My name is Leo. I was born in Hamburg in 2003. Rooted in the North of Germany I live in Lübeck now and onboard ever since I am 10 years old.
Now, more than ten years later I want to fulfill my dream of cruise sailing. Loosening the mooring lines, leaving my home port. For the next years, I want to travel the world and its oceans. I want to meet interesting people and make meaningful connections. I am ready to set sail, stowed with provisions and spare parts — and dreams of distant cultures and unspoiled nature. Adventure awaits…
Sindbad and me
The first time I sailed was in 2011. On board of Sindbad my family and me sailed out into the Bay of Lübeck. In the following years we sailed to the South Funen Archipelago and all along the coast of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
In 2013 my parents bought a second boat. It was a fishing vessel from 1958 with a modern sail rig. We converted the ship’s inside into a cozy family home in just six months. From January 2014 we lived onboard of Krista Rud. Every chance we got, we embarked on wonderful sailing trips with Krista, such as to many Danish coasts and bays, to Sweden and Bornholm… My sailing skills greatly improved by all the experience. However, Sindbad was moved less and less. The condition of the sailing yacht suffered from it.
But not for long! As soon as I turned 16 in 2019 I acquired the necessary license to drive pleasure crafts in inland and coastal waters. I received it the day after my birthday and passed the SRC (Short-Range Certificate) just a few weeks later. What a gift of freedom this was!
In the following years, Sindbad became my home. Bit by bit, I poured love and labour into the old lady, to get her back in shape. I sailed her across the Baltic Sea. Sindbad brought lots of work, but also plenty of incredible experiences into my life. Tending to this boat has become my life’s focus. Next to school, jobs, and friends, I spent every second of my time working or sailing on Sindbad.
Preparing Sindbad for a Circumnavigation
The ship’s careful preparation lasted several years. With plenty of help and advice from friends and supporters, I was able to do most of the work on my own. So much that I’ve learned!
However, preparing Sindbad wasn’t only a time-, but also a money-consuming endeavour. So far, I’ve put more than €60,000 into repairs, equipment, safety gear, and spare parts — all from my savings.
To make this possible, I started working when I was 12 years old. I kept multiple jobs throughout school (and after), and lived a simple life. Now it is time to reap these efforts…
Unfortunately, a boat is a constant work in progress, and many more expenses pop up along the way. Some months you spend hundreds, some other months you spend… even more. In my understanding, these aren’t investments into my boat as “a thing”, but investments into the experiences and memories I’m enabled to make through it. And the wonderful memories keep coming…
My Qualifications
With tens of thousands of nautical miles sailed on over a hundred different vessels, I have had a broad and deeply rooted maritime training — from tall ships to modern sailing yachts, tugs, inland vessels, steamships, dinghies, traditional sailing ships, container vessels, and more.
I have learned and served in every area on board: vessel command, navigation (both traditional and electronic), engineering, manual chores and duties, etc. Next to journeys with an extended crew, I have completed numerous single-handed passages.
Whether in sheltered coastal waters or on the open ocean, I combine hands-on seamanship with solid qualifications (SBF See & Binnen (pleasure craft license), SRC (radio certificate), Basic Safety, Security Related Training, etc.). I aim to guide crew and vessel safely, competently, and with a contagious sense of joy — making the journey itself as rewarding as the destination.