SV Delos Sailing Channel

What SV Delos Sailing Channel does

SV Delos Sailing Channel, legally operating as The Delos Project, is a fan-funded sailing media brand founded by Brian Trautmann in 2010 after he left a corporate IT career to circumnavigate the globe aboard a 53-foot Amel Super Maramu ketch (Delos 1) purchased in Seattle. The company produces a long-running YouTube video series spanning 13+ seasons and 350+ episodes documenting real sailing, heavy weather tactics, boat maintenance, scuba diving, destinations across the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Caribbean, and Southeast Asia, and currently the construction of Delos 2.0, a custom aluminum expedition catamaran being built in Australia. Production is delivered by a small core crew of roughly four to five regular members operating from the vessel, supplemented by Brian's remote IT consulting work.

The business model is a diversified creator-economy stack. Free YouTube content (850K+ subscribers) functions as the top-of-funnel acquisition engine, monetized through the YouTube Partner Program. Mid-funnel conversion runs through Patreon, where the Delos Tribe offers five subscription tiers from $5 per video (Swab) to $250 per video (Greybeard), bundling early access, exclusive content, gear discounts, Facebook Tribal Council access, and crew contest opportunities. Bottom-of-funnel monetization includes a drop-shipped merchandise storefront (t-shirts, hats, accessories), an Amazon affiliate storefront for sailing and travel gear, and direct "Beer Fund" donations. Distribution spans YouTube, Instagram (215K+), Facebook (135K+), the svdelos.com site with travel blogs and curated reading lists, and email newsletters.

The audience comprises adventure and sailing enthusiasts, aspiring cruisers seeking educational content on passages, weather routing, and boat preparation, and general viewers drawn to long-form documentary storytelling about a family's 15-year circumnavigation. The company has no institutional funding or parent entity, is governed under Florida law, and recent strategic activity centers on the Delos 2.0 capital project, technology partnerships (Safiery for solid-state lithium batteries, Quantum Sails, Starlink for satellite connectivity), and crew transitions as several long-tenured members have departed after completing major voyages.

Name

SV Delos Sailing Channel

Legal name

The Delos Project

Website

https://svdelos.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SV Delos Sailing Channel is a fan-funded YouTube media brand producing 13+ seasons of sailing and boat-building content, monetized via ads, Patreon tiers, merchandise, and affiliates, serving sailing enthusiasts and aspiring cruisers globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sailing Video Content and Adventure Lifestyle Media

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Luxury Yacht & Small-Ship Expedition Cruises (THAEABAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Explorer Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAMAE)

Keywords

• Sailing video content
• Youtube sailing series
• Adventure travel vlogs
• Patreon creator membership
• Branded sailing merchandise

Headquarters

HQ city

Orlando

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. YouTube Ad Revenue: YouTube Partner Program ad revenue from video views on their 850K subscriber channel with 350+ videos across 13+ seasons.
2. Patreon Subscriptions: Tiered membership program with Swab ($5/video), Mate ($15/video), Pirate ($25/video), Blackbeard ($50/video), and Greybeard ($250/video) tiers. Includes early access, exclusive content, gear discounts, and crew contest entries.
3. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling t-shirts, hats, bottle openers, tumblers, water bottles, and sun shirts. Uses drop shipping service to fulfill orders globally.
4. Donations ('Beer Fund'): Direct donations via 'Buy us a Beer' mechanism for fan support.
5. Remote Work Income: Brian works remotely on IT projects (software development) a few hours daily while sailing to fund the lifestyle.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SV Delos Sailing Channel produces and distributes a free weekly YouTube sailing and travel video series documenting a long-term circumnavigation aboard SV Delos and the construction of a custom aluminum expedition catamaran (Delos 2.0). The business is 100% fan-funded through Patreon membership tiers (Delos Tribe), YouTube ad revenue, branded merchandise sales, donations, and an Amazon affiliate storefront for sailing gear.

Product overview

SV Delos Sailing Channel is a fan-funded YouTube sailing video series that documents sailing adventures around the world. The core product is free YouTube video content spanning 13+ seasons with over 350 videos. The business model centers on fan support through Patreon (Delos Tribe membership with multiple tiers offering early access, exclusive content, and crew opportunities), an Amazon storefront for affiliate commissions, and a merchandise shop selling branded apparel and accessories. The channel also documents the construction of Delos 2.0, a custom aluminum expedition catamaran, through dedicated build series content.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Delos 2.0: Custom aluminum expedition catamaran currently under construction as a replacement vessel for the original Delos. Also referred to as 'Delos Explorer 53'.
• The Delos Tribe
• Delos Gear Shop

Products and services

• YouTube Sailing Video Series Free weekly YouTube video series documenting sailing adventures around the world with 350+ videos across 13+ seasons, covering destinations, heavy weather sailing, scuba diving, boat maintenance, and the aluminum catamaran build. Targeted at sailing enthusiasts, aspiring cruisers, and adventure-lifestyle viewers.
• Delos Tribe Patreon Membership Tiered fan-funded membership with five tiers ($5 to $250 per video) offering early video access, ad-free viewing, Tribal Council Facebook Group access, exclusive Patreon-only content, live event access, Delos gear discounts, and crew contest opportunities including the chance to sail on Delos. Targeted at dedicated fans and aspiring crew.
• SV Delos Merchandise Shop Online store selling branded merchandise including t-shirts, hats, bottle openers, tumblers, water bottles, and sun shirts, fulfilled globally through a third-party drop shipping service. Targeted at fans and community members who want physical SV Delos gear.
• SV Delos Amazon Storefront Curated affiliate storefront recommending sailing and cruising gear (cameras, drones, tools, survival gear, galley essentials, toddler supplies), generating affiliate commissions on qualifying purchases. Targeted at cruisers and boat-life enthusiasts shopping for equipment.
• Season 13 – Building an Aluminum Expedition Catamaran Video series documenting the construction of Delos 2.0, a custom 53-foot aluminum expedition catamaran with hybrid electric propulsion, Safiery solid-state lithium batteries, and custom Quantum Sails, filmed in Australia. Targeted at sailing enthusiasts and aspiring boat builders.

Quantifiable outcome

• 54,508 nautical miles traveled during circumnavigation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SafierycoreTechnology or IntegrationAustralian battery company providing solid-state lithium batteries for Delos 2.0's hybrid electric propulsion system. Described as innovative technology that is lighter, more powerful, and a 'game changer' for boat power systems.
• Quantum SailscoreTechnology or IntegrationSail design and manufacturing partner for custom sails on Delos 2.0. Featured in video series about sail design process for the custom catamaran.
• Starlink (SpaceX)coreTechnology or IntegrationSatellite internet service enabling connectivity while cruising for remote work, video uploads, and safety communication.
• PatreoncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary fan funding and membership platform. Provides subscription payment processing, exclusive content delivery, and community features for supporter tiers.
• Drop Shipping ServiceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party drop shipping service for merchandise fulfillment. Stores, packs, and ships t-shirts and hats worldwide from their warehouse.
• Conor & The Boat DoctorcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTechnical consultant and boat building expert assisting with Delos 2.0 construction, electrical systems, and hybrid propulsion installation.
• Dan (Boat Builder)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLead boat builder and welding expert overseeing Delos 2.0 aluminum catamaran construction in Australia.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sailing Zatara: Family-run sailing YouTube channel documenting a couple's circumnavigation with technical and lifestyle content. Comparable in audience, content style, and family-onboard narrative.
• Ran Sailing: Solo-sailor YouTube channel documenting offshore passages with technical content and Patreon support. Comparable as an independent sailing content creator monetized through fan funding.
• Gone with the Wynns: YouTube sailing/van-life channel documenting a couple's cruising journey with educational content, Patreon support, and merchandise. Directly comparable in audience, content format, and monetization approach to SV Delos.
• SV Seeker: Another prominent YouTube sailing channel documenting a family's circumnavigation on a sailing vessel. Highly comparable as a fan-funded sailing content creator with similar audience demographics and Patreon/merch monetization model.
• Sailing Uma: DIY-focused sailing YouTube channel documenting boat restoration and cruising with technical tutorials and Patreon support. Comparable in the educational sailing content niche.
• SV La Vita: Sailing YouTube channel documenting a couple's world cruising voyage with regular episodes and Patreon-style supporter model. Comparable fan-funded sailing content creator.

Others

• Patreon: Subscription platform powering SV Delos's primary fan-funding model. Relevant as the enabling infrastructure and ecosystem for creator-economy businesses of Delos's type.

Emerging players

• Sailing Adventures: Sailing YouTube content creator covering cruising routes and boat tours with growing subscriber base. Comparable as a sailing-focused video content creator.

Broad incumbents

• Yachting World: Established sailing media brand covering cruising, boat reviews, and destinations across web, video, and print. Comparable as a sailing content/media business, though with much broader scope and editorial scale than Delos.
• Cruising World: Major sailing media brand with cruising-focused editorial, video, and community. Comparable as an established sailing content platform addressing an overlapping cruiser audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCvLc83k5o11EIF1lEo0VmuQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/svdelos
• Instagraminstagram.com/svdelos
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sv-delos-sailing-channel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SV Delos Sailing Channel