Is a refit ever really finished? ocean SAILING instructor Leon Schulz on how to keep an older yacht ready for adventure In 2012 I bought a neglected 15-year-old Hallberg-Rassy 46 which had stood ashore unsold for many years. She was strong, but had been somewhat abandoned – sails still furled, and an interior that seemed […]
Is a refit ever really finished? ocean SAILING instructor Leon Schulz on how to keep an older yacht ready for adventure
In 2012 I bought a neglected 15-year-old Hallberg-Rassy 46 which had stood ashore unsold for many years. She was strong, but had been somewhat abandoned – sails still furled, and an interior that seemed as if the owners had just walked away.
Even cooking spices were left in the cupboard. The teak deck looked terrible, having been loved to death by high-pressure jet washing and scrubbing. The boat appeared unsellable, whereas I saw a potential for a refit.
Around that time many very able shipwrights and boat technicians had been made redundant. Once the 46 was bought, it was trucked to Sweden for a complete refit just adjacent to Hallberg-Rassy in Ellös. Here, a loose ‘yard’ was formed by many individual one-man companies, each run by laid-off boatbuilders and marine specialists. My Hallberg-Rassy 46, Regina Laska, would become just the first of many boats to undergo a flourishing wave of refits by these skilled tradesmen.
Eventually this collective developed into Adams Boat Care AB. Soon, the yard had a worldwide reputation and yachts sailed from all over Europe, the USA, and even New Zealand to get refitted by specialists there. At one stage no fewer than six HR46s were being refitted simultaneously, repeating the process of what we had done to my Regina Laska.
My Hallberg-Rassy has since been used extensively for six months each year, providing RYA sail training from April to October and sailing 5,000 miles annually. The yacht is looking as good as ever, now entering our 13th sailing season after the initial major refit. The process has never truly come to a halt, however, instead continuing each winter with a thorough boat ‘spa treatment’.
The HR46 was initially refit and overwintered undercover in Sweden, and more recently goes to Marina Coruña in Spain for boat work off-season. Photo: Regina Sailing
Refit vs New?
Choosing whether to buy new or second-hand in the first place is not solely a question of budget. Whereas 15 years ago, new boats were broadly similar to those available on the second-hand market, since then cruising boats have undergone a revolution in design: twin rudders, wide transoms, deep keels and almost vertical hull sides, near non-existent overhangs to maximise waterline length, and lighter, brighter interiors. As Magnus Rassy put it: “You can now refit as much as you like, Leon, but you will never be able to change the hull shape and performance of the old models!”
How true! Old boats cannot compete with new. Instead, they attract different types of sailors. Most yards follow the trend of voluminous, wide and light hulls for new designs which are fun to sail, especially downwind on a fine day with flat seas.
But if a sailor prefers a classic hull shape with a single rudder, seakindly characteristics with a deep V-shaped hull cutting through the waves, and cupboards for stowage instead of windows in the hull, you would probably be typical of owners looking to buy older, and refit.
‘After 10 years a proper refit schedule becomes a necessity’. Photo: Regina Sailing
Having previously bought two new Hallberg-Rassys I also really enjoyed the process of owning a brand new boat. From a maintenance standpoint, it was a big gain. After initial warranty hiccups we had a pretty trouble-free first 10 cruising years with not much more to do than some antifouling, hull polishing and following equipment manufacturers’ maintenance recommendations.
Nine years, two Atlantic crossings, and 25,000 miles after taking delivery, my Hallberg-Rassy 40 and all her original equipment – including sails, engine and electronics – were still in good shape. The owners who bought her were looking for a boat not older than 10 years of age: selling a nine-year-old boat was easy. After approximately 10 years things do change, and that’s when a proper refitting schedule becomes a necessity.
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Rolling refurb
After the initial refit in 2012/13, Regina Laska has been continuously refurbished and refitted each year, first at Adams Boat Care in Sweden and since 2019 at Marina Coruña, Spain. She is now 28 years old and has likely sailed well over 100,000 miles, yet is in a better state than ever.
Quoting my own figures from the Yachting World August 2013 issue, I originally bought the boat for €180,000 in Italy, had her trucked to Sweden for €20,000 and refitted for €320,000, giving a total cost of €520,000 12 years ago.
New equipment which was added in 2013 has behaved very similarly to equipment on new boats. For the first 10 years, general maintenance and regular service was all that was needed. Reading the manuals carefully gives good hints on how to look after your equipment.
Preparing to strip off the antifouling and epoxy a second time after 2013. Photo: Regina Sailing
But after almost 50,000 miles some items are now on their second round of replacements, such as the sails, fridge/freezer, through-hull fittings, navigation equipment, anchor windlass, the washing machine, navigation lights and batteries.
Commercially classed boats for sail training and skippered charter must comply with an annual inspection following the stringent rules of MGN280 by the MCA. These don’t need to be followed by leisure sailors, but they do give a good hint on what breaks when.
Making a simple spreadsheet with time intervals for planned maintenance is worth its weight in gold, especially when planning winter work each year. Keeping a refit logbook to track when you did what not only helps manage the process, but also increases the value of your boat if you sell. Another tip is to write the year and month of an upgrade directly onto that piece of equipment.
Annually polishing the repainted famous HR blue stripes. Photo: Regina Sailing
Continuous costs
Ownership costs rise significantly with yacht size, not only when it comes to mooring and winter storage but also regarding refitting. If each metre in length often doubles the price of a new boat, then annual refit costs often follow the same steep upward curve.
In my experience, a good rule of thumb is you need to invest 10% of the boat’s value a year to keep it in a good state. You don’t need to spend the entire 10% every year, but as an average. So whenever you buy a boat, keep that 10% in the back of your mind as the purchase price will have a big impact on your ongoing budget. This 10% is simply the running costs which you will likely never get back the day you sell. It’s the price of owning it.
When budgeting ongoing refits, it makes sense to distinguish between refurbishing, updating, and upgrading. Refurbishment means existing equipment is serviced, cleaned, varnished or polished. Updating means replacing like for like, or a similar piece of equipment, often following a strict schedule, typically after 10 years. Upgrades are often less necessary improvements for pleasure, safety, practicality or aesthetics.
Prep work for the Coppercoat. Photo: Regina Sailing
I have spent an average of €57,000 annually on refits, including lifting, launching, dropping/restepping the mast, and six months each year of indoor winter storage (so slightly more than 10% of the original €520,000 cost). Some has been spent refurbishing and updating to maintain the value of the boat, other expenses were upgrades to possibly increase the value – at least to me – or improve the boat’s safety, comfort or appearance.
12 years of maintenance
During the original refit, polishing the hull and laying a replacement teak deck made Regina Laska look brand new – some people even asked if Hallberg-Rassy had relaunched their previous model. But soon enough, teak fades to an elegant silvery-grey. Half a year later, the deck still looked nice, but not new any longer. One aesthetic upgrade is still as beautiful and effective as ever: the interior lighting. After 12 years the LEDs are as luminous as when fitted. It never fails to surprise both me and my guests what a great first impression good lighting makes.
As the boat approached 20 years old some items began to age. The original sturdy diesel heaters became unreliable quite soon after the refit, and were replaced in 2014 with new eco-friendly electronically controlled Webasto heaters.
They were sensitive, however, giving an electronic error code claiming the glow plug was defective, which made no sense. After months of experimenting I found it happened each time the compressors of the equally old and sturdy fridge and freezer started simultaneously. The problem was solved by replacing the fridge/freezers with equally modern units.
Finished Coppercoat on hull and Propspeed on the propeller. Photo: Regina Sailing
The boat was re-powered in 2018, downsizing from 100hp to a much smaller Volvo-Penta D2-75, which is a Perkins underneath. I wanted to avoid a common rail engine with electronics, and definitely didn’t want a car engine which had been ‘marinised’.
The only electronic device on this D2-75 is the MDI-box for starting and stopping the engine. This modern 75hp engine has so much torque, less vibration, less weight, is quieter, and uses less fuel, which means that the new engine gives a range of 1,000 miles of motoring (5lt/hr in 7 knots with a new Flexofold 22×16 three-blade propeller). The smaller engine allowed space for an Aquadrive flexible coupling, the shaft now pushing the boat via a separate bulkhead instead of through the engine’s mounting feet, minimising vibrations even further.
The bow thruster was exchanged at 25 years of age, replaced in 2023 with an identical model. The Whitlock steering system was removed after 27 years of heavy use in 2024, taken apart and sent to Lewmar for a complete rebuild. I was impressed that Lewmar still makes these parts and even had them in stock so they could do a very quick turn-around service in England.
The windows in the hardtop are a known weak point on older Hallberg-Rassys, where large windows can crack after some 20 years. They were changed last year before they could break. Hardtop repainted and all windows replaced with new aluminium frames, handmade by the same person who originally made them in 1996. Photo: Regina Sailing
Not much of the factory-fitted equipment from 1997 is still onboard after almost 30 years of intensive sailing – though we still carry the original Lewmar Ocean winches, and original mast, boom and spreaders.
Items which have lasted well from the original refit include the mattresses and upholstery – to my surprise as I thought I’d have to replace them more frequently. Thanks to the high quality chosen in 2013, they are brought back to their original beauty by professional steam cleaning every spring.
I carry spare parts for the Jabsco electric toilets (2013), but have so far not needed to do much more than change the joker valves annually. This is impressive, given we sail with guests for six months of each year. The SOLAS-A liferaft seems to have an indefinite lifespan as well, as long as it is inspected every year, remains air-proof and has key parts replaced according to schedule. Refitting classic yachts has become en vogue. Marina Coruña has developed a major refit centre in southern Biscay. Photo: Regina Sailing
Replaced items
Despite our best efforts during the main refit in 2012, some items have been disappointing and needed to be replaced a second time, though it’s worth noting that some of these are the skipper’s own fault! I can’t blame anyone other than myself for running the washing machine while motoring, not thinking about the fact that the spinning forces are huge even in the slightest of swell. It’s down to me that it didn’t work ‘as intended’ and had to be replaced in 2019.
Another replacement due to a mishap was the anchor snubber breaking while anchoring during a gale in heavy waves. Half the night we hung on the windlass alone, which is not made for taking such loads. The shaft bent and it was prudent to replace the windlass completely after 10 years of service in 2022. A chain stopper has been added to avoid this happening again, plus a sturdier snubber.
Another disappointment was the autopilot. Furuno is the clear leader in sonar and radar technology, and offers a fast and accurate satellite-based heading sensor. It has a very pleasant interface made by MaxSea and is state-of-the-art for superyachts, fishing boats and other professional users.
Turnbuckles were changed after 25 years. Photo: Regina Sailing
But in my opinion there is one discipline it is not leading in and that is steering a sailing boat. We instead added a Raymarine Evolution pilot with an ACU 400 and EV1, which I feel steers like a pro ocean racer, giving counter rudder long before the boat begins to change heading in heavy waves.
Another disappointment was the through-hulls which I proudly changed from brass (which most yards use these days) to superior bronze. Many bronze through-hulls are very strong, but proved not much better than their brass counterparts when it comes to the moving parts inside. The valves became difficult to move, and finally seized up and broke. I got so angry with them that I changed every one after just eight years, with a version that promised a 40-year lifetime (Trudesign made of composite material).
In 2012 I thought I was smart to buy a bargain generator that had been laying around a workshop for seven years. Not only was it rather old fashioned, but it was far too large for my boat so the sound-shield didn’t fit and we had constant niggles with it. It was replaced with an Onan 6kW by Cummins.
The rig was updated with new sheaves, pins and shackles, as well as all blocks and Spinlock clutches after 10 years of service. Photo: Regina Sailing
The antifouling worked as intended – as long as it was available. When the last tin of paint had sold out in every chandlery I contacted, in 2021 I opted to remove all the antifouling of the previous years, including the epoxy that had been redone in 2013. The boat was again sanded down to the bare gelcoat (by hand in Spain).
On top of new solvent-free epoxy we added Coppercoat which, correctly applied, is fantastic. It does attract some mild slime which needs to be wiped off, but can be easily done while swimming or diving. After a couple of seasons of re-activating it by sanding ever so lightly each year, it made sense to apply another new coat on top to be on the safe side this season. Problematic fouling on the propeller was finally solved by using Propspeed in 2021, which needs to be re-applied every 2-3 years.
Regular maintenance
Coming up to my 13th season in 2025, the life-span of some equipment has passed since that first refit and has therefore also been replaced. Many Hallberg-Rassys with an external lead keel (Frers designs) have a flexible sealant between the hull and keel, which is a good idea to replace every four years.
Navigation and communication equipment is a key area to budget for updates as technology improves. Photo: Regina Sailing
In 2020, after seven years and 33,000 miles, I thought it would be timely to change the mainsail and genoa to identical Elvstrom sails made of Hydranet cloth, but with a tri-radial cut. The only argument I had with Elvstrom was that they found that my sails would last for at least another 10,000 miles and I had changed prematurely.
Standing and running rigging (stays and shrouds plus 356m of lines) is changed regularly. The schedule I follow is after every 10 years or 30,000 miles, which is confirmed by Seldén, my insurance company, renowned riggers, and not the least the MGN280 rules I have to follow for sailing commercially.
In 2022 the turnbuckles were changed to new bronze (after 25 years), and I also changed the electric Furlex 400E a second time. The new model (Mk2) has a worm drive and needs no service unlike the previous belt-driven model that needed to be sent to Seldén for a rebuild every couple of years. I also swapped to a new mainsheet traveller, new kicker and a lot of new sheaves, pins and shackles, as well as all blocks and Spinlock clutches after 10 years of service since 2013. It’s just something you have to do when you sail a lot and don’t wish to wait until the mast falls down.
Storing the boat indoors allows for dry and easy access to service, polish and varnish; the cabin sole boards were restored to their original beauty. Photo: Regina Sailing
The cutlass bearing for the engine shaft and the lower rudder bearings are other items that regularly need to be changed after years of wear and tear. The lower rudder bearing was changed in 2019 (approx. 10 years) and the cutlass bearing every five years.
Other items on their second round after 12 years in service are the dinghy (new AB 9.5 this year), new outboard (again Yamaha), batteries (upgraded to Lithium after five years of AGM), new VHF (Icom 605), 10 new lifejackets (always by Spinlock), a new gas stove (now upgraded to GN Espace), replacing the Magma BBQ on aft deck, EPIRBs and fire extinguishers (including Lithex by AVD against Lithium fires and Sea-Fire for the engine room).
Adventure-ready off Corryvreckan, Scotland. Photo: Regina Sailing
The annual updates of the Cat1 medical kit by MSOS is not cheap and the main engine gets a major service every 3-4 years or 3,000 hours, for instance checking the injection valves, replacing the exhaust elbow, replacing the rubber cushions/feet and refurbishing the turbo. I am counting on a lifespan of around 15,000 hours for the D2-75, if it’s regularly used and well maintained.
Fridge and freezer compressors were changed a second time after 10 years of continuous working, just to be on the safe side (in 2023) and the domestic water pumps are changed every five years for the same reason. Drinking water hoses are changed every 15 years. Bilge alarm sensors lost their reliability after 12 years and were replaced and the manual bilge pump needs to be rebuilt with new gaskets every 10 years. These are time- or mileage-critical points that need to be refitted regularly, but not all owners follow such a prudent schedule.
I’ve also made some improvements by choice. Navigation equipment has been upgraded with a bigger plotter able to handle more than 100 AIS-targets, and I now have a solid-state broadband radar. Aesthetic upgrades include new curtains and cockpit cushions, better interchangeable red and white deck lights and navigation lights showing red-over-green by Lopolight, all controlled by CZone.
Love it, keep it
Regina Laska is approaching 30 years of age and is proven to have been well built without any compromises by a renowned yard. She seems likely to keep sailing for at least the rest of my own lifetime.
Rather like a relationship, if you fall in love with a boat, there is every reason in the world to continue investing in it in order to keep it as beautiful as it has always been.
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Why AAU Works for SwimAtlanta—and Why It Can Work for Your Club Too
This is an editorial from Chris Davis, the founder, owner, and head coach of SwimAtlanta, one of the top swimming programs in the United States. He established the club in 1977 with just 28 swimmers and one location. Today, SwimAtlanta operates at seven locations with over 1,800 swimmers and has produced numerous national and international […]
This is an editorial from Chris Davis, the founder, owner, and head coach of SwimAtlanta, one of the top swimming programs in the United States. He established the club in 1977 with just 28 swimmers and one location. Today, SwimAtlanta operates at seven locations with over 1,800 swimmers and has produced numerous national and international champions, including five Olympians
By Chris Davis, Founder & Head Coach, SwimAtlanta
There’s probably not a week that goes by without someone in the swimming community asking me, “How’s the AAU side of your team going?” And without fail, at every meet I attend, at least one coach pulls me aside to ask the same thing.
My answer is simple: It’s going great. And I follow that up by explaining why AAU works for SwimAtlanta—and why it could work for every swim club in America.
Here’s what I’ve learned after decades in the sport, both as a coach and as a business owner: at least 50% of our registered swimmers never attend USA Swimming sanctioned meets. They’re on the team for exercise, fitness, high school prep, summer league, or parks and rec—not for competition. And that’s okay. It gives us a chance to identify and guide athletes who could thrive in the sport toward a more competitive path.
But for the other half—the kids who won’t compete in USA Swimming meets—it never made sense to pay the full USA Swimming registration fee just for insurance coverage. I realized years ago that there had to be a more cost-effective solution. So we switched our non-competitive swimmers to a general umbrella insurance policy through Risk Management, which cost about $6–$7 per swimmer. That one change saved SwimAtlanta roughly $50,000 per year in unnecessary registration fees.
Enter AAU
Two years ago, we evolved the model again. We began dual-registering with AAU for a few key reasons.
AAU meets are easy to sanction and host. We can get an AAU meet sanctioned in about an hour. Compare that to the lengthy process required through most LSCs. That means we can run fun, fast, insured novice meets for swimmers who aren’t ready for big-time competition. Everyone is covered under AAU’s insurance—swimmers, officials, and volunteers alike.
The meets are efficient and inclusive. At our recent AAU Father’s Day meet, we hosted 200 swimmers and wrapped the event in two hours. Afterward, we rented out the water park for a team celebration. It was affordable, well-run, and a total blast.
AAU provides a financial and structural alternative. While AAU registration costs a bit more than the Risk Management plan, we more than make up for that through meet revenue—especially because we’re not giving a required percentage to the LSC. This has allowed us to build a sustainable, engaging experience for developmental swimmers.
A Reminder To USA Swimming
My secondary motivation for registering with AAU is simple: to remind USA Swimming that they’re not the only game in town.
Competition, in any space, makes everyone better. SwimAtlanta thrives in Atlanta not because we’re the only option, but because other great teams push us to improve. We have to deliver for our families. We have to evolve. And we believe USA Swimming should be held to the same standard.
If USA Swimming starts losing market share, maybe that’s the wake-up call they need to rethink how they operate. Innovation doesn’t happen without pressure. And when there’s no competition, complacency creeps in.
If you’re interested in exploring AAU or just want to talk more about how we’re using this model at SwimAtlanta, I’m happy to share.
Chris Davis SwimAtlanta Founder & Head Coach [email protected]
By Greg Uptain | Special to the Post-Dispatch
The 2025 Post-Dispatch All-Metro spring series continues with boys golf. This includes players from both the Illinois fall season and Missouri… A sudden change in some important equipment didn’t faze Harrison Zipfel. Just prior to the Class 5 boys golf state tournament in May, the St. Louis […]
The 2025 Post-Dispatch All-Metro spring series continues with boys golf. This includes players from both the Illinois fall season and Missouri…
A sudden change in some important equipment didn’t faze Harrison Zipfel.
Just prior to the Class 5 boys golf state tournament in May, the St. Louis University High junior decided to switch things up with his putter and the results were nothing short of spectacular.
“Yeah, at state my putting was phenomenal,” Zipfel said. “I was looking back on the first day, and on the last 16 holes, I don’t think I missed a putt inside of 20 feet. So, it’s hard not to go low when you’re doing that, especially on a course that was pretty forgivable to begin with.”
Zipfel went low indeed, firing a sizzling 8-under-par 64 in the first round and finishing with a two-day score of 12-under 132 to capture individual medalist honors at Rivercut Golf Course in Springfield.
It is believed to be the lowest state tournament score ever recorded in Missouri and put an emphatic cap on a sensational season that earned him All-Metro boys golfer of the year honors.
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“He won the first tournament of the season that we host at the Missouri Bluffs (the Bantle Memorial), where he shot 69 out of the block, so he was very consistent,” SLUH coach Jim Knoesel said. “He played well pretty much every time out, so I wasn’t surprised by anything that he did.”
Zipfel’s incredible two rounds of state golf was part of a larger standout effort by the entire Junior Billikens squad in capturing the program’s first state title in 73 years.
Also, Zipfel earned the first state medalist title for a SLUH player since Kevin Knapp won the Class 4A crown in 1998.
“I was just really proud of the way our guys continued to work throughout the spring,” Zipfel said. “When times got tough, we didn’t let that hold us down. It was a great reward for all our hard work.”
Normally, a first round of 8 under might net you a pretty comfortable lead, but the field nipped at Zipfel’s heels throughout the two days at state, allowing him to not get too complacent.
“Yeah, I think for sure,” he said. “If you know you’re 6 under, 7 under or whatever it may be, there is a different mentality than being out there with a one-shot lead over this guy or that guy. It allowed me to stay focused and not worry about the score I was at, but how far ahead I was of the other guys.”
St. Louis University High junior Harrison Zipfel is the All-Metro boys golfer of the year. He won the Class 5 state medalist title while helping the Jr. Billikens capture the team championship. He was SLUH’s first state medalist since 1998 and helped the program to its first state title since 1952.
Gordon A. Radford
Zipfel’s first round of 64 was mighty eye-popping, but his coach was even more impressed by his standout’s second-round tally of 68.
“It’s very tough to follow up a really low round, and you know, in that second round, he showed me a lot of guts,” Knoesel said. “The first day, he got really hot on the back nine and made a bunch of birdies. The second day, he got out of position a few times, but he hung in there. He made a bogey from all those out of bounds and he made some really tough pars, which showed me a lot.”
Zipfel had solid top-six state finishes each of his first two years, but he left both tournaments wanting for more. That disappointment provided much of the fuel for this season’s performance.
“Yeah, for sure. I think both hurt not being able to walk away with the state title,” he said. “I think freshman year really stung, just with the position I was in with not many holes left, but I also think it kind of settled me into knowing that I’ve been in this position before and I can’t get too far ahead of myself. You’re thinking about what could happen when the final putt drops on 18, but I just gotta commit to the shot I have right in front of me.”
Zipfel has already given a verbal commitment to the University of Illinois. With that decision out of the way, he has given himself a clear chance to run it all back again next spring, not only individually but also with a SLUH squad that counted no seniors in the state tournament lineup.
“Yeah, it’s great to have the decision over with. For a lot of guys, it’s a big pressure of ‘Where am I gonna go to college?’ But for me, that’s just the beginning,” Zipfel said. “I have a lot of aspirations of things I want do at Illinois and I’ve got to remember that those guys are really good and I’m not there yet, so I have to keep working. I’m very excited (about next season). We have a lot of talented kids on our team, a lot of really hard workers. As long as we just stay within ourselves, I think next spring is gonna be a great spring for us.”
The 2025 Post-Dispatch All-Metro spring series continues with boys golf. This includes players from both the Illinois fall season and Missouri…
How Olipop Uses Creator-Led Sports Content To Win New Fans On YouTube
YouTube Is the Most Valuable Sports Media Network Younger audiences don’t watch sports the way their parents did. They’re not sitting through full games or waiting for highlights on SportsCenter. They’re watching on YouTube, where athletes and creators are driving something more dynamic than traditional sports coverage ever allowed. According to YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, […]
Younger audiences don’t watch sports the way their parents did. They’re not sitting through full games or waiting for highlights on SportsCenter. They’re watching on YouTube, where athletes and creators are driving something more dynamic than traditional sports coverage ever allowed.
According to YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, sports content on YouTube grew 45% last year and topped 35 billion hours of viewership. Behind that growth is the rise of athlete-driven storytelling, creator-led formats, and fan communities that live far beyond the final score.
LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 28: YouTube Chief Product Officer Neal Mohan speaks onstage during the … More YouTube TV announcement at YouTube Space LA on February 28, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for YouTube)
getty
The Age Of The Producer Economy
For athletes and creators building IP, YouTube offers access to a massive global audience, creative control, and monetization tools to build entertainment properties without waiting for a green light.
Shot for Netflix, Built for YouTube: Shanked
It looks like it belongs on Netflix, but Shanked, a scripted golf comedy, launched on YouTube. Think The Office meets Caddyshack, set at a fictional country club with a cast of creators who double as writers, characters, and marketers.
Shanked, the YouTube comedy show sponsored by Olipop and produced by London Alley
London Alley
The ensemble includes Mitsy Sanderson, Laura Clery, Blake Webber (Aristotle Georgeson), James Lynch, Patrick Farley, and Mikey Smith, alongside guest stars like Malosi Togisala (Big Moe of Good Good Golf) and even AJ McLean of the Backstreet Boys. Together, the cast brings over 70 million followers and a built-in fandom.
The series was produced by London Alley, a production company founded by Luga Podesta. London Alley is one of the few entertainment companies building premium long-form series for YouTube. Vice Media recently acquired London Alley to deepen its platform-native storytelling capabilities and support creators launching new IP.
A Network Mindset, Not Just a YouTube Platform Strategy
Ryan Horrigan, President of London Alley, leads this initiative. A former studio executive who started his career at CAA, Horrigan treats YouTube like a network, not just another social channel. That network mindset shaped casting and production, as well as how Shanked was marketed.
“Selling to a streamer gives you a higher floor,” Horrigan says. “But YouTube gives you a higher ceiling.”
James Lynch, a co-creator and cast member, adds: “We wanted something that works for 22 minutes but also hooks you in 60 seconds. Our show has to live in both worlds.”
“We made this in six months for a fraction of what a streamer would spend,” says Horrigan. “But because we understand YouTube, the fan connection is stronger and more meaningful.”
Olipop: When a Sponsor Becomes a Character
Olipop is a sponsor and a character in the new show, Shanked. More than product placement, Mikey … More Smith aka Teddy.
Daniel Orona
Shanked launched with a sponsor written into the script. Gen Z–favorite soda brand Olipop appears in multiple episodes: in the clubhouse fridge, on the beverage cart, and in a fourth-wall moment where the characters joke about how visible the product is.
“We went way beyond product placement,” says Lynch. “Olipop is baked into the world, the jokes, and the show’s culture.”
A Smarter Play: Building Audience Through Precision Content
Olipop is ahead of the curve. While most brands buy ads, Olipop sees YouTube and creators as a precision engine for audience growth.
Golf has become a valuable entry point for the brand. “I talk to people in golf all the time, and they say all they serve is hot dogs, soda, and beer,” says Steven Vigilante, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Olipop. “Our product fits where the culture is going.”
“We sell soda,” Vigilante adds. “We don’t need to be in front of the 1 percent at the Masters. We need to be in front of the everyday golfer. And YouTube is where they spend time.”
Creator Mitsy Sanderson plays Sophie on Shanked.
Daniel Orona
Understanding their audience shapes Olipop’s social programming. “Our Instagram audience is 80 percent Gen Z and millennial women. The Shanked audience is mostly 18 to 44 men,” Vigilante explains. “So we’re not flooding our social channels with golf clips. Olipop has a strategy; we show up in the right places for the right reasons.”
For Ollipop, the value is clear. “I’d rather be in the content people choose to watch than the ad they’re trying to skip,” Vigilante says. “That’s how we’re building the next wave of brand relevance.”
No Trailers Needed: Momentum Comes From Athletes And Creators
“We knew we had to market this differently,” says Mikey Smith, co-creator and cast member of Shanked. “We can’t rely on trailers and tune-in ads. We leaned into thumbnails, creator collabs, TikTok, Reels, and Shorts. That’s how you build momentum.”
The timing for a golf comedy show couldn’t be better. According to the creator intelligence platform Traackr, more than 11,000 creators posted golf content between January and June 2025, a 17% year-over-year increase.
“Golf is more accessible than ever,” says Horrigan. “It’s not your grandfather’s sport anymore. Younger audiences are fans, and across YouTube and TikTok golf content, you can find everything from trick shots and comedy to fashion, fitness, and player stories.”
Shanked is bigger than one show. It’s a blueprint for fast, flexible, creator-led IP built around communities that don’t need cable to become fans.
The Next Chapter: Where Athletes And Creators Turn 1v1 Basketball Into Must-See TV
If Shanked is a sitcom disguised as sports content, The Next Chapter (TNC) flips the equation: non-league basketball reimagined as pay-per-view entertainment.
Basketball Legend, Kyrie Irving announced the latest TNC match up.
Nick Smucker
Founded by creators D’Vontay Friga, Scotty Weaver, and Grayson White, TNC started on YouTube and now distributes content through their own network. TNC’s latest event featured Michael Beasley vs. Lance Stephenson, with Kyrie Irving as guest commentator. Tens of thousands paid to stream it. Over one million visited TNCLeague.com. Instagram views hit 82 million in four days.
Stars and influencers packed the arena: Adin Ross, John Wall, Naz Reid, Andre Drummond, Victor Oladipo. Kevin Durant and Iman Shumpert joined the online conversation. It was a cultural moment.
Grayson White, Scotty Weaver, D’Vontay Friga and John Bellion.
SMKR
Wasserman, TNC and the Rise of Sports Built for the YouTube Generation
TNC is built for modern fans: short games, meaningful financial stakes, and every player acts as both athlete and entertainer hyping games, creating content, and driving viewership.
Dan Levitt, SVP at Wasserman, is helping shape the model. “Creator-led sports content is the main event,” he says. “Younger fans follow the personalities. They care about the story and the stakes, not just the score.” A veteran in creator representation, Levitt joined Wasserman after its 2024 acquisition of his agency, Long Haul Management.
“Today’s athletes know they are full-blown media platforms,” Levitt adds. “They have distribution and influence. What they need now are systems to build something durable.”
Owned IP Is the Model. YouTube Is the Engine.
Shanked and The Next Chapter are strong signals that the next generation of sports media won’t live on cable; it’s built for platforms like YouTube.
Creators and athletes are building the future of sports content in real time. They own the audience, shape the story, and control the upside. YouTube gives them the tools to turn attention into revenue and fans into customers. The most innovative brands aren’t just watching. They’re in the game.
SAN ANTONIO — The 2025 season has been a magical campaign for Missions catcher Brandon Valenzuela, as the 24-year-old has posted career-high power and run-production numbers with a .471 slugging percentage and a 140 wRC+. Saturday night, as the Missions hosted “Harry Potter Night” at Wolff Stadium, Valenzuela summoned a bit more magic to deliver […]
SAN ANTONIO — The 2025 season has been a magical campaign for Missions catcher Brandon Valenzuela, as the 24-year-old has posted career-high power and run-production numbers with a .471 slugging percentage and a 140 wRC+.
Saturday night, as the Missions hosted “Harry Potter Night” at Wolff Stadium, Valenzuela summoned a bit more magic to deliver a walk-off single to lift the Missions to a 3-2 victory and sole possession of first place in the Texas League South standings.
“Isn’t that what the game is all about,” said Missions manager Luke Montz. “You look at growth; you look at development. You’re seeing a young kid progress.
“The next step for Brandon is to get into the big leagues and show what he can do. What they’re looking for is moments right there. It’s not always about the outcome, if it’s a hit or not a hit. It’s just the at-bat. There is just no giving in with him, and he is not an easy out right now in the box. I am super shocked they pitched to him there in that situation with first base open.”
While Valenzuela’s bat ultimately brought the Missions to victory, their pitching staff kept them alive for most of the night. Jagger Haynes delivered a stellar performance when his team needed it. The 22-year-old southpaw worked six innings, allowing just one run on four hits and a walk, and struck out five. The lone run Haynes surrendered on the night was a lead-off homer to Cameron Cauley.
Jagger Haynes has been stellar over the last month. (Photo: Rey Holguin)
Haynes generated 10 total whiffs, resulting in an excellent 29.4% whiff rate on the night. His sinker sat 92-93 mph, getting anywhere from 11-14 inches of horizontal run. Haynes’s changeup was also effective running away from right-handed hitters. It sat at 82-83 and continued to flash an ample arm-side fade. He also showed a knack for getting whiffs with his gyro-slider, inducing three in the first inning alone, including two by Rangers top prospect Sebastian Walcott.
Over his last five starts, Haynes has a 1.98 ERA with 23 strikeouts against 14 walks in 27.1 innings of work. After showing he could shoulder starting pitching workloads last year, the lefty has already worked into the sixth inning six times this season.
“All of our starters have given us a chance to win every single game this week,” said Montz. “A solo home run to start the game can easily rattle somebody and shift momentum to their dugout. But then what Jagger goes and does is retire the next six in a row and give us six innings of one-run ball.”
“It just speaks volumes to where he’s at in his growth and development. Earlier in the year, I’m not sure we’re talking about that. We might get him in the second or third inning. But he’s starting to show that he can handle adversity and control what he can control.”
With Haynes locked in, the Missions offense quickly evened things up in the bottom of the second when Francisco Acuñalined a double to the left field gap to plate Wyatt Hoffman. Acuña finished the night with two hits and a pair of walks out of the leadoff spot. He has his average up to .344 this month.
Following Haynes’ departure, Montz turned the game over to Ethan Routzahn. The sidearming righty worked a clean inning in the seventh to keep the game tied.
The Missions briefly took the lead in the bottom of the seventh when, with two outs and the bases loaded, Moisés Gómezgot plunked to push across a run.
That lead was short-lived as Routzahn allowed a leadoff home run of his own to Cauley before left-hander Jake Higginbothamcame on to relieve him. The 29-year-old worked two scoreless innings while striking out three to put the club in a position to win on Valenzuela’s heroics.
Higginbotham allowed a lead-off double in the ninth, but rather than get rattled, the former Clemson Tiger bore down to strike out the next two batters before getting a ground ball to end the inning.
That is his third or fourth outing in a row where I have seen him as dialed in as ever,” noted Montz. “He had a good mix going tonight. I went out there in the ninth, and he thinks I might be taking him out when there is no chance I am taking him out.
“He tells me, skip, give me this one. An I told him you got this one and the next one. Just the way that he bears down, pitches with convection, and keeps hitters off balance, you’re going to see a lot of outings like tonight.”
NOTES: The Missions head into the final day of the first half having eliminated Frisco and holding a one-game lead over Midland. A win guarantees the club a playoff spot, but if they lose, they’ll need Midland, which has won the head-to-head series so far, to lose.
Hardtop repainted and all windows replaced with new aluminium frames, handmade by the same person who originally made them in 1996. Photo: Regina Sailing
Refitting classic yachts has become en vogue. Marina Coruña has developed a major refit centre in southern Biscay. Photo: Regina Sailing
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Jagger Haynes has been stellar over the last month. (Photo: Rey Holguin)
