Brett and Jade Evans of Expedition Evans have a love for exploration and adventure. They purchased a salvaged sailboat at an auction and spent a year and a half renovating it and converting it into a tiny home. Now, Brett, Jade, and their dogs, Penny and Dingo, are on a mission to sail around the world.
Brett Evans loves to adventure and explore. Spending time outdoors is a necessity as he tends to feel antsy spending too much time inside. Whether he’s exploring the mountains or enjoying time out on the water, you can always find him in nature. His favorite activities are rock climbing, trail running, backpacking, water skiing and paddle boarding, and after completing his degree and concurrently completing flight school, Brett took his passion for the outdoors to become a professional pilot.
Jade Evans has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and a love for studio art. Her father was a sculptor, and although he passed away when Jade was an infant, she has always felt connected to him through art. She particularly has a love for sculpting and painting, but she enjoys creating in any form.
In addition to art, Jade loves water. When she moved from Arizona to Hawaii at 18 years old, she fell in love with the ocean. Whether she’s sailing, diving, or simply floating, the water feels most like home to her. “There is something about being suspended, weightless, surrounded by it. My mind moves quickly, I don’t know any other way to describe it, but when I’m under water it slows down. Everything is dampened and calm and slow.”
Brett and Jade’s love for exploration and spending time outdoors has strongly influenced their lifestyle together. They have been married for 5 years and have spent most of that time adventuring and living in multiple places. From Arizona to Hawaii to New England, Brett and Jade keep finding new adventures.
In 2017, after a year of being married, Brett and Jade bought a Skoolie and converted it into a tiny home. They completely gutted and transformed it into the home of their dreams, custom-building all the furniture, adding in a kitchen with enough storage to fit all of Jade’s cooking necessities, and even including a “garage” underneath their bed.
After completing the conversion, they traveled around the western U.S. for a few months and then moved themselves and the bus to Hawaii. In Hawaii, they turned their bus that was once exploring the roads of the west into a stationary tiny home.
Brett and Jade had always wanted to live differently and after converting and living in their Skoolie, they knew the alternative, full-time travel lifestyle was for them. Early on in their relationship, the Evans set a goal of sailing around the world, and in August of 2020, they finally had the chance to make that goal a reality.
After watching YouTubers Sailing La Vagabonde and SV Delos living full-time on their sailboats, they realized the lifestyle could and would be an option for them. For Brett, sailing and flying had enough overlap that sailing just comes naturally to him. His love for “harnessing the wind and seeing where it will take him” was a driving factor for the Evans’ switch to life at sea.
At a salvage ship auction in New England, Brett and Jade bought a shipwrecked 50 ft 2008 Beneteau 49 sailboat they named Eva. They subsequently began their sailboat conversion and Brett and Jade have spent the last year and a half renovating their salvaged sailboat into a tiny home. Their first step was completely gutting the interior and starting fresh. They added cabinetry, counters, seating on deck and down below, a fiberglass hull, a new mast, a keel, and a rudder.
An important step in the Evans’ sailboat renovation was upgrading the electrical system. After doing their research, they determined that Battle Born Batteries were going to be the perfect fit for their project. Brett and Jade’s electrical system consists of:
Their upgrade to Battle Born Batteries has changed everything for Brett and Jade’s life at sea. They used to run their 7.6W diesel generator once or twice a day, just to keep their fridge cold. Now, they run their water heater, water maker, fans, heaters, all the lights, a fridge, and two freezers, and they only run their generator once or twice a week.
Their new electrical system has also improved their sailing experience. Instead of having to run the generator to use the autopilot after a couple of hours of sailing, they can go multiple days while sailing with all the amenities and the autopilot engaged. “It has really been a game changer for us … even little things like our lights being brighter at night.”
Brett and Jade have been loving their new life at sea and on Eva. Their favorite part is the time they get to spend together, which includes time with their two dogs, Penny and Dingo. Brett and Jade love that they no longer have to leave home for work and have noticed the dogs are happier and more playful as they no longer have separation anxiety. Penny and Dingo adapted to boat life very quickly and are always excited to get back to the boat after a day at the park or on the beach.
While out sailing, Brett and Jade’s favorite way to pass time is to listen to audiobooks. While they’re sleeping in shifts during multi-day passages, their audiobooks keep them entertained. They also love spending time in the water. Freediving is their favorite water activity, and Brett especially loves spearfishing while freediving.
The Evans loved spending time in New England and getting to explore Block Island, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard, although, they recently went on a 5-day sailing journey down to Florida and fell in love with the clear blue water and sunshine. They were happy to shed their layers of jackets, gloves, and booties and exchange them for swimsuits. During that journey, they caught their first fish while out sailing. And yes, Brett and Jade have caught fish before, but there was something so simple and special about the adrenaline and excitement they got from this first catch on Eva.
Following their time in Florida, Brett and Jade will be headed to the Bahamas. They can’t wait to experience the beauty of the world as they finally get to take their home to a new country. From the Bahamas, the Evans currently don’t have any set plans and are simply just figuring it out as they go. “We aren’t in hurry to get anywhere and want to enjoy where we are, when we are there.”
Looking towards their future travels, the couple is excited to experience new cultures and meet new people. They love the sailing community and all the friends they’ve been able to meet along the way. “It has been incredible getting to know other cruisers, both old and fresh salts, and hearing all their stories.” Brett and Jade can’t wait to keep exploring and experiencing all the world has to offer.
To watch Brett and Jade complete their sailboat conversion and to keep up with their future travels, check them out on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and their website.
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