YouTube stars building 42ft catamaran sign deal with Vetus Maxwell

Vetus Maxwell has signed a new sponsorship deal with sailing YouTube stars, MJ Sailing. The marine systems specialist is backing Matt and Jessica Johnson of MJ Sailing, by supplying a full range of products to support the couple’s ambitious project to build a custom 42-foot Max Cruise Marine catamaran from the ground up.

The US social media stars have logged over 35,000 miles at sea in the last decade on their former boats, amassing a huge following with thousands tuning in to their YouTube videos and blogs.

MJ Sailing is building the lightweight catamaran, which is so far unnamed, in a small marina just outside Annapolis, Maryland. It is their fourth vessel, with previous boats including a 1983 Trisalu 37 called Elements of Life and a 1989 Sabre 34 Targa called Serendipity. 

The childhood sweethearts, and their cat Georgie, have completed numerous sailing expeditions which they cover on social media, with 169,000 followers currently on YouTube. They started out in sailing as a hobby in 2008, leaving their jobs for a new life exploring the world onboard.

The new sponsorship agreement is a significant boost for their build plans and will ensure the couple can select from a range of Vetus products such as compact electric toilets, portholes, hatches, windlasses and freshwater system components.

MJ will feature the various Vetus equipment in their YouTube videos, covering the installations through to the products’ performance, functionality, durability and usability over the coming years.

Jessica Johnson says: “This official partnership with a reputable brand like Vetus is huge for MJ Sailing, for our catamaran build, and for our future sailing plans. Basically, anything we can think of in the name of boat parts, Vetus carries. Matt and I had the chance to visit their headquarters in Maryland, and it was like putting a couple of kids inside a candy store. Expect to see them a lot in our upcoming videos, and make sure to give them a look for any of your boating needs.”

Matt adds: “Everything made by Vetus is of the highest quality and most importantly it’s built to last. Because this is such a big project for us, we must have confidence in our materials and equipment, which we have learned the hard way from past experiences. For example, our last boat which we also sailed around the world in, was fitted with hatches made by various manufacturers but most of them leaked. However, the hatches made by Vetus didn’t, so we get total peace of mind with Vetus as our go-to manufacturer for long-term cruising.” 

Readers can follow Matt and Jessica on their YouTube channel, and see their latest video below:

Chris DeBoy, president of Vetus Maxwell US, says: “We were really excited when MJ got in touch with us and explained the great experience they have had with Vetus products. They told us about their plans and how important it was for them to source equipment that will provide years of reliability.

“The partnership will allow us to provide a range of items for this fantastic catamaran project, while giving Matt and Jessica access to exceptional sales and customer service, when they need it, wherever they are in the world. In turn, the MJ platform will provide excellent exposure for the Vetus brand and enable us to reach more potential customers, spreading the word to their followers about Vetus’ innovative and easy to use product portfolio. We are thrilled to partner with MJ Sailing.”