Salty Podcast #31 | ⛵Sailing Therapy for PTSD with Hang Loose Sailing in Australia 🌊

I’m go live at an unusual time in order to chat with my next guest who is in New South Wales Australia!  I came across Brad Instagram, and I was thrilled when he agreed to join me on the podcast. Brad's organization, Hang Loose Sailing, is a non-profit that offers free sailing experiences to people living with PTSD, depression, and anxiety.  Brad and his team see sailing as more than a lifestyle—it’s a passion and a community....which many of you that watch this channel will understand.  Full Video Podcast:  https://tinyurl.com/SaltyPodcast31

#saltypodcast #sailing #sailingtherapy #ptsd #anxiety #depression #australia #newsouthwales #hangloosesailing

Chapters

• 0:00 Hang Loose Sailing
• 19:15 Sailing Organization Seeking Public Support
• 26:37 First Live Interview Excitement

Transcript

Capn Tinsley: 0:00

Good morning everyone. This is Captain Tinsley. Welcome to the Salty Podcast, where it's always a great day to talk about sailing. I'm live at a very unusual time 6 am Central Time in order to chat with my next guest who is in New South Wales, australia, where right now it's 9 pm tonight. I came across this guest on Instagram and I was thrilled when he agreed to join me on the podcast. Across this guest on Instagram and I was thrilled when he agreed to join me on the podcast. Brad's organization, hang Loose Sailing, is a non-profit that offers free sailing experiences to people living with PTSD, depression and anxiety. Brad and his team see sailing as more than a lifestyle. It's a passion and a community, which many of you that watch this channel will understand. Without further ado, I welcome Brad Farrar of Hang Loose Sailing. Welcome Brad.

Brad Farrar: 0:54

Hi, how are you? Good evening, or I should say good morning.

Capn Tinsley: 1:00

Good morning, I've got my coffee. The alarm came early this morning, but I'm glad to talk with you.

Brad Farrar: 1:10

I should have brought a coffee out for myself, I think, to keep me awake.

Capn Tinsley: 1:15

Or a cocktail? Yes, definitely. Yeah, that might be more appropriate for you. So thank you for coming on. Let me give me one second here. Okay, so I ran across you on Instagram, like I just said, and I didn't even realize you were in Australia. So I was thrilled to hear that, because I'm enjoying talking to people from all different areas on this podcast with sailings worldwide, right. And then you sent me yeah, you sent me a link and I was like, oh, this is a very nice, worthy cause. So let me give you the first question. I do want to talk about your sailing background, but first of all, just tell me what inspired you to start Hang Loose Sailing and a little bit of what it is.

Brad Farrar: 2:14

Basically what inspired me was my own living with PTSD, depression and anxiety. Ptsd, depression and anxiety I use my yard as a time out escape from life, basically just to forget the pain that you live with with PTSD. And then I had last Christmas. I had some issues, which is put me back into a mental health issue where I had to see a psychologist again and while I've been off I thought I use my yacht to help me with a bit of recovery, basically. So I thought how good would that be if I could offer this to anyone that has been living with PTSD, depression, anxiety, and I thought I know how much it helps me to relax and escape. I'm hoping that I can give that back to the people and hopefully they can get the benefit and the same enjoyment out of it that I do.

Capn Tinsley: 3:43

That's wonderful. I totally agree. When I'm out on my boat, I feel the exact same way, and most of the time I prefer to be by myself on the boat. So what kind of response have you gotten?

Brad Farrar: 4:01

Oh look, it's terrific when it comes to. Oh look, it's terrific when it comes to the clients that we're looking for, which is by I'm not sure about where you are, but we need referrals from a physician for people that have been diagnosed to come onto this service. So lots of people are waiting and anxious and can't wait till it's up and running in about a month's time, which is our springtime. So we've got a good response, with some politicians that have come on board both to try and help us, others that have helped us through social media, some local news, television news. The response from them is terrific. They're trying to also help us get this up and running because it's something new and it's unheard of at the moment and it's really starting to take a grasp, with people thinking how good is this, let's get on board. People thinking how good is this, let's get on board.

Capn Tinsley: 5:30

So yeah, it's moving, and it's moving a lot faster than what I thought it would have. That's great. What is your sailing background?

Brad Farrar: 5:39

Oh, my sailing background. That's a funny one, because I've been on the water since I was a youngster, but not necessarily with yachts, it's mostly been power boats. And it wasn't until about maybe 20 years ago I bought my first yacht and that was it Sailboat. It was, yes, the first sailboat, and that was it. The hook was sunk deep and I've been stuck with the wind ever since. It's been absolutely a magnificent journey and I've had little tiny fibreglass catamarans too just to get out and, you know, basically race around the lakes and it's been an absolute terrific time. So there's probably about off and on 20 years and as well as local racing that we do on a Wednesday twilight and every Saturday, so there's four hours a week that I just race and it's magnificent. So I've had a little bit of experience, not enough that I'd probably take on our famous race, the Sydney-Dahoe-Bart, but maybe one day.

Capn Tinsley: 7:07

Wow. Well, you've been doing it longer than I have. I started in 2015. I started taking lessons in 2012 and got my first boat in 2015. But I've made up for lost time. How'd you come up with the name Hang Loose Sailing?

Brad Farrar: 7:30

What I did. I wanted to find something that was just I basically put in a few words, I use Google, put in a few words, I use google. And um, I put in a few words and wanted other words that meant exactly the same thing. And while I was going down the screen, I saw hang loose and I thought that's it, that's what I want. I want everybody just to get out there and hang loose, chill time out, freedom. So that's. It was just basically googling names until I could find something. I wanted something that meant stress-free and hang loose was it perfect?

Capn Tinsley: 8:23

so, um, yeah, um, can you describe a typical sailing experience that you intend to give to the people that participate?

Brad Farrar: 8:38

Well, what we do is because it's a two-hour sailing experience on the lake we offer. They can either join in hands-on or just time out, put your feet up, take in the sides. But I find if you can involve people in the actual sailing itself, even if it's just grabbing a jib sheet one each one on the port, one on the starboard side right, that's your job for the next two hours they get more enjoyment out of it. They're concentrating on that a lot more, so they're not thinking about anything else and they're not thinking about that pain that bothers them and why they're with us. So look, if we can give them a hands-on, all the much better for them the experience and hopefully we might make some more sailors.

Capn Tinsley: 9:45

I think that's a great idea. So you're getting referrals from healthcare providers.

Brad Farrar: 9:55

Correct. Yes, so you've got your doctors, psychologists, psychiatrists, even other health care providers, that, even the alternate sort of health providers, with your holistic, your reiki, these, any of these people that are dealing with, um, sufferers of mental health, um, yeah, if I've got lots and lots of those alternate health providers on board too, who want to send clients to help with their healing process as well. So it's, yeah, we're looking at that at the moment. So anyone that is a registered health provider, doesn't matter what type of what they provide welcome, everyone's welcome, to come on and enjoy the experience yeah, so the way I see is it doesn't have to run through an insurance company, it doesn't have to get official approval.

Capn Tinsley: 11:10

If a doctor feels like this would be beneficial to somebody, they can send them right to you.

Brad Farrar: 11:16

That's correct. Yes, and that's exactly how it works. It's all up to them to say, well, look, I feel the doctor or psychologist or psychiatrist or health provider this would benefit you. And then, yes, then they have to um, produce a referral which the client will bring along and then give to me, and then, yeah, we take them straight out. It's um, but in saying that too, because of anxiety and depression, now, if they do get there and they put one foot on the boat and say, oh, it's not for me, that's more than fine. You can, you know they can. We can sit and talk, or I can show them where all the local restaurants are and all the local good bars and eateries, and yeah I was going to say some.

Capn Tinsley: 12:12

There are some parts of sailing that can cause PTSD if it's bad weather.

Brad Farrar: 12:20

Yeah well, I think we've all been caught in some bad weather, that's for sure.

Capn Tinsley: 12:26

Yeah. So, needless to say, you choose nice, calm days, right?

Brad Farrar: 12:33

You can't pick it um. As you know, the weather gods are their own boss have you um?

Capn Tinsley: 12:41

how many people have you taken out?

Brad Farrar: 12:46

I just I can't really say, um, there's been quite a few, so I can't really put a number on it, but it's been quite a few people, Not only just. There's also friends and relatives, and you know you take them out as well. But with our providers health providers they have to have with really severe depression and anxiety they have to supply a support worker with them so they cannot actually come on the boat. That's a ruling with our health system. So they have to actually have a health provider with them. Also, too, as a solo sailor myself, I can't sail the boat and then have somebody that may be just a little bit overwhelmed and might need some calming.

Brad Farrar: 13:54

so therefore they have to provide or bring a support worker with them or, as I put it, a partner, their partner, if they wish to bring their partner, especially those that are suffering with PTSD, it's not just them, it's their partner as well, because the partner is also dealing with the effects of pds. So it's for the client and their partner um to come out and experience and have a bit of relax and away from their life for a little while and just enjoy it. Sure.

Capn Tinsley: 14:40

Have you gotten any feedback from the participants?

Brad Farrar: 14:46

Oh look, everyone that comes sailing with me. Everyone has a great time to come sailing with me. Everyone has a great time. No one has ever said I won't be coming back again. Everyone's always how great, how terrific and it's just wonderful. And, honestly, a bad day on the water is better than a good day in the office, isn't it? Yes, a bad day on the water is better than a good day in the office, isn't it?

Capn Tinsley: 15:13

Yes, Okay. So let's talk about, let's see how people can donate, Okay.

Brad Farrar: 15:24

Sure, we have three different ways. It's all through GoFundMe. So what we do is we've got a link on our Instagram page which will take you to the GoFundMe GoFundMe and then on our website, in the corner we have a button that says Please Donate, which will also take you to GoFundMe, and then you just follow the instructions from there. Anybody could do it. It's quite easy to do.

Capn Tinsley: 16:08

And we thank anyone that would like to do that. Yeah, so I'm bringing up the website here and here's the website. It's called hangloossailingorg and up here in the corner it says please donate. And there's the GoFundMe right there. And you said you just recently got a donation from the States, from the United States.

Brad Farrar: 16:34

Yes, there was a couple who, her husband's, a retired first responder and they understand what first responders can go through and they can have some horrific traumas that they witness in their working career. So they were more than happy to pass on a donation to us, which was absolutely terrific because we are for everybody first responders, defense personnel, veterans, nurses, just quite anybody that's been diagnosed with PTSD, depression and anxiety.

Capn Tinsley: 17:26

So we have this comment here from Mike oh, impressive connection and technology, so okay. So I do have a question. You mentioned before we went live that you're kind of in a catch-22. Yes, with the funds. Yes, tell us what you need in order to get funds from large corporations.

Brad Farrar: 18:02

Well, we need. The reason the GoFundMe was set up was because in Australia we can't accept money or big businesses will not donate money to charities unless they are registered with the Australian Charity and Not-for-Profit Commission. And to get registered with this government organisation you have to have a lot of funds, which we don't have. So therefore we're in sort of that catch-22 where we need the funds to get registered but the businesses won't donate because we're not registered, because then they can't claim it back through their tax at the end of the financial year, which is sadly that's a lot of the big businesses here in australia that they look at it like that it's. It's what they can get back if tax is one of the things.

Brad Farrar: 19:05

I'll donate the money as long as they can collect the pack when it comes tax time at the end of the financial year. So, yeah, no, we're sort of stuck. At the moment, we're relying heavily on donations from the public through the GoFundMe page that we have set up at the moment.

Capn Tinsley: 19:26

And it has worked a bit.

Brad Farrar: 19:27

We've got a fair bit of money.

Capn Tinsley: 19:31

So if anybody wants to donate, please go to hangloosesailingorg, go up to the right corner of the website and click on Donate, and then you can give with the GoFundMe link there and help these guys get some donations from large corporations. What else would you like people to know?

Brad Farrar: 19:57

Just that we're trying to do a great service to try and help as many people as we possibly can With living personally with PTSD, anxiety and depression. I'm hoping that I can reach as many people and help as many people as I possibly can, and to do that I would love the help of the public tell other people about what we do and how we can help those that are living with PTSD, depression and anxiety. So, basically, what we'd like is get the word out there, tell people.

Capn Tinsley: 20:56

Yeah, If everybody would please share this video whatever platform you're watching on and we are live on five platforms right now but if you look above my head, you see all the different social media where my podcast is. And then you look above Brad's head, you see all the just some of the platforms for the audio podcast. So literally we are everywhere. And if you'd like to get the word out for hang loose sailing, we really help Brad and his team out If you could share this video and and share hang loose sailingorg, and it's a great cause, Brad. Let's see. Let's see if we have another comment here. Brad, you got some people watching.

Brad Farrar: 21:45

Oh, that's terrific.

Capn Tinsley: 21:51

Okay, brad, you got some people watching. Oh, that's terrific. Okay, we have a question from somebody local here, from Mike. He's a friend of mine. He's a sailor, also an island packet owner, as I am. When he takes out guests with PTSD, how involved and active have they been in actually sailing the vessel? I think you kind of answered this, and what reactions have your guests? Uh, have they been? We kind of talked about that but is there anything else you want to say about that?

Brad Farrar: 22:18

look, it's this for me, when I see their reactions on their faces, it's um, because a lot, well, most people haven't done it before. And then, as I said, if you just give them a jib sheet each, on each side of the boat, they are absolutely over the moon because they've got this opportunity to help with the sailing of the vessel. And it's just, I've never seen so many happy faces in my whole life. It's, it's amazing, you know, I mean sometimes I might panic a little bit, am I doing the right thing?

Capn Tinsley: 22:57

but, um, always at the end of it it's everyone's had a magnificent experience well, I I remember my first experience and I was you know know, this is about 15 years ago, the first time that I was, I took lessons, sailing lessons, and the first time the instructor turned off the motor and we were moving by wind. That is a moment I'll never forget.

Brad Farrar: 23:28

It's magnificent, isn't it? No, well, see, I'm self-taught. I've never sailed or been trained in sailing or had any sailing lessons. I remember when I first got my first sailboat, I bought a book and I read a book and then went out and just tried it and yeah, well, that was it. It was, that was the end of me. I was like I read book after book and I just went out as often as I possibly could, um, and back then I had an actual oh, we call them trailer sailors which is, you know, you just sail on a trailer.

Brad Farrar: 24:11

And it was great because then I could just go everywhere I wanted to and put this boat in and sail all over these lakes and rivers and all over New South Wales. It was really really good, but self-taught yeah, never had any sailing lessons. The racing was tough. That's when you learn and that's when you know all the mistakes that you'd been making up until that point.

Capn Tinsley: 24:39

Now, when you sail, when you race, are you on a crew or are you doing this yourself?

Brad Farrar: 24:46

No, I'm a part of a crew crew. Or are you doing this yourself? No, I'm a part of a crew. Um, we're on a, um, a 34 foot yacht, uh, and it's called bartender, and um, yeah, we race that on Wednesdays, uh, for two hours on a Wednesday, and then we race two hours on a Saturday, and it's Saturdays of spinnaker races, where your Wednesday twilight zone is just your normal mainsail headsail racing, and it's very good.

Capn Tinsley: 25:25

Okay, well, brad, this has been great. I appreciate you coming on. It's such late notice too, and, um, we had to work out the time difference and everything. Like I said, my, my alarm went off at 5.00 AM. I was like, oh no, but this is definitely worth it. So, yeah, we'll touch base with you another time and see how it's going and maybe, maybe you'll get some. I hope you get some donations from this being out there Again, it's hang loose sailing. Before we go, tell, tell us about the interview yesterday that you have with the national. Was a national TV? No. Yesterday was the national tv?

Brad Farrar: 26:08

no yesterday was a national radio station um it's called the abc australian broadcasting commission and um, they actually got in contact with me because they'd heard about what I was doing. That's incredible, and yeah. So they organised a live radio interview during their morning drive program, which was absolutely good. I've never done that it's the first live interview I've ever done. I've done a couple where they pre-record you and then they do all the editing and then naturally then it goes onto the radio. But it was very exciting, just like this is.

Capn Tinsley: 26:55

Yeah, and this is the first live video for you, right?

Brad Farrar: 27:00

Correct. Yes, and it was. I had a few little butterflies in the stomach before I came in.

Capn Tinsley: 27:07

Kind of gets the adrenaline going like, like when you're sailing and the wind gets going. Okay. Well, thank you so much. Um, again, we'll check back with you and, uh, I always will go ahead and end this now okay, and thank you very much for allowing me to tell the story of Hang Loose Sailing. I'm having trouble getting. Okay, here we go. We've got some new technology. By the way, I'm still a little awkward with it. I like to end my podcast the same way every time, and that is this is salty. Abandon out you.