Baltic Sailing Retrospective

Vielen Dank für eure Glückwünsche. Thank you for your kind comments here and on Telegram ❤️

For me the main goal of this trip is now achieved. I have travelled from Germany to Sweden. 116 nautical miles (215 km) in 3 sailing days, exactly as planned. The rest is details.

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Still I am a bit confused because I have two completely different impressions of this accomplished task:

1. From a rational perspective, and in advance, it seemed unbelievable. Acquiring a used boat and sailing it long distance as a beginner in late autumn is a task that I would not recommend to a friend.

It is literally exceptional for an experienced sailor. Most refused to join me when I asked them. Along the way I met exactly one other sailing yacht.

For a beginner it seems just stupid to attempt.

2. From an emotional perspective it felt a little exciting in advance but completely normal in each and every moment. It felt just right.

The main challenge to me was the innovation (so many new things to learn and skills to train) but neither the nature nor magnitude of this project. Many other people have sailed much longer and much more extreme tours.

Well, I added the other challenge of converting Maru into a green hybrid boat (powered by wind + electricity). I replaced the proven Yamaha engine with a relatively new company’s new product: an electric outboard engine, together with 100 kg of batteries. I installed the final missing cables just in the night before I started to sail. Now I am so happy that I converted it: all went well. No noise, no fumes, no petrol fingers after refilling. Cruising with help of the silent engine almost all day (on Wednesday) was a pure pleasure.

Before the trip I expected (not only hoped) the best.

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Risk management intermezzo – please stop me when I go too deep here:

For various reasons I prepared for the worst (testament, life vest, dry suite, satellite messenger, published plan, real-time tracking and supporting sailor Michael…). In risk-management terms I accepted the residual risk [Restrisiko].

What was the remaining worst event that could happen? In the unlikely event of falling off board I would float in the Baltic Sea, sending SOS via satellite messenger (always worn on my body) waiting for rescue (quite likely) before I die of hypothermia [Unterkühlung] (unlikely multiplied by unlikely).

The wooden catamaran with no ballast in the keel is practically unsinkable. In case of major damage (like a hull breach) to the boat (unlikely), I would still float on board and have days of time for survival before rescue.

(Risk Management over)

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With the acceptance of residual risk, my mind and my heart could focus on the sailing task. 

Nach intensiver Analyse und Anwendung vieler Gegenmaßnahmen konnte ich das Restrisiko gut akzeptieren. Und mit dieser Akzeptanz konnten sich mein Herz und mein Verstand unbeschwert auf die eigentliche Aufgabe konzentrieren: das Segeln.

Ängste dürfen an Land bleiben.

Dann kommt alles in Fluss. Die Performance steigt und natürlich auch der Genuss.

Still I have a lot of respect for the craft of sailing. Being a beginner I don’t want to fall for the Dunning–Kruger effect, also known as “standing on Mount Stupid”. Certainly I did a lot to prepare myself. Yet I could have been lucky. I am not an experienced sailor now. Let’s keep that in mind when we go on a sailing trip together.

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I am so grateful for all the lovely people that I met during the past weeks and who supported me. My journey would have been different, most likely harder, without our support!

Credits go to mainly to:

Josef and Jojo vom Walchensee: thank you (besides all the other stories) for your initial sailing lessons. Josef, as always: it is great to see how well you manage gear and situations. Das legt die Messlatte hoch und motiviert mich immer wieder, in ausgewählten Bereichen ähnliche Kunstfertigkeit zu erreichen.

Volker the sailor from Baden-Württenberg: thank you for taking me with you on this heart-opening day trip!

Hans, the owner of Dotterbart. You did not sell me your boat in the water. That triggered a lot of thinking and increased my respect for the sea at winter time.

Rolf, the previous owner of Maru. Du hast Dir unendlich viel Zeit für Erklärungen genommen, nicht nur zu Maru speziell sondern zum Segeln und zur Ostsee ganz allgemein. Danke dass Du mir die großartige Maru überlässt.

Robby, Segellehrer und coole Socke. Die Segelstunden mit Dir zeigten mir wie lässig man (Du) auch in kitzligen Situation mit dem Boot umgehen kann, dass ein Segelboot manchmal ein Windsurfer ist, und dass ich das alleine machen soll.

Stephan Redecker, sailor and crew member at a boat shop. All your advice and research helped me to select the best equipment possible – most importantly the electric conversion.

Thorsten, Segler und Anwohner in Großenbroder Fähre. Danke für die guten Gespräche, Tipps und für das Werkzeug.

Angelika und Klaus aus Großenbroder Fähre: Vielen Dank für eure lieben Einladungen und für die Reflektionen über das Segeln und das Leben. Das waren sehr wohltuende Stunden für mich im kühlen Hafen.

Klaus Christian aus Großenbroder Fähre: danke auch für Deine Ratschläge.

Roland mit Django aus Großenbroder Fähre: vielen Dank für eure Gesellschaft beim Spazieren mit Kira und für die anregenden Gespräche. Alles half um mich zu sortieren.

Edith Dobert, Segelschule Fehmarn: thank you for planning the initial tour. Only due to bad weather and a technical defect (Yahama) we could not execute it. Your checklists were helpful for my solo tour.

Matthias aus L: danke für Deinen Besuch und für die stets tiefgehenden Diskussionen. Sie justieren auch meinen moralischen Kompass immer wieder nach.

Fabian aus der Schweiz: thank you for your skipper advice, specifically about this part of the Baltic sea.

Michael Held, crew member at the electric engine’s manufacturer, for identifying and solving the missing parts in the electric conversion.

Michael, Matze und Christoph von der Sym: danke für eure unendliche Flexibilität für meine seltsamen Zeitfenster und Kommunikationskanäle.

Michael Freitag von remote: thank you for all the generic and specific advice, coming from your life long sailing experience, and thank you for the real-time tracking support. Also your happy attitude to life is always inspiring to me.

Various people in various stores (Germany) for tolerating me not wearing a mask during my visits. I won’t mention names so they don’t get their asses kicked by bosses or authorities.

All you readers and commenters here and on Telegram. Your feedback is one of my driving forces. Also it helps me balancing between reality and illusions.

Besonders Katerina aus Lenggries. Vielen Dank für Deine moralische und praktische Unterstützung jederzeit, und für den sicheren Hafen für Kira!

Also many other kind people. If I forgot to mention someone then my memory is to blame.

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I wish you all a good night now. Tomorrow I will continue sailing East, either to Ystad or Kåseberga or Simrishamn – depending on the average speed and progress.