Hinnerk Weiler: Life on a Long Voyage

Hinnerk Weiler: Life on a Long Voyage

Hinnerk Weiler (text and photos) sums it up after spending two and a half years sailing.

I spend the afternoon before going out to sea in Cuxhaven on the deck of the yacht. There is a high tide in front of the breakwater on the Elbe. Another four hours before the tide turns, four long hours before the start of the journey towards the Atlantic. I have my first voyage to the North Sea, across the strait English Channeland from there my great sailing adventure begins.

The bow of the yacht points west towards the German Bay, a scarlet spring sunset blazing on the horizon. Kugelback lighthouse at the mouth of the Elbe was left behind, and the adventure called "Long voyage"  starts at sea on a cold April night. A thermos of coffee and a couple of sandwiches are already prepared. I put on warm underwear, a snowsuit on top, and then waterproof storm clothing. It has not yet come midnight, in the darkness you can see the light of a lighthouse on Helgolande, and the thermometer is already only three degrees.

Hinnerk Weiler: Life on a Long Voyage

The breeze from the backstay ensures fast and comfortable sailing. But even at night life is in full swing here. Cargo ships, fishermen, warships - a lot of identification lights and glowing buoys. Even if I could, I would not sleep a wink. In my head, pictures of storms in the Atlantic Ocean, beaches with palm trees in the Caribbean islands and sheer cliffs in Canada on the shores of the Great Lakes swirl. Years ahead of me, behind me is the flat, sandy coast of northern Germany.

Sailing as an introduction to the world

For many, my journey may seem like an escape from the usual life. And this night, perhaps it really is: my office is now a chart table, my fitness center is a jib winch, and the list of meetings for the current year, which I usually write in my diary, now conveniently fits on just one piece of paper in the logbook ... However, I would not say that I am running away. This journey has become more like an introduction to a different way of life. Before that, there was preparation and planning. After all, if you go on a long journey just to leave behind the life that you led before, then sooner or later it will still catch up with you.

Life awaiting a man at sea is no easier than life on the shore. But not much more difficult: the decision to board and dive into the daily life of sailing will require the ability to solve problems when they arise. Parting with concepts such as "insurance" or "prudence" carries with it significant risks. How high it will be depends to a large extent on the conditions in which the journey begins and on the prior planning.

Given the vagaries of nature and sometimes technology, preparation is primarily a foundation for developing self-confidence. Life on board, perhaps like nowhere else, is based on the need to develop your abilities along the way and see possible solutions in situations when the trip threatens to become an unpleasant problem.

Technically, a long voyage is not much different from a weeklong vacation on a charter yacht: sailing, eating, sleeping and, of course, walking ashore. During the journey, ports, languages and landscapes change. The requirements for the crew members, if you choose the route deliberately, are also not very different. After all, most of the crossings are stages by sea in several days.

But from an emotional point of view, this is something completely different. Wandering is becoming a way of life, and here it is important to understand how much time you have to travel. A swim that takes several months can look like a long vacation that has a beginning and an end. At this time, you can live off the accumulated funds, and then return to work. If these are years, then "then" fades into the background, and the whole life is built on the principle of one moment - you live here and now. Instead of floating from point A to point B and returning back, in a long voyage there is only one direction - forward.

I have met crews who at first dreamed of traveling all their lives, and after six months of sailing, they changed their dream to "one more year and that's it." The reason for this was the feeling of aimless wandering around the planet in search of something new. Others, on the other hand, complained that thinking about the time when they would have to return from the voyage significantly spoiled their journey. Both cases are extremes, which make me hesitate from time to time.

Like when I was spending last winter in the Bahamas and enjoying the sweet life under the Caribbean sun. No matter how fabulous it was, and no matter how difficult it was for me to say goodbye to this paradise, nevertheless, I was glad that I had a route plan that put an end to idle wandering and "killing time", and which gives some life structuredness and determines the beginning and purpose of the journey. Or when the on-board cash register is not enough to make the necessary repairs, for example, as it is now, you feel fear for the future of such a vagrant lifestyle.

In both cases, it is clear that looking back is just as important as looking forward. After all, as in life on the shore, setbacks and insecurities are present in everyday life on a yacht. However, the knowledge that you have already managed to cope with difficulties in the past helps to direct your gaze to exciting and fascinating moments in beautiful bays and to events taking place on hitherto unknown shores.  Even the forced stop in Canada, caused by a motor breakdown and took several weeks, was one of the most interesting events that I have experienced over the past years.

Hinnerk Weiler: Life on a Long Voyage

Route planning

There are two classic options for sailing around the world:

Short version involves a clockwise movement in the North Atlantic, lasts about one year and is therefore ideal if you decide to take a break from work.

Who has several years of free time, usually goes on a tropical route to the Caribbean Islands and travels around the world. However, the popularity of these routes has led to some drawbacks. If a few decades ago Saint Lucia was the embodiment of travelers' dreams of freedom, now I increasingly meet captains who did not like it there. There are many opinions that have one thing in common: it is too expensive, too many people and too inhospitable.

Basically, these problems were created by the yachtsmen themselves. If earlier in the bays of island states there were, first of all, yachts of people interested in other countries and cultures, today they are more and more often vacationers on charter ships who stopped by for a short time. Locals, whose wages are less than a dollar per hour, are now in front of an armada of glittering yachts, on which crew members are sunbathing. It is not surprising that envy and ill will grow there.

Hinnerk Weiler: Life on a Long Voyage

Careless handling of money also does its part: the local labor market cannot compete and soon turns out to be hopeless, when just picking up the mooring lines, you can get a tip of $ 20. By “picking” travelers on yachts, you can get ten times more than a day's earnings from local workers. And a tip of two dollars is perceived as an insult, or at least as greed. Shore friction, theft and even attacks on yachts occur. The unfortunate consequence is that more and more crews are bypassing these locations and providing them to those who have created this dilemma and increased prices.

Travelers on a Budget are increasingly making a detour around these classic holiday destinations. Long sailing routes have been running away from the beaten and commercially developed routes for several years, more and more closer to the outskirts of the tropical route. Thanks to the modern equipment and reliability of the yachts, places in high latitudes have become the favorite places for sailing enthusiasts.

This also prompted me, when choosing a route, first of all, take into account my personal wishes, and not use popular routes. This is how a cruise between climatic zones from Greenland before Cape Horn and from Europe v Asia... The weather forecast is critical to determining when and where you want to be. The most simplistic rule: hurricane or typhoon season forces yachts to move north and south. In winter, they return closer to the equator.

Hinnerk Weiler: Life on a Long Voyage

In recent years, one aspect of route selection has become a particular problem: way out Australia across Indian Ocean and Gulf of aden in the direction Mediterranean Sea is no longer possible due to frequent pirate attacks in this region. Instead, there is only a longer way to travel around the world via Cape Town on South Of Africa... Increasingly, I read about crews who abandon this stage of the journey, ending up sailing in Australia or South-East Asiawhere they either sell the yacht or ship it to Mediterranean Sea.

Yacht selection

Piracy in these regions has inadvertently boosted the yacht trade. It is not uncommon to find ready-to-use yachts there at a bargain price. With a small budget, it is worth looking for a yacht around the world using the Internet. Inexpensive plane tickets allow you to start sailing in places that were the purpose of travel a few years ago.

Many yachts sailing around the world today they are refitted, which often causes problems that can be avoided by equipping the yacht with only what is needed. Sooner or later, almost everything on board breaks down. If you are accustomed to using it, then you will have to spend money on purchasing expensive spare parts or repairs.

A yacht that is optimally equipped for a long voyage does not have to be large and have every imaginable and unimaginable equipment on board.

Hinnerk Weiler: Life on a Long Voyage

On small yachts, of course, you have to be prepared for big compromises. For example, if you don't want to give up soft drinks, you will need a large battery to use the refrigerator while anchorages in remote locations. I met at Lake Ontario captain who has dreamed of visiting for many years Bahamas and finally decided to do it. He gave an entire bunk beside the gangway of his 29-foot steel yacht for the batteries needed for the freezer to be used while at anchor. A windmill was spinning aft, and on board were a map plotter, a computer, and a satellite receiver.

He still needs to work for two years to pay off all this, and then he can hit the road. His charging regulator just broke, and it is not known whether the used wind generator will survive until that time. If not, then it will take another year, and then another, and another. ... When I told him that I usually turn off the refrigerator when I am at anchor, he was just delighted.

A 30-foot yacht is usually sufficient for a crew of two. Yachts of this size can be safely driven alone, which is especially important for the safety of small crews. With a small budget, parts and maintenance costs are acceptable.

Livelihood

Before starting the trip, it was necessary to find the answer to one of the most important questions: how to pay for all this. People with the skills to perform various repair work, perhaps, and today have a good chance of finding a small job to fill the ticket office. However, it is much more difficult to find such a job today than it was a couple of decades ago. Especially in regions frequented by yacht travelers, there is a surplus of people who want to make money. And often, even on the most remote islands, there are many locals looking for work. If you work there illegally, then in almost every country there is a big risk of being fined a large sum, up to the confiscation of the yacht, expulsion from the country or arrest. In addition, an unpleasant situation arises when supposedly rich people who can afford to live on a yacht take away already meager jobs from local residents.

Selling your labor to other yacht travelers in one place or another is, of course, possible. For complex repairs, which you undertake to do completely yourself, you can safely take money. But when it comes to help, when the owner of the yacht does the job himself and he just needs a "third hand", this is another matter. Companionship and willingness to help is the foundation on which sailors' lives around the world are built. For many captains, this is just a shrine, and if you do not give a helping hand at the right time, then very soon you will be left alone with your problems.

Many crews, like me, try to fund their travels by writing travel articles. The market for such services is quite limited, and the number of captains writing and photographing is constantly growing. Anyone who speaks several languages can work internationally. However, due to this, it is not possible to solve all financial issues when you have to face an unforeseen situation. Contacts need to be established even before the start of the trip. A sense of style and a confident command of the language, as well as a certain editing experience, are indispensable if you plan to make articles not only for pocket money. First of all, it is important not to overestimate your capabilities. There is no point in promising a local newspaper at home that you will send daily yacht photos via satellite if the operation itself costs more than the photo is ultimately worth.

Hinnerk Weiler: Life on a Long Voyage

The classic source of income for yachtsmen is still yacht ferrying. Most of these sailings take place under time pressure and when the owners do not want to navigate the yacht themselves through certain regions. This implies, of course, that at the right time it is necessary to be where there is a need to overtake the yacht, and somewhat adjust your own journey. Of course, such orders can be found everywhere in the world using the Internet and everything can be agreed upon, but a long flight time significantly reduces profits.

Another common way to top up an airline ticket office is by bed charter. Whoever decides to make money in this way must understand that he provides a service and will have to give up his passions to please the wishes of the guests who pay for the stay on the yacht.

I have learned from my own experience both "sides of the coin": captains who love this kind of work and enjoy it, and those who hate it, but have to do it. In my opinion, the work of a hotel director and your individual preferences can be best combined when sailing is divided into charter and private stages.

The team I met in the Bahamas has been traveling happily in the northern Caribbean for six years now: six months with guests, and the other six months sailing for pleasure.

Of course, the yacht must be suitable for charter. This means that already when choosing a yacht, you need to think about additional cabins for guests, sufficient fresh water for a shower, a spacious refrigerator, etc. If everything is in order with the yacht and a suitable region is chosen, then a berth charter will probably be the most profitable source of income along the way.

Since customers are usually found in their home countries, it is advisable to have someone there who would be a contact person for potential guests, who would be involved in organizing flights and reservations or active advertising. Last but not least, legal issues must also be resolved before advertising your charter services in Germany and making your offer on the Internet available to the tax office. Even if you register your company with all the necessary formalities, this issue will not be resolved. German-flagged yachts used for commercial purposes by the skipper must also comply with the equipment directives set forth by the transport union.

Hinnerk Weiler: Life on a Long Voyage

As the Internet expands, notebook computers become more powerful, and WLAN coverage improves, so does the ability to work on the go. Many parking areas and almost every marina offer Internet access, often free. While sailing, along with the owners of online stores, I met many artists, writers and programmers. They often organize their projects entirely on board; travel also contributes to the creation of an international clientele. There are no limits to creativity: Anyone willing to compromise on route planning and sailing primarily in countries with strong digital infrastructures can do almost any job on board that they would do at home.

Estimate: expenses

The easiest way, of course, is if you received an inheritance or won the lottery. But if your budget is tight, it's important not to try to cover everything at once. It makes no sense to accurately plan the route and the required amount of money four years before sailing. But on both counts, it is important to have a general idea.

Instead of thinking about an unrealistically large amount, I have divided the funding process into several stages and concentrate on securing funds for the next few months.

The main idea: “Let's see where I’m going first” sounds, probably, audacious and for a European accustomed to guarantees and insurance, at first glance it may seem reckless. However, on a small budget, this is the best way to start your journey altogether and secure the first few months of sailing.

Once the mooring lines are stowed away, life on board forces you to adopt a new way of thinking. Requirements change, even more so. With this approach, it is imperative to provide for a small reserve in order to have the funds to return from the trip and get back on your feet. In addition, in an emergency, the reserve should provide the ability to buy a plane ticket from any remote corner planned in the itinerary.

You should not be guided by statements such as: "A thousand euros is enough." Requests, regions and yachts are too different.

When calculating variable costs, three factors matter to me: food, yacht and pleasure. Their importance depends entirely on the region concerned, the yacht and the person.

Those who set sail on a brand new yacht, if necessary, it will take time to carry out repairs rather than money, because many defects can be eliminated thanks to warranty service, but it will take some time not to deliver the parts.

Captains who cannot walk past an ice cream stand without buying an ice cream in a waffle cup will need a larger amount for pleasure, and those who have enough rice, potatoes and vegetables will save a lot in the supermarket. Much more important is where you are going.

At the end of my winter vacation in the Bahamas, I spent significantly less money than in the first weeks. I had to learn to bypass marinas and give up some of the things in the supermarket that were quite familiar before. For example, here you can also buy a can of Nutella chocolate spread for breakfast. But it costs ten dollars.

It would be wrong to think that if at home you decide to give up many familiar things while swimming, you will succeed right away. If this gap in needs is too large, then limiting your needs can lead to frustration. It takes time to change your habits. To begin with on a yacht, it is recommended to roughly focus on the amount of money that you use at home, and then gradually reduce it.

It took me one year to change my attitude towards shopping. However, even now there are breakdowns, after which you have to save on something else when you have to compare the bill for delivering pizza and canned food in the galley. I spend much more in cities than in remote places.

The region and the company have the greatest impact on financial needs: if you have friends on board, money goes away faster during a sortie. If there is only one free boat dock right next to the bar in a parking lot, such as in Nassau, then most likely you will meet other sailors there for a beer. And in an abandoned bay, you can start a fire on the beach, and everyone will bring their own drinks.

Almost three years later

Finding the right balance in all of these things will determine whether life under sail, even on a small yacht and with a small amount of money, means freedom or limitation for you. The answer to this question is easiest to find after spending some time at sea. But for this, in any case, you need to take the first step: mark in the ebb and flow calendar the day when the ebb current comes, which will carry your yacht out to sea, and do not postpone this date. The list of things to do will never end, but as one saying goes, sailing is an opportunity to repair your yacht in the most beautiful corners of the world.

Small budget

"Ports are to blame for everything"One American captain once told me. Few things can hit your pocket as hard as they do in port. On the German coast of the North and Baltic Seas, the normal parking fee is one euro per meter, while on the east coast of the United States, for example, this price is already about two dollars - and that's one foot!

In Europe, my monthly “mandatory” budget of thousands of euros was enough for me to alternate port stops, occasional anchorages at sea and long sailing stages.

This all changed in the US: my monthly budget is for a maximum of four nights in normal marinas. The rest of the time you have to stay at anchor. In protected areas, these four days are enough to make an unexpected stop and, above all, large purchases.

The second major expense item is food: about 250 euros a month remain in American supermarkets.

Over time, an approximate cost pattern emerged (2012):

• 140 EUR parking fee
• 250 euro food
• 100 euro diesel, oil, small parts for the yacht
• 100 euro bars, communication
• 25 euro clothes
• 400 euros of insurance, running costs at home

If the budget is not fully spent, then the money is set aside for the time when it will not be enough. And this happens especially when it is necessary to carry out major repairs.

Free money also remains when you spend a long time at sea. Even so, running costs remain, and you need to purchase food in advance or replenish stocks after a lengthy transition.

16.03.2012