Noa (Spain) and Joseph (Germany) are passionate about sailing. A little over a year ago, they left their jobs and the comfort of life on land behind to begin the great adventure of life aboard a sailboat.

They have sailed their sailboat all over the Mediterranean, including Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Italy and Spain, among other countries. They have just begun their second leg of the Atlantic crossing, setting sail from the Canary Islands to the Cape Verde Islands.

We thank Noa and Joseph for sharing with us in this interview, their experience of life on board in this exciting adventure, and the projects they have on the bow.

How were your beginnings in yachting?

Did you have previous experience when you started this adventure??

We can say that we both have very different profiles as sailors, although we started in the same boat and in the same place, but 19 years apart: a 5-meter dinghy on Lake Chiemsee in Bavaria (Germany).

Joseph’s beginnings:

As a child (8 years old) I always wanted to have a dog, but my parents were not convinced. Instead, they convinced me that it would be much better to buy a small sailboat for the family. For some reason, I agreed and my parents bought a 5-meter dinghy.

Sailing fascinated me from day one and, although my parents and siblings only went out on the water to relax, I always wanted to learn new things and, above all, to sail faster.

When I was 14 years old, I talked to some people in the area to see if I could participate in regattas. My motivation and fascination with sailing soon opened the doors to sail with various teams.

As sailing had become my true passion, I made it my goal to participate in as many regattas as possible and later also in training sessions to improve my skills. At the age of 14 I was lucky enough to sail with the crew of a Libera type yacht. This boat, 12 meters long and 8.50 meters wide, had 14 people on board, 13 of them on the trapeze! It was an incredible boat that, despite its size, could be sailed as a dinghy and every movement and maneuver had to be done with extreme precision.

Simultaneously, I took every opportunity to train and sail in regattas with small boats like the 29er, the 18-footer or small sport sailboats.

Over time, sailing became an essential part of my life and I decided to apply for the Sailing Team Germany selection trials to join the IMMAC ONE4ALL team. After passing the trials, I interrupted my mechanical engineering studies to dedicate myself fully to sailing. In 2013 and 2014, I successfully participated in numerous national and international regattas aboard ONE4ALL, a 49-foot boat with a crew of 14. My position on the boat was that of proel and, also, I was the captain of the boat responsible for the entire technical side.

After this time of intensive sailing, it was time to resume my studies and finish both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees. However, my passion for sailing was never extinguished, so I continued to coach other racing teams, and together we celebrated many successes.

Over the years, now firmly established in our professional careers, Noa and I made the decision to embark on the greatest adventure of our lives: to live and travel aboard our MARLIN.

Noa’s beginnings:

I met Joseph in Kiel in 2013 while on the Erasmus program at the university. Although my true passion has always been dancing, meeting Joseph opened up new opportunities for me to learn sailing. For two years, living near Lake Chiemsee, I took advantage of many weekends to learn with him on the dinghy his parents had bought 19 years earlier.

Although we participated together in some local regattas, it was not until the purchase of our Marlin in 2022 that I really started sailing at sea. This was something completely new to me. Since then, every crossing has been a new experience and a great learning opportunity.

For me sailing is a complex sport that requires concentration and getting out of the comfort zone. What I like most is the tranquility and freedom that comes from being in direct and constant contact with nature. One of the things I value most about sailing is the learning acquired: the qualities of navigation and adaptation to changing conditions, as well as the personal growth that comes from living on board. Every day on the water is unique, and that keeps sailing always interesting for me.

Did you find it difficult to make the leap to the big change that living on a sailboat represents?
What does life on board offer you that is so special?

The truth is that it didn’t take us long to adapt to this new way of life. Before living aboard, we had already spent several months living in a van that we camperized in 2019. We knew what it was like to live in a small space and everything about being in contact with nature. When we started this adventure, we knew that both sailing and living on board meant being much more exposed to the limitations imposed by nature, and that life would be slower compared to what we were used to on land. But that was precisely what we were looking for.

What was a big step for us, however, was to completely give up our life on land. To make the adventure financially possible, we had to get rid of all our belongings. We cancelled our rental apartment and sold everything that didn’t come on board. It was a difficult step, as it meant completely giving up our old life to start a new one. Saying goodbye to family and friends was not easy either.

What attracts us most about this adventure on board is the discovery of the distances between countries and continents, as well as new cultures and places. On this voyage we also experienced an evolution on a personal level. On each voyage, we face new challenges, both as individuals and as a team. Each time we reach land, we celebrate it as a great achievement that strengthens us immensely.

What qualities do you consider most important for a sailor to have in order to sail and live on a sailboat?

In order to make the most of every day on board, it is essential to be passionate about adventure, as every day on board is unique and full of surprises. The sea always puts us to the test, so it is advisable to keep an open mind. During the voyage we have been developing our ability to adapt to new situations.

We also consider teamwork to be very important. Life on board involves constant and intense coexistence. Mutual trust and communication makes everything work much better, especially in times of stress or difficulty. Without good understanding and cooperation on board, the experience can become quite complicated.

In order to keep the boat in shape and solve unexpected problems, it can be very helpful to have at least one person with manual skills and technical knowledge.

Finally, we believe that organization and the ability to communicate in different languages are essential. Although it may not seem like it, there are always many tasks to coordinate on board, from provisioning to route planning and managing the ship’s tasks. Good organization allows us to avoid major surprises and ensure the safety and success of the voyages, while being able to communicate in several languages is very useful for interacting with people from different countries.

¿Has the process of finding a sailboat been easy? Any difficulties? How did you find it? What qualities would you highlight in your sailboat?

The search for a sailboat was not easy, as between 2021 and 2022 the yacht market was almost empty. During this time there was a high demand which led to a price increase, making the purchase a challenge. We found Marlin advertised on an online private advertisement platform in Germany. The quality of the ad and the pictures left something to be desired, which made it less attractive and that played in our favor. When we visited, the condition of the boat was better than we had imagined from the description in the ad. Of course, there was refit work and improvements to be made, but it was clear to us that this was the compromise we had to make if we wanted to stay within the available budget.

The boat is a 1988 Jeanneau Sun Shine 38 with a very solid construction. The interior is still solid wood and the hull is solid fiberglass and kevlar laminate without sandwich construction. The hull form was copied from a fast racing boat of the time and built in series as a cruiser. The Sun Shine 38 is a relatively light sailboat with a large sail area. This is especially noticeable when many other boats are motoring while we are able to sail on quietly. Despite her light weight, we feel very safe in all conditions and always enjoy her excellent sailing characteristics. We especially like the large cockpit, which is even larger thanks to the tiller.

You have sailed in many places in the Mediterranean,
Which port or place did you like the most? Any anecdotes?

This is a difficult question to answer, as each place we visited has something special. As for the ports, we can’t say too much, because during the first six months of our trip we were always at anchor. We only docked in the port of Sali (Croatia) and in the port of Saranda (Albania). Both are municipal and centrally located ports, where we took the opportunity to make a short stop and stock up on water.

The Kornati Islands (Croatia) captivated us as a natural destination. We were lucky enough to visit them in low season, with no other boats or people around, which for us was a real paradise.

On the traditional and cultural side, Sicily is a place well worth visiting. We loved Syracuse and the Aeolian Islands. A very special moment for us was watching the eruption of the Etna volcano while sailing at night.

The most authentic part of the Mediterranean we found in Albania and Montenegro. In addition, Morocco also left a very positive impression on us. Excluding the bay of Cotor in Montenegro, these countries are not particularly interesting for sailing, but getting to know the culture and traditions of these destinations was very valuable for us.

It is important to take care of the environment, especially the seas and oceans.
What do you want to express with “Natural Equilibrium”? Have you collaborated in any project related to the environment?

The main objective of the NATURAL EQUILIBRIUM association is to promote a lifestyle in harmony with nature and to foster a sustainable consciousness. To do this, we believe it is essential to promote a balanced way of life, inspiring and motivating others to live consciously, taking into account the benefits that nature brings us.

The association’s first project consisted of a tree planting campaign, carried out in Austria before our departure. Thanks to the support of some partners, we were able to make a significant contribution to the reforestation of a mixed forest. In just two days, we planted almost 300 trees.

During the trip, we had the opportunity to talk to many local people about environmental conditions and to share the importance, or in some cases the lack of attention, given to this issue in the different countries. In Albania and Spain, two waste collection campaigns were organized with the participation of local people to raise awareness of the current plastic problem.

With the Sailing Marlin project we try to inspire and make other people aware of living in a way that is connected to nature. Next year we would like to continue to carry out similar projects on the other continent.

I imagine that a boat involves a lot of maintenance work,
How do you organize these jobs? Do it yourself?

Yes, a ship always requires constant care. Before the start of the voyage, we carried out extensive refit and refit work to avoid major complications during the voyage. Since April, we have carried out regular overhauls and maintenance, which has allowed us to prevent costly repairs. We are very satisfied with this procedure, as we have not had any major breakdowns since we sailed. Most of the work carried out was to equip the ship for the Atlantic crossing.

These periodic overhauls have allowed us to find a good balance between time off and time spent maintaining the boat. On average, we spend 1-2 days per week on this task.

Joseph is the main man in charge of the technical side. Thanks to his background in mechanical engineering and, above all, his extensive experience as technical manager on other boats, we are able to address any problems and ensure proper maintenance without the need for outside help. This approach not only allows us to reduce costs, but also provides great security, especially during long voyages, as we know our boat in detail and are prepared to face any unforeseen eventuality.

Preparing a sailboat for the Atlantic crossing should not be easy.

What are the most important aspects? Any advice??

For us, the process of preparing the boat has involved some hours of work and a significant investment in the right equipment.

One of the most important aspects, which we would also advise any sailor facing long crossings, is the autopilot, either electric or wind-powered. In our case, we have opted for an electric system, which gives us greater autonomy. For us, the autopilot is another crew member who doesn’t need food and doesn’t complain either.

The electrical system is another key point that allows us to be self-sufficient in terms of onboard energy. For this, we installed 600 Ah lithium batteries and 840 Wp solar panels.

The provisioning of food and drink is also fundamental. During our stay in the Canary Islands, we stocked up on everything we needed, since in the Caribbean availability is usually lower and prices higher. In addition, we carried more than 100 liters of bottled water, in addition to the 360 liters we have in the tanks. Although some ships have desalination plants, we decided to do without for budget reasons.

In Spain, we do a complete overhaul of the engine to make sure everything is working properly.

Another very important aspect is safety equipment. We have invested in an Offshore approved liferaft, EPIRB, MOB devices and high quality life jackets.

What is your short-term navigation plan, and what is your medium/long-term plan?

In the short term, our main focus is on preparing for the Atlantic crossing. We are currently in Cape Verde, making the last necessary checks and adjustments, while waiting for the ideal weather window to cross. Conditions permitting, we plan to set sail on January 5.

In 2025, the trade winds will carry us towards the Caribbean West Indies, starting in Tobago and continuing northward, until just before the start of hurricane season, which usually begins in late May or early June. During the hurricane season, we plan to take refuge in the southern part of the Caribbean and perhaps continue sailing to Colombia and Panama.

For 2026, we do not yet have definite plans. Initially, we are considering returning to Europe, although we are open to new opportunities and destinations.

Finally, did I forget to ask you something, do you want to add anything else?
How can we follow your adventure (links to social networks)?.

We are very happy that you follow our adventure on social networks.

These are our links:

For those who wish to live the experience in real time, we have organized three Live Streams during our Atlantic crossing. The first one will be when we set sail in Mindelo, the second one in mid-ocean, and the last one when we reach the island of Tobago. Each session will be conducted by Zoom and will last one hour. We will speak in English, but, of course, questions can be asked in Spanish.

In these broadcasts, we want to show what life on the high seas is like, addressing key topics for the Atlantic crossing: preparations, mindset, challenges, special moments, lessons learned and many other aspects. These will be interactive sessions in which we will answer all questions without filters or secrets.

To participate, you can book your access to the Live Stream through this link:

https://stan.store/sailingmarlin

From “Navegantes Oceánicos (Bluewater Sailors)” we thank Noa and Joseph for their collaboration with this interesting interview, which surely serves as a model and inspiration for sailors who are thinking of ocean sailing, and we wish them good luck and good winds in their next adventures!

We will follow you on social networks!

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