My first destination is the far north. I want to go up into the North Atlantic, to the Shetland Islands, the Faroe Islands and then possibly as far as Iceland.
For the passage into the North Sea there are three options. The Kiel Canal can be chosen as the shortest route from Kiel to Brunsbüttel. This route is characterised by locks and motor navigation. Alternatively, you can sail around Skagen in the north. We would like to take the third option and sail through the natural Limfjord in the north of Jutland from Hals to Thyboron into the North Sea and enjoy the fantastic views of the natural fjord basin.
First, we will be heading for Hals, the eastern gateway to the Limfjord. Now we must not lose too much time in order to reach the icy north in late summer. The north-westerly wind pushes us onto an upwind course towards Øresund. With light winds of around force two, the log slowly but steadily counts down our miles. The first night we passed the Kadet channel and set course for Møns Klint.
Nights and Days at Sea
It’s easy to sail through such familiar waters and the atmosphere is fantastic. With beautiful sunsets and countless stars in the firmament, we regularly indulge in culinary delights. On the second day of the voyage, we get a fantastic view of the chalk cliffs of Møn, which briefly hold us in their wind shadow. In the evening we are free and continue northwards.
Tonight we see the first northern lights. It is a fascinating sight! We cross northwards into the busy sound and are guided early by the flood of lights from Copenhagen. We make a stopover in Dragør and say goodbye to Emil, who is unfortunately already on his way home. A few minutes later we are back outside and continue northwards in the Øresund. Just don’t waste any time in the familiar waters, as we could miss out on the fascinating North Atlantic later on. And this is an area that is best not sailed in winter.
So the order for the night in Øresund is: Concentrated cruising to make the most of every shift in the wind and to have a good feel for the currents. And so, on my last night watch, we pass Helsingør and jet out into the Kattegat with the following current at fantastic speed.
New Crew!
In the morning we moor in Gilleleje. Noemi will come on board here today and we can take on some fresh supplies and do some final work. I walk over to the large shipyard area. It’s Sunday and some workers are still busy welding in one of the halls. I have a chat with a welder from Latvia and he quickly offers to help me with Sinbad. I am absolutely thrilled by his spontaneous and selfless willingness to help. There are three smaller projects and a short time later everything is done.
Shortly after Noemi’s arrival, we are able to set sail at the same evening and head for Hals with a very light, clockwise turning north wind on a starboard tack. It was going to be an exhausting night, we were barely making speed and there was a lot of traffic. We have to call a few ships to request a sufficient passing distance. Nevertheless, our motivated sailing is rewarded and the next evening we reach the eastern entrance to the Limfjord in the fairway at night.
We have arrived at the Faroe Islands, for now the most northern point of the voyage. How Sindbad safely sailed us to this beautiful location and what we experienced on the way, can be found in the following posts. For now we start from the very beginning, the shipyard 2024 and the last preparations during spring and summer of this year.
Marie is a very important support and companion, even during the shipyard phase. In addition to her manual skills, she also helped me with her eloquence so that this short joint report could be produced. Thank you very much!
Marie:
It was a warm summer’s day in June when I was parked in my car at shed 6 in Lübeck and tried to reach Leo on the phone. We didn’t know each other, but I was supposed to transport stuff – parcels and the like – from Lübeck to Rodby. No problem. When he finally answered, the soft voice, which kept breaking off, told me where in the harbour I could get the key. No sooner said than done. With several hands full of boat stuff, I travelled on to Puttgarden, where Leo met me on the ferry. Knowing that neither of us actually had any money, I bought us far too expensive ferry tickets. Once on the ferry, I tried to find out who the person was that I was going sailing with for a few weeks. It took a while, but I soon realised that he had trained as a nautical officer’s assistant, that Sindbad’s engine wasn’t running at the moment and that I already knew his old home, the Krista Rud, from a YouTube video. I quickly realised that Leo is crazy about the sea and sailing. How nice, another one like that! When we arrived very late in the evening, Jakob – another potential co-sailor – was already waiting for us with the Indian cargo bike to pick us up. ‘Dinner would be ready.’ – The first of many times I heard this lovely sentence the following weekend. We ate the lentil stew and talked for a long time.
Unfortunately, Leo meant business the next morning when he announced the night before that he would be getting up at half past six. What the hell? A few minutes later, I got up from my more or less cosy bed on the floor of the container we were sleeping in. The list of things to do was long – a book long, to be precise. While Jakob slept for a while until I woke him up by hammering on Sinbad’s hull, Leo took care of the newly built masts and I repaired the rubbing strake. After breakfast, Jakob was given the honourable task of sanding the masts and spars by hand – a task that visibly brought him pure fulfilment. At very short and regular intervals, I was interrupted in my work by a hungry Leo. The project seemed to drain him of all his energy reserves and so I ate more that weekend than I usually do.
Leo:
In addition to the masts and spars, there were many other things on the long list. The bow section was extensively overhauled. In addition to a new seaworthy brace to support the jib boom, a new stainless steel fresh water tank was built. The new chain locker was built. Various wood and GRP repairs were carried out, both above and below deck, and of course they all needed to be sanded and painted. When the end was almost in sight, the old Perkins engine still wasn’t making a sound. A new one was needed. Finally, the blue Nanni engine arrived at the shipyard shiny and fresh. I was called straight in, everyone knew how much I was waiting for this engine. In joyful euphoria, I marvelled at the fresh parts and internalised the exact structure of the engine. In addition to the exploded drawings, I visualised all the maintenance work in my head. The engine has a great layout, so the necessary attachments will be easily accessible on Sindbad. I was so excited to put this power station into operation.
But unfortunately it wasn’t that easy. As part of the engine replacement, a new gearbox and shaft also had to be installed, and the exhaust and seawater system overhauled. The complete renewal of the rig and the addition of a superwind generator and a radar entailed some welding work. Everything had to be able to withstand all weathers and provide safe service in the long term. Fortunately, I had an experienced metalworker at my side who was very supportive with materials and marvellous welds. No matter how many jobs followed, wind generator bracket, radar bracket, stern fitting, compressor lines, life raft bracket, pulpit, luffing fittings, new mast ring fittings, engine foundation, exhaust manifold, and on and on, Jesper was always there with a steady hand and full of confidence. Like so many others, he made such an essential contribution to the success of this project. I am deeply grateful for that.
Marie:
A new propeller arrived shortly before the end. After craning and the first trip, the old propeller turned out to be too small for the new engine. With new hoses, a new water tank and a chain box with a meat grinder adapter, we were almost ready to go. However, the Lollander newspaper got wind of Leo’s plans and published several articles about the upcoming trip. There were also bills to be paid and friends and family to say goodbye to. At his farewell party in August, it slowly became clearer to everyone how close Leo’s departure was. However, it took a while to say goodbye because the new propeller could only be installed in Lübeck. Instead, Sindbad was able to undergo its first test run from Rodbyhavn to Lübeck. There was also enough time to design and print enough crew clothing. By now, people wearing Sindbad T-shirts could be seen far and wide. Nevertheless – the farewell came at some point and it wasn’t easy at all.
Leo:
What does it feel like to say goodbye? I wasn’t sure and hadn’t given much thought during the work phase to what it meant to leave my family, my closest friends and the places I knew so well behind me. I’ll be fine, I’m at home within my familiar walls. But finally – it made its way during the last spontaneous shipyard time in Herrenwyk – the pent-up emotions came out. It was time to say goodbye to my father. René accompanied me closely during the last intensive months and supported me in every phase of my work. Together, we have mastered seemingly endless projects and endured intense, stressful phases. Now I am staying on board the Sindbad alone and he is going his own way. How will I deal with this? From now on, I will be in contact by phone and probably only irregularly. That really took its toll on me and the realisation of saying goodbye to everyone close to me for several years was slowly coming.
First of all, I’m going to take one last break at the weekend and visit Marie. Then it gets serious. The last week is coming up. It starts with a small list of tasks and grows daily with new challenges. The days are full to bursting, I jet off in the car from the dealer to the workshop, to the boatyard and to my parents. The boat needs to be finally provisioned and stowed. An act that should take many more weeks. Packing a boat efficiently requires patience and calm. I also want to take some time to enjoy my home and being with my family.
Finally, reality is approaching: once the refrigeration technician has been on board, we’ll set off. The planned start is Wednesday evening, but it ends up being Thursday. But as long as we don’t leave on Friday, that’s all right. Because setting off on a Friday for a big trip is bad luck, so they say. So Thursday is the day, 1654 at the pier in Travemünde’s fishing harbour. The engine is warmed up and the lines are cast off. Five minutes later, we are calmly bobbing towards the Nordermole under full sail. Emil and Mika are on board with me, fantastic support, so we should probably cover a few miles. A small farewell committee is waiting at the Nordermole, the foghorn greets us one last time and Travemünde disappears gradually.
I’m on my way, off to travel the world, many years under sail, on my beloved Sindbad with very little space. It will take a few more quiet nights until I have fully arrived in this world.
The adventure of sailing around the world is coming closer and the final preparations are underway. Before heading out on the open seas this summer, we take a look at the exciting plans and necessary equipment that still need to be put in place. From technical upgrades to essential work on board, here are the final milestones that await us as we prepare for this long-planned voyage. Join me for these final milestones and immerse yourself in the anticipation of the great sailing adventure.
Rig
Equipment:
Main mast, including fittings
Mizzen mast, including fittings
bowsprit, including fittings
Main boom, including fittings
Mizzen boom, including fittings
Standing rigging: Main mast: 3 fore stays, bowsprit stay, connecting stay, 2 back stays (incl. insulated stay length for MF/HF antenna), 6 shrouds; Mizzen mast: 8 shrouds
Running rigging (three-string spleitex): Main mast: 5 halyards (incl. working halyard), boomirk Mizzen mast: 2 halyards (incl. working halyard), boomirk, extended connecting stay
Wind generator
X-band radar
2 deck spotlights
Anchor light, tricolor lantern, side lights and top light
Sheet winches in the cockpit (2x self-hauling Andersen two-gear winches, 2x small one-gear winches)
2 spinak booms
Upcoming work:
Building and preserving the main mast
Building and preserving the mizzen mast
Building and preserving the main boom
Making shrouds
Replace lamp box
Design and install wind generator fitting
Design and install radar fitting
Lay cables in the mast
Rig mast
Engine
Equipment:
Perkins 4.108M, four-cylinder 50hp with dual-circuit cooling and Hürth gearbox
Starter battery, lead acid 70Ah
Oil temperature, pressure, cooling water temperature and rpm indicators
Alternator and B2B charger
Spare parts:
10 diesel oil and 10 oil filters
Impeller
starter motor
Fuel pump
Cooling water pump
Complete gasket set
Fuel lines
Fuel injectors
Upcoming works:
Mill engine block and cylinder head flat
Pressure testing the cylinder head
Fitting the cylinder head
Replacing various gaskets
Overhauling the fuel lines
Changing the alternator
Changing the filters
Adjusting injection nozzles
Painting the engine
Overhauling the starter motor
Navigation
Equipment:
Various magnet compasses
Sextant, Almanac and Selected Stars
MFD Raymarine Axiom 7
Quantum radar
AIS Transponder
Passive radar reflector
VHF with DSC and secondary telephone, Raymarine
VHF without DSC, SAILOR
MF/HF receiver, SAILOR
NAVTEX receiver
Impellerlog
Echosounder with alarm function
Adaptive pilot, Raymarine
Wind steering vane, Aries
Binocular, Steiner
Ipad as remote display of MFD and for route planning
Electronic charts, Navionics
Paper charts, var. planning charts, Admiralty
stationary equipment
calculator
upcoming works:
Install NAVTEX antenna
Update VHF, connect secondary VHF
Repair log
Install radar
Safety
Equipment:
Life raft
EPIRB
Handheld VHF
pyrotechnical rescue appliances
medical equipment
Rainwater collecting device
fishing tackle
day light signalling mirror
Bilge pump (manual/electrical)
Sea anchor
Satellite communication device, incl. various GNSS
CO2-fire extinguisher
ABC powder fire extinguisher
ABF foam fire extinguisher
Carbonmonoxid warning device
Gas warning device
Smoke detector
life west
safety harness
Catch and Lift rescue system
upcoming works:
Buy equipment, check batteries, programm radio technical rescue appliances
Buy spare parts
Living on board
Equipment:
Library
Upholstery
Gas cooker, oven and stove
Fridge
sound system
Upcoming works:
Buy a new gas cooker
Renew upholstery
Electric
Equipment:
7,2kWh LiFePo4 consumer battery with BMS
Starter battery
B2B charger
Mastervolt 60A charger
Wind generator incl. charge controller
2 PV systems incl. 2 charge controllers
Inverter 2000W
Systems: 5V, 12V, 230V
Tinned cable, 2,5mm^2, high amperage cable: 50mm^2
Upcoming works:
Install wind generator
Renew mast cables
Outlook
Full of energy, I can hardly wait to explore the world’s oceans. But before we set sail, there are still a few important stages to complete. You can be part of this journey, whether by actively supporting us in the shipyard or from home. Every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to fulfilling this dream. If you would also like to be part of this adventure, I warmly invite you to get involved. Together we will set sail for a sustainable and unforgettable journey!
Faster than estimated we reach the border between Sweden and Germany. It feels good to set up the guestcountry flag and we are looking forward to enter the Swedish coast and meet its typical Northern inhabitants. As a tradition which already started in Denmark we celebrate setting up the guest flag by listening to the national anthem and thinking about the country we are heading to and its culture.
Du gamle, du fria
Nightwatches
After two days of good wind and many nautical miles behind us, the wind is slowing down like every evening before. We start the night watches as usual. In our crew that means: about 1830 – 2230 Janos, 2230 – 0230 Leo, 0230 – 0530 Janos, 0530 – 0830 Leo. In the first watch a Cumulonimbus comes in sight. Those clouds are the mightiest clouds that are known in the world. They contain more than 100 million tons of water and are respectfully avoided by ships and planes. Turning winds much higher than 12 Beaufort can be found in and below that cloud. Next to that they can be the cause for a temperature drop of up to 20°C in a few moments. Especially dangerous are upwards winds which can be developed by the Cumulonimbus. Sometimes they are up to 20 kilometers high and look really frightening. In reasons of seamanship we reduce sails and keep sharp lookout for the cloud. After two hours it passes us many miles ahead and we can set up to full sail again and enjoy the beautiful sunset.
Watchkeeping consumes energy. Therefore it is pretty important to have enough snacks outside.
Tradewindsailing
In the night the wind is giving way for a typical sunny windless day. We have about one Beaufort from the aft and we try the trade wind sails for the first time. This configuration works very well, we wish to not have forgotten the spinnaker-boom but even without we can sail up to 60 degrees to the wind direction at almost wind speed.
Anchoring in front of Øland
Thanks to the engine that doesn’t want to start we anchor in front of a small harbour on Øland. There is no wind at all and the sea is flat.
Two masts, two booms, a wooden cockpit, sliding hatch, the bowsprit and much more is made of wood and oiled in wood look. It looks beautiful but requires a lot of work. This time we want to make a full refit, so everything needs to be grinded and painted later. All the wooden parts are oiled with two layers of Sikkens with pigments and four layers of Osmo UV-protection oil, the masts get two additional layers of Osmo, because they can not be re-oiled that easy. The use of oil for onboard wood has the big advantage that it is more stretchable. Therefore it has less problems with the never stopping movement of the boat. The grinding is hard work and the painting afterwards requires a lot of patience. In contrast the satisfaction is even bigger after achieving a good result. The cockpit needs to be completely overhauled. René is working on it but it is going to take much more time. It will be made of mahogany wood again and I am excited for the result.
