemic. If there are silver linings to be found with COVID, their channel is certainly proof. Previously, Elizabeth had been working full time in a merchandise management position at a large national retailer based in Seattle. But when quarantining became the norm, she quit her day job to pursue her passions: teaching yoga (remotely at the time) and making videos. Fans who have been following MV Freedom since the beginning are quick to say the quality of her videos has improved to the point they have become appointment viewing. Even to the level of “award winning.” In fact, their video “Our Nordhavn Life” was First Runner-Up in the inaugural 2019 Nordhavn Film Festival (even though most people, myself included, thought they should have won the Grand Prize!).

Shawn, who costars in their videos along with their rescued boat dog, Mr. Sully, readily admits his on-camera reluctance. “I’ve never really been super into it,” he says. “But I do like the end result. She does a really good job.” Despite his reticence, Shawn does a great job hosting their “Weekly Q&A” at the end of each video. He’ll answer three to four questions

from viewers around the world, doing a particularly enthusiastic job when the question is mechanical or technical in nature. On the other hand, from her effusive, positive personality, one might surmise Elizabeth was born to be in front of the camera. Not so, she says. “I’m not super comfortable being on camera. I still prefer to be behind it.” Even though she prefers the production work off camera, she has a very engaging presence in front of it. And with her writing and editing abilities, she is able to expertly interweave her and Shawn’s on-camera, in-the-moment reality sound bites with occasional voice over narration to great effect.

Knowing that some boating YouTubers are making fairly decent money with their videos, you might think the Krenkes have similar goals for their channel. “Honestly, we have no goals. We just want to keep the channel fun,” explained Elizabeth. “I love the process, the creative aspect of it.” Currently releasing a new video each week, she’s not even sure that once they take off cruising full time she’ll want to keep such a schedule, as they wish to avoid making the creation of videos just another job. “We want to enjoy our cruising and show the places we’re going to,” she added. Though she admits for as long as she is making videos, “It would be nice if it brings in some fun money.” Besides content emanating from a powerboating platform, another element that sets them apart from so many other video boating channels is they actually live in a thriving, urban environment. And while in normal, non-pandemic times Shawn commutes across three time zones to spend most Mondays through Thursdays working in Milwaukie, WI, they’ve still managed to put more than 7,000 miles under Freedom’s keel cruising out of Seattle the past three and a half years. Mostly on long weekends! That doesn’t even include the ambitious circumnavigation of Vancouver Island they completed in less than two weeks on their previous vessel. So you know the Krenkes, both of whom have USCG 100-ton licenses, really do get out on their boat as often as possible. You can’t tell by looking at their Nordhavn, though. Not only does Shawn have the boat working in tip-top shape, their trawler looks absolutely Bristol doing it. And no matter where they go, they go in style. Many folks of the go simple, go now variety love the idea of pairing down and minimalist cruising. Not the Krenkes. They have all the creature comforts of home aboard. From ice whenever they want it, to electrical appliances and electronics for navigation, communication, and entertainment. When visiting them aboard Freedom, I kept hearing

one of Bob Bitchin’s favorite sayings echo in my head: “I can’t recommend decadence as a way of life, but it has worked for me!” Shawn and Elizabeth aren’t mega-yachters by any stretch. After all, as owner/operators they do all their own work. As true cruisers, they simply know what they want and they’re set up to live it. As far as cruising grounds go, the Pacific NW has an embarrassment of riches. Sure, it might occasionally rain here (wink, wink), but within just a day or two, and in some cases mere hours, you can go from waking up on the hook in a quiet, remote cove and later be in a bustling, seaside metropolis with oftentimes world-class dining and shopping. Not to mention a plethora of chandleries and marine services. In addition to Seattle, there are a dozen other “large” cities on Puget Sound, including Victoria and Vancouver just north of the border in British Columbia. If you want proof that an urban destination can be worthwhile, check out their video “Why Boaters Love Seattle.” But then there’s the real draw of cruising in the Pacific NW, the internationally renowned San Juan Islands. A world away just 60 nautical miles north of Seattle. The Gulf Islands are next just across the border. Not to mention Desolation Sound, the Broughtons, and of course, southeast Alaska. So far, the favorite place they’ve been to by boat is the rugged Tofino area just north of Barkley Sound on the remote and wild west coast of Vancouver Island. They’ve made quite a few engaging videos cruising to that particular region the past couple of years that have even inspired us to follow in their keel steps.

When you check out the more than 140 videos on their YouTube channel you’ll find a wide range of topics, from those incredibly beautiful PNW destinations to overnight passages, boat repairs, and maintenance, to the simple and even mundane joys of living aboard – both at “home” in the slip and out where they belong, somewhere at anchor. My recommendation is to start with some of their later videos, those produced after purchasing the Nordhavn, then explore the entire channel. This is all to say, if you’re looking for an interesting, atypical boating/cruising channel, or you just enjoy watching well-crafted boating and travel videos, then MV Freedom should be on your subscriptions list. “Freedom lies in being bold,” quoth Elizabeth in their award-winning film festival video. “The time to go is now. To live, to explore. To be free.” Watch the Krenke’s videos, get to know them a bit, and you’ll definitely appreciate and likely identify with their contagious sense of Freedom. A sentiment all cruisers — whether power or sail — have in common.