Going the Distance

Under the expert care of Hinckley Yacht Services, a 70-foot-Nordhavn sets out to explore the world.

Novels and films have long told the story of someone leaving it all behind to sail around the world, but very few people actually make it a reality. Yet for John and Erin Ellis, owners of a 70-foot Nordhavn named Dragon, that fantastical dream is underway. “Our saying is: Go far, be comfy, do cool stuff,” Ellis says. “I built a boat that embodied that. My mission profile has always been different. And Hinckley craftsmanship is what inspired where I wanted Dragon to be cared for.” 

As you read these very words, the pair is most likely preparing for another ocean crossing, after beginning their round-the-world journey in 2025 from their San Diego homebase. A lifelong goal of John’s, this anticipated 10-year, “backward” (west to east) circumnavigation of the globe has involved years of prep work and visioning, sparked a dedicated YouTube channel, and enticed lucky family and friends to join various legs of the quest.

From his boat in Scotland in early October, we caught up with John prior to their whirlwind European navigation, which was preceded by cruising the Bahamas and crossing the Atlantic. With humor and humility, here are his key takeaways on living the aquatic life, what he’s learned along the way, and his experience servicing his coveted Dragon with Hinckley Yacht Services. 

ON HOW IT ALL STARTED

“I dove into figuring out what it would be like to go around the world backward … all of the winds along the north and south of the equator blow from east to west. But if you thread the needle in between the winds — which sailboats are always looking for and we’re not — you can absolutely do this. We’re not the first ones to ever do it, but people don’t usually go the way we are going.” 

ON THE REALITIES AND REWARDS 

“This lifestyle is not for the faint of heart. It requires things I didn’t know about when we started. I identify as somebody that lives on the boat and travels to San Diego, and Erin identifies as someone who lives in San Diego and travels to the boat.”

ON LESSONS OF THE JOURNEY

“It took getting on the boat and doing this kind of travel — creating separation [of the familiar] so we could really figure out where our heart is. You begin to understand that when you test those geographical transitions.”

ON WEATHERING THE STORMS

“We got turned around on the west coast of Ireland. And the weather in the North Sea and the North Atlantic? It’s insane. It’s never about what the boat can take, because we’d never get there. It’s about what the people can take. Storms in the North Atlantic can hurt your feelings and change in minutes — like a spider monkey on a meth binge.”

ON CROSSING THE ATLANTIC 

“When you see the stars at night, with nothing but the sea around you, you realize how small you are — and how lucky you are.”

ON CHOOSING HINCKLEY FOR SERVICE 

“I had seen a photograph of the yard in Portsmouth with a beautiful boat in it, and I thought: That looks like a surgery center — that’s where I want Dragon to get taken care of. You look at the quality of boats that are the Hinckley brand — crisp lines, classic varnish, teak, dark-blue colors — all of that is part of the Hinckley moniker. I wanted my boat to be cared for in a place with that level of craftsmanship.”

ON THE YARD ENVIRONMENT

“Before my experience with Hinckley Yacht Services, going to a boatyard felt a little like going to the dentist — you know it’s not going to be fun. But at Hinckley, I didn’t walk past anyone in that yard who didn’t give me a smile and a nod. Everyone wore Hinckley T-shirts. The yard was clean and friendly. That is not typical.”

ON HINCKLEY’S CULTURE

“After I met Yash, my Hinckley project manager, that cemented it. There was a good bond there. He understood me. I’m hands-on, loyal, but I can be a handful — and he tracked what I needed from the very beginning.”

“There were guys waiting with buckets and brushes when I pulled in. Three days later I was deliriously happy with the work. Even though Stuart wasn’t the original project yard, they still stepped up and carried that service literally from Portsmouth all the way down to Stuart.”

“If Hinckley were in Southampton, England, I’d be taking the boat there, too. The experience was that good.”