Aaron Vinod John: Hello, I'm Aaron Vinod John, ( aka Captain of SV Trashman). I'm 16 years old, born in India, raised in Kuwait from when I was two and a half years old to fourteen years old. Now I live in New Zealand—and I just happen to be the world’s youngest Indian to live and sail full-time!

I started small—really small. Very humble beginnings. I used to sit by the docks every day, just watching boats. One day I got too frustrated with just watching, so I grabbed a wooden pallet and a broken stick and paddled into the harbour. The police yelled at me to come back because I wasn’t wearing a lifejacket—and they said they couldn't swim.

Someone posted what I did online. That post changed everything.

A kind lady from an insurance company saw it and reached out to help. She donated a kayak to me. A marine chandellery then jumped in to donate me the paddles and other gears. And even a stranger paid for my lifejacket. It became a community effort!

After school, I was on the water every day—even when the weather was grey. I'd lay back on my kayak, smiling at the sky, dreaming about living on a sailboat.

That dream finally came true. My dad bought me a Farr Platu 25, a high-performance racing sailboat. I won the auction at 12 midnight. On March 8, 2025, I officially became the proud owner—and moved in full-time. I quit regular school and started studying through correspondence.

Now I'm a sailor. World's youngest Indian to live on a sailboat and sail full time actually! And I want to inspire others to chase freedom. Just get out there and actually do something passionate. Even when everyone thinks you are mad. Because at the end of the day, you don't have any regrets, unlike others.

Enough of my yapping, fair winds!

Capt. Aaron Vinod John
SV TRASHMAN