TRU Coaching:
mentoring + resources for successful cruising
Circumnavigators providing practical guidance for safe, comfortable, happy cruising. Exceptional coaching - exceptionally affordable - more than 400 cruisers supported!
TRU Coaching:
mentoring + resources for successful cruising
Circumnavigators providing practical guidance for safe, comfortable, happy cruising. Exceptional coaching - exceptionally affordable - more than 400 cruisers supported!
support across cruising stages
Advance planning
Reality check on big picture planning, realistic budgeting, prioritizing skills and tasks to depart, what cruising is really like, and common pitfalls to avoid on the path to your dream.
Active boat shopping
Critical insight to right-size the purchase budget, finding boat types suited to your intentions, and avoiding the money pits. We make you informed buyers: interpreting listings, demystifying the purchase process, referring trusted brokers and quality surveyors.
Counting down to departure
When you’re marching towards a date, the pace of big decisions is stressful! We’re a good sounding board, able to shortcut decisions with balanced guidance so you can avoid refit woes, manage safety/security concerns, and plan for a successful transition from land life.
Cruising life hurdles
Stressful situations crop up, especially in early days as cruisers. We address uncertainty, improve safety, and increase fun factor! It might be weather routing (aiding go/no-go decisions), regional planning, equipment troubleshooting, and more. Whether it's how to check in to a new country or figuring out why the outboard won't start, we make cruising easier.
support across cruising stages
Advance planning
Reality check on big picture planning, realistic budgeting, prioritizing skills and tasks to depart, what cruising is really like, and common pitfalls to avoid on the path to your dream.
Active boat shopping
Critical insight to right-size the purchase budget, finding boat types suited to your intentions, and avoiding the money pits. We make you informed buyers: interpreting listings, demystifying the purchase process, referring trusted brokers and quality surveyors.
Counting down to departure
When you’re marching towards a date, the pace of big decisions is stressful! We’re a good sounding board, able to shortcut decisions with balanced guidance so you can avoid refit woes, manage safety/security concerns, and plan for a successful transition from land life.
Cruising life hurdles
Stressful situations crop up, especially in early days as cruisers. We address uncertainty, improve safety, and increase fun factor! It might be weather routing (aiding go/no-go decisions), regional planning, equipment troubleshooting, and more. Whether it's how to check in to a new country or figuring out why the outboard won't start, we make cruising easier.
What's Included
Live 1:1 sessions
Personal mentoring via video or audio discussions
Small group seminars
Online workshops and webinar replay library
Community support
Insider Facebook group and regular hangouts
Q&A as needed
Between sessions, for weather updates, etc.
How our service works
We start with a simple questionnaire: it provides a lot of context about your background, goals, and concerns. The form is included in a confirmation email, sent after you sign up.
__ /) __
Engagement begins with a video call, typically for an hour. You set the schedule! Zoom is our primary tech for these sessions.
__ /) __
You'll get a list of seminars to browse and watch at your leisure: a library of information on wide-ranging topics including safety at sea, building a medical kit, provisioning, understanding squalls, and more.
__ /) __
We encourage you to keep in frequent contact with questions along the way by email, text, or calls between live sessions.
__ /) __
Not ready to commit? You can choose a standalone session (one hour) before signing on: see what we're like to work with, and make meaningful progress on your cruising dream!
RIDICULOUSLY REASONABLE RATES (US$):
Quarterly retainer, $300
Annual retainer, $1,000
Try-us-out call, $100
TRU Community
TRU crew – /trōō/ /krōō/ – noun
A group of people who support each other to realize cruising dreams. Adapted from Totem Raft-Up, our insider forum.
Our community has grown into something special! Once you're signed on with us, you're indefinitely welcomed as a TRU crew.
They have meetups in the Caribbean, the Med, and the Pacific. They provide mutual support at our insider Facebook group, Totem Raft-Up; a safe place for questions, to share, and to connect with your fellow TRU crew. They check in at monthly virtual open house sessions for motivation, camaraderie, and Q&A for Behan and Jamie.
TRU Community
TRU crew – /trōō/ /krōō/ – noun
A group of people who support each other to realize cruising dreams. Adapted from Totem Raft-Up, our insider forum.
Our community has grown into something special! Once you're worked with us, you're indefinitely welcomed as a TRU crew.
They have meetups in the Caribbean, the Med, and the Pacific. They provide mutual support at our insider Facebook group, Totem Raft-Up; a safe place for questions, to share, and to connect with your fellow TRU crew. They check in at monthly virtual open house sessions for motivation, camaraderie, and Q&A for Behan and Jamie.
What cruisers we've helped say
I honestly don’t know if we could have pulled it off without them; we would’ve made a lot of mistakes, which would have cost us money in the long run. My husband and I highly recommend Totem's coaching service, regardless of your level of experience.
Erin, Dave & kids: Sailing to Roam
The wisdom they’ve earned through thousands of nautical miles, and their positivity, held us in solid stead as we progressed toward becoming liveaboards; we continued to work with them as we prepared to cruise full-time. Our coaching dollars have been our best boat money spent!
Lavonne & Allan: SV Vinyasa
We wanted to get cruising quickly, and Totem helped us prioritize. Totem's rate more than paid for itself in several ways. And working with Jamie and Behan and having a glimpse into their lives provided a support we didn’t know we needed during those last few months before we cast off.
Katie, Berry & kids: SV Frenchie
They exceeded our expectations halfway through the first call. If it wasn’t for them we would have spent $200k on the wrong boat!
Melissa, Dan & kids: SV Four Knots
Behan & Jamie have become an invaluable part of our cruising preparations. The advice given has been practical with the perfect balance of cost saving ideas and what is needed to get cruising. We are so thankful for the support!
Kevin & family: SV Serendipity
Their advice though video chat and email has been invaluable to us. If you are thinking of making the leap, I wouldn’t do it without them!
Kim, Justin & kids: SV Litha
What cruisers we've helped say
I honestly don’t know if we could have pulled it off without them; we would’ve made a lot of mistakes, which would have cost us money in the long run. My husband and I highly recommend Totem's coaching service, regardless of your level of experience.
Erin, Dave & kids: Sailing to Roam
The wisdom they’ve earned through thousands of nautical miles, and their positivity, held us in solid stead as we progressed toward becoming liveaboards; we continued to work with them as we prepared to cruise full-time. Our coaching dollars have been our best boat money spent!
Lavonne & Allan: SV Vinyasa
We wanted to get cruising quickly, and Totem helped us prioritize. Totem's rate more than paid for itself in several ways. And working with Jamie and Behan and having a glimpse into their lives provided a support we didn’t know we needed during those last few months before we cast off.
Katie, Berry & kids: SV Frenchie
They exceeded our expectations halfway through the first call. If it wasn’t for them we would have spent $200k on the wrong boat!
Melissa, Dan & kids: SV Four Knots
Behan & Jamie have become an invaluable part of our cruising preparations. The advice given has been practical with the perfect balance of cost saving ideas and what is needed to get cruising. We are so thankful for the support!
Kevin & family: SV Serendipity
Their advice though video chat and email has been invaluable to us. If you are thinking of making the leap, I wouldn’t do it without them!
Kim, Justin & kids: SV Litha
Hi! We're Behan & Jamie.
We've been living aboard and cruising since 2008, completing a circumnavigation while raising three children on our Stevens 47, Totem. What began as a family sabbatical has become an open-ended adventure.
Getting to departure, and then to happy cruising, took time and effort. We support people at all stages, from early planning to active cruising, to realize their cruising goals and find it as joyful and fulfilling as we have!
For years, we anticipated cruising. It was going to happen "someday," then life changes prompted us to make a plan to go sooner. Mentors were invaluable, as was community; we were lucky to have both.
Now, we're providing both guidance and community - to smooth the curves and prevent pitfalls. Whether setting off on a sailing sabbatical or open-ended cruising lifestyle, we can guide you along this unscripted course.
Jamie was previously a professional sailor and sailmaker with extensive racing experience. Behan is a former management consultant and tech Buttonmarketer. Now, we're committed to helping people realize dreams afloat!
Hi! We're Behan & Jamie.
We've been living aboard and cruising since 2008, completing a circumnavigation while raising three children on our Stevens 47, Totem. What began as a family sabbatical has become an open-ended adventure.
Getting to departure, and then to happy cruising, took time and effort. We support people at all stages, from early planning to active cruising, to realize their cruising goals and find it as joyful and fulfilling as we have!
For years, we anticipated cruising. It was going to happen "someday," then life changes prompted us to make a plan to go sooner. Mentors were invaluable, as was community; we were lucky to have both.
Now, we're providing both guidance and community - to smooth the curves and prevent pitfalls. Whether setting off on a sailing sabbatical or open-ended cruising lifestyle, we can guide you along this unscripted course.
Jamie was previously a professional sailor and sailmaker with extensive racing experience. Behan is a former management consultant and tech Buttonmarketer. Now, we're committed to helping people realize dreams afloat!
