Sailing La Vagabonde is a YouTube channel run by vlogging couple Elayna Carausu and Riley Whitelum. The couple chronicle their adventures sailing on the La Vagabonde boat, which has traveled over 90,000 nautical miles by sail. At present, Sailing La Vagabonde has a net worth of $2 million.
Who are Riley and Elayna?
Riley Whitelum is from Kimba, South Australia and was born on May 26, 1984. Elayna Carausu hails from Perth, Western Australia and was born on July 30, 1993. Despite the nine-year age gap, the pair have built one of the most recognisable sailing brands in the world together.
Before the two met, Elayna worked multiple jobs saving up for her plan to travel the world. Meanwhile, Riley worked in the mining industry at an offshore drilling rig for four years and saved up $100,000 to buy a boat.
After purchasing the original La Vagabonde, a monohull, Riley sailed to Greece, where he met Elayna, who was working as a guitar player at the time. Not long after, their romance blossomed and the two began traveling the world together.
How Sailing La Vagabonde Started
In 2014, the Sailing La Vagabonde YouTube channel was created. The idea sparked when Elayna found a camera lying around the boat and began filming adventures. At first, they made videos for friends and family back home. But the videos attracted more attention than expected.
The sailing duo created a Patreon page, which helped them purchase the second La Vagabonde, a catamaran worth £500,000 (around $634,000). This became their most recognized boat and helped them reach different countries and attract over 2 million subscribers.
Other Endeavors
Elayna and Riley have done one Pacific ocean crossing and four Atlantic ocean crossings. Among their travels is the iconic voyage across the North Atlantic with environmental activist Greta Thunberg.
This publicity stunt helped beef up their following on YouTube and Patreon. With this, they announced a plan to purchase a third sailboat.
In 2024, the family sailed it across the South China Sea, through Borneo, the Philippines, and on to Japan and Micronesia. In early 2026, the couple announced they are now selling the Rapido 60.
Net Worth and Earnings
The couple makes an estimated $167,000 in YouTube ad revenue annually. These earnings are based on over two million views every month. The fact they’ve built a loyal fanbase helps make them steady income from repeat views.
YouTube isn’t their primary income source, the couple rely mainly on Patreon. With over 3,800 Patreon fans, Elayna and Riley earn $2.27 million per year from the platform. They also have a merch store that pulls in a tidy sum and sells a $49 sailing guide.
Despite the hefty earnings, it is expensive to operate a sailboat! As a result, they do brand deals with select companies such as AkzoNobel and AG1. Athletic Greens (AG1) reportedly pays influencers $25 per month for the life of any customer they refer. This is why the globetrotters have a $2 million fortune. Though it is worth noting that operating a high-performance trimaran like the Rapido 60 comes with significant costs of its own.
SeaPeople: Their Sailing App
Beyond YouTube, Riley and Elayna co-founded SeaPeople, a social networking app built specifically for the global sailing community. Developed in partnership with Jean Michel, the former CTO of Shopify, the app allows sailors to share live locations, connect with nearby boaters, find crew, and access community-generated information about anchorages and ports. It has attracted tens of thousands of active users and is one of the most notable business ventures the couple have built outside of their channel.
Family Life
Perhaps one of the main reasons Carausu and Whitelum keep upgrading to a bigger boat is a growing family. They are raising two young boys, Lenny and Darwin, on the yacht. Nowadays, La Vagabonde are still sailing around the world after a spell in Australia. Riley and Elayna are not married and remain in a de facto relationship.
