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McGyver Mode Activated: Life on the Water, One Fix at a Time

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Life aboard a sailboat has a funny way of flipping the script. One moment you’re sipping coffee while dolphins dance alongside your bow, and the next you’re elbow-deep in the guts of your Autopilot, channeling your inner McGyver. When you live on a boat, it’s never a question of if something will break. It’s when. This time, it was the Autohelm 2000 throwing a fit—again. I’d already shared in the last episode how it failed us mid-sail, and… Read More »McGyver Mode Activated: Life on the Water, One Fix at a Time

Anchored in Costa Brava: The Last Days of Summer

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Anchored in Costa Brava, Spain, we soaked in what felt like the final days of summer. It was mid-November when we recorded this video, having just left Port Saint Louis du Rhône, escaping the heavy winds that were now approaching our side of the Bay of Lyon. We hurried to sail further southwest, eventually finding a beautiful little bay—calm, secluded, and the perfect spot to stay for a few days. The water was crystal clear… Read More »Anchored in Costa Brava: The Last Days of Summer

A Rough Start: Of course, it didn’t go as planned

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Isn’t it always a brilliant idea to kick off your first departure in months with an overnight passage? As I mentioned in my last article, I was eager to leave the Camargue and the Mistral region as quickly as possible. Getting stuck there for weeks—or worse, facing brutal weather—wasn’t exactly part of my plan. We set off in light winds, which soon faded to nothing, leaving us drifting. And then, just before sunset, the wind… Read More »A Rough Start: Of course, it didn’t go as planned

Leaving Bouches du Rhône: The Calm Before the Storm

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There are two types of wind in Bouches du Rhône: none or too much. The week I spent working on Santana in Port St. Louis du Rhône in early November 2024 was the former—no wind at all. The days were sunny, warm, and felt like a wonderful late summer. Simply perfect weather to get everything ready. It was the calm before the storms that would soon roll through. Memories of Stagnation in the South of… Read More »Leaving Bouches du Rhône: The Calm Before the Storm

Turning the Ocean into Drinking Water

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Here we go—still on the hard in Port Saint Louis du Rhône. Just in time, the package from Germany arrived with the watermaker, a reverse osmosis desalinator. This is my first project with Nike, and I want to have it installed before we splash so we can produce our own drinking water whenever we need it. Choosing the Right Watermaker Over the years, I did quite a bit of research and explored the available options.… Read More »Turning the Ocean into Drinking Water

A New Season of Untie The Lines Begins

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Hey there, The new season of Untie The Lines just started last week, and I couldn’t be happier that Nike captured so much of our journey. Watching these episodes brings back countless memories—some vivid, others I had almost forgotten. It’s fascinating how many moments slip through the cracks when you’re constantly taking in new experiences. Preparing Santana for the Journey Back in November, we kicked off our journey in Port Saint Louis du Rhône, where… Read More »A New Season of Untie The Lines Begins

A Year of Sailing Adventures: Season Finale of Untie The Lines Season 7

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The season finale of Untie The Lines Season 7 went live last weekend, and I finally caught up to Nike with my posts. What a ride this past year has been! A year ago, Nike and I casually discussed the idea of sailing together and perhaps shooting one or two videos for her channel. I liked that idea; I’ve always enjoyed storytelling and occasionally filmed my own adventures, but I usually struggled to shape the raw… Read More »A Year of Sailing Adventures: Season Finale of Untie The Lines Season 7

Magic Place In The Sea Of Cortez

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And here we go again! Video number three is here, and I’m thrilled to be almost aligned with Nike’s release schedule. In real time, we’re anchored at a tiny island north of Formentera, waiting for the wind to shift. Tomorrow—Tuesday—we plan to set sail toward the African continent. For ease with customs, our destination is Melilla, one of two EU cities on African soil. That said, we’re taking it easy. If the wind, the waves,… Read More »Magic Place In The Sea Of Cortez

Village At The End Of The World

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Hey My Friend, Here we go with video number two this week! I think Ennio Morricone has written the perfect theme song for this deserted fishing village at the southernmost tip of Baja California. The eerie, foggy weather that greeted us after successfully crossing the Sea of Cortez created an unforgettable, cinematic atmosphere for this strange and fascinating place. A Beach Like No Other The beach here was a special place—strewn with hundreds, if not… Read More »Village At The End Of The World

3 Nights At Sea

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Hey My Friend, This week is all about videos! During our time sailing in Mexico, Nike captured a lot of great footage. I’ve been enjoying watching these videos as she releases them, and I’m excited to share the episodes that feature both of us. I’ve fallen a bit behind, so I’ll be catching up this week. Real-Time Update: Ibiza As for the present, we’re currently in Ibiza, staying in the Marina at Santa Eulalia until… Read More »3 Nights At Sea

Comfort, Speed, and Discovery

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As we hopped from bay to bay along the Mexican Pacific Coast, comfort and speed were our top priorities. We were on a tight schedule, aiming to reach a specific marina halfway up the Sea of Cortez before hurricane season kicked in and Karl is not really the fastest of his kind. Work commitments added another layer of urgency, so we carefully planned around calm weather windows. When necessary, we fired up the engine to… Read More »Comfort, Speed, and Discovery

Who is this guy? UTL Introduction

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Hey there,Wow, do you ever have those moments when time just seems to disappear? On one hand, I’m wondering where the last few weeks (even months) have gone. On the other hand, I know they’ve been packed full of activity. Right now, I’m somewhere near Lübeck in northern Germany, juggling office work and preparing for my return to the south of France by the end of the month. It’s time to dive into some boat… Read More »Who is this guy? UTL Introduction

2nd September 2024 – Untie The Lines crossing the Tehuantepec Bay

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An Exciting Episode of “Untie The Lines” Hello my friend,I’m thrilled to share this episode of Nike’s “Untie The Lines” YouTube documentary with you! Do you remember when I visited her in Mexico earlier this year? It feels like ages ago, but those were some unforgettable days of sailing. I already posted the first episode of Season 7 a while back, where Nike was deep into prep work, including her plastic project, In-Motion. Episode 8… Read More »2nd September 2024 – Untie The Lines crossing the Tehuantepec Bay

11th July 2024 – untie the lines, season 7

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Hey there! 🌊I hope you’ve been soaking up some summer vibes and sunshine! Here on Elba, it’s been a busy mix of weather. Last weekend, we had a foggy, drizzly Sunday – more like a fuzzy Hamburg rain in fall than a typical summer shower.I made the most of it by staying below deck to work on my chainplates. I think I found a good solution and took a few photos that I’ll share with… Read More »11th July 2024 – untie the lines, season 7

6th April 2024 – changed plans

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Hey there,today I am sending you another video, and this time with a description of my issues on board Santana. I think you can’t view the video in the email; you’ll have to open the app or the website.While writing this message, I am sitting at the airport in Frankfurt and waiting for my flight to Montreal, Canada, which is a short stopover on my way to Mexico City and tomorrow to Acapulco.I decided to… Read More »6th April 2024 – changed plans

patreon update – 1st december 2023

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patreon update – 8th November 2023

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Big waves crashing on Port de Bandol

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Hello, wonderful people, I recorded this video about two weeks ago in mid-October when the last storm was sweeping by. I’ve put together a simple compilation to give you an idea. In Provence, we often experience strong winds, but the primary wind direction is from West to East, occasionally shifting the opposite way. Normally, there are no significant waves hitting the shore. However, in the past two weeks, it has already happened twice that during… Read More »Big waves crashing on Port de Bandol

sunset in levanto & logbook 20191216

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Hey, I hope you’re doing well and that the end of the year isn’t too stressful for you. I wanted to take a moment to share a beautiful sunset from Levanto, where we spent some wonderful days with new friends. I’ve just returned from Elba, and let me tell you—I made it there just in time. You can read the full story in my Patreon-only blog here: Simplicity of Happiness Logbook #20191216. To give you a quick rundown, I… Read More »sunset in levanto & logbook 20191216

patreon update – 18th may 2019

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Hey there, It’s been a while since my last update, and things have been quite busy. Busy in the sense that I’ve managed to get a lot done, but also busy dealing with relentless winds and constant waves that kept the boat rocking. Whenever the sun decided to show up, I took the chance to get some office work done, though I had to retreat to a coffee shop most days. Even recording this little… Read More »patreon update – 18th may 2019

patreon update – september 25th 2018

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While my boat patiently waits up in the North/East, I recently spent a week in Corsica, exploring whether it could be the perfect place to spend next summer. Spoiler alert: it absolutely is. Corsica is even more beautiful than I imagined, and contrary to my online research, I discovered plenty of wind-protected bays with excellent anchorage grounds. Now, the challenge is getting my boat there. I’m still unsure if it will sail without some modifications,… Read More »patreon update – september 25th 2018