Watch Leo Goolden as he sails the 47’ teak-planked TALLY HO after restoring her to the glorious gaff cutter she was when launched over a hundred years ago in England. This vessel, designed by Albert Strange, was rebuilt in a shed in Boat Haven in Port Townsend, WA and is now out sailing.
The backstories, and there are many, can be found on Leo’s website, his Facebook postings, and on the Albert Strange Association’s TALLY HO pages.
In addition, Leo wrote a piece on TALLY HO for SOUNDINGS Magazine – “Tally Ho, Adventure! The Quest to Put a 1927 Fastnet Winner Back on the High Seas”.
November 22, 2025 – TALLY HO – Episode 233: Slow Sailing – Our Longest, Most Beautiful Voyage
In early November 2025 we sailed Tally Ho from Ensenada down the west coast of Baja California to La Paz, around 850 nautical miles. It was our first passage with just 2 people on board, and we were initially nervous if we would be able to handle the boat and get enough rest.
This video is an attempt to bring you along for the journey – for a change, I decided not to use any music or voiceovers, relying on the sounds of the sea and hoping for a more immersive experience. Some shots are long – the editing is slower than usual, reflective of the pace of life on a voyage like this. When sailing, you are forced to be patient, and the wandering of the mind is its own reward.
There is no high drama in this chapter of the story – we had good weather and a pleasant trip. We flew various different sails, including our new (second hand) spinnaker, and I had to do some woodworking in the cockpit.
Diane Pool says:
Wonderful. I’m grateful for the simply beautiful passage from San Francisco down to La Paz. Initially, I was hesitant to watch, afraid of the nostalgia from making the same virgin passage (34 years ago!) after 16 years building PILAR, a traditional gaffer like your own…but the memories evoked were gentle and restorative. Thank you. You’ve done a fine thing.
Julia Graves says:
what a lovely way to have time to knit while I watch this video… just wonderful. Love the switching out of sails and reefing and the spinnaker. Loved the planing of the wood that was swelling because of the change in weather. What happens when you go back to the colder drier weather… then what for the cupboards and other wood you’ve planed? Thank you OCH for this wonderful video.
David Miller says:
Good job! Keep sailing safe.
Suzan Wallace says:
Sweet passage, on a beautiful swimmer! Loved the hitch hiker & aerial shots~