Nach dem zweijährigen Refit. Minutes after the boat dumped

Dear Readers,

gestern haben wir beim Frühstück mit Blick in die Tageszeitung realisiert: Es ist genau fünf Jahre her, that we've set sail. And then we got a little sentimental ... remembered back, how it was then:

Wir waren 28 and 27 Years old and wanted to experience the great adventure. Cross an ocean. Travel to distant countries. Feel the freedom under sail. Get to know people on another continent. Get a taste of other lives.

We had worked long and hard for it. Over the last two years before departure: No friends, no social contacts. No new clothes, no amusement (Cinema, Data lights, Parties, …). Every euro turned over three times and finally put into the ship. Always with the big goal in mind: The farewell. On many Fridays, where we dragged ourselves to the shipyard after a busy week, around there still up 22 Watch to grind, we couldn't imagine with the best will in the world, how our construction site would sail one day. Let alone in turquoise water. When I posted a photo on Facebook yesterday for our anniversary, commented a hall neighbor below: “When I got the Maverick Too, so I saw standing around in the hall, without gelcoat, I thought to myself: when you become something… whether they come loose? I am impressed with what you did. Hats off.” Das hat uns sehr gefreut! 🙂

“Work hard”, I read that a lot right now on all sorts of new Instagram sailors, who buy an old boat, a photo camera and then want to share their adventures with the sofa sailors back home. I followed a young British woman for a while. Ex-crew on the famous “Delos”. A ship, whose crew produced YouTube videos very early and of very high quality and is now generating annual income in the high six-figure range thanks to a large number of voluntarily paying followers. This seems to work for some sailing video bloggers. But I've also heard from countless people over the past few years, the one with the setting “I will do just as well” failed. Often the necessary luck is missing, to meet exactly the sympathy of the user, but mostly also the ambition and perseverance.

In any case, the British woman disembarked “Delos” and bought an old one, Abused Amel without masts. Hurricane damage and spent many years on the boatyard. Every post started with one “We work soooo hard, so that we can help you (viewers) can take with you on our journey.” And then every second photo from some pub, in a funny tipsy party mood. And there has been no progress on the boat for a year and a half. Clear, the money was always drunk, instead of putting it in the boat. Somehow many people have wrong priorities. Your own basic catering should be at the forefront, then maintaining the seaworthiness of the boat. Everything else is a luxury. It works differently (at least at a young age) not. Who is always partying, he can't do anything. Knowing this, we walked past most of the beach bars on the Caribbean islands. Also, if we would have liked to go inside. And finally, the British girl has now given up, sold the ship.

“When will there finally be pictures again, I look pretty on?”

But we finished. And in the end it was also nervous. Tears ran from the splash. And after a week on the road, the pressure drop came. I was sick all the time. The body no longer wanted after all the stress.

Two years were planned. But when we arrived in the Caribbean, our friend Herbert told us back then “You can't just be on the road for two years. After working towards it for so many years.” We listened to him. And get the opportunity to extend. For which we very much, are very grateful.

In the wake now lie well 35.000 NM. 15.000 Seemeilen mit “Maverick too”, about 20.000 Seemeilen mit “Maverick XL”. We really would not have dreamed of each other back then, where this journey will take us. And that we come back home as a family, so to speak.

It is great, that we travel with “Maverick too” so handy to have on the shelf and be able to remind ourselves of it, how it was then. So we are now posting a chapter of our book here. It should actually be shortened enormously, but it was important to me, that it ends up in the book completely. Because for me it is an important part of the trip.

Review - take a run

From Johannes.

The hardest thing about it, to make the dream of a long journey come true, actually lies in it, to get rid of. For years I looked after readers' inquiries on the subject of long voyages at the yacht. There was always someone calling with big plans. Einhand, two-handed, nonstop, backward, diagonally around the earth, twice non-stop around the world, in a catamaran through the Southern Ocean, one-handed with 16 Years, 14 Years, twelve years ... People were and are inventive. In the beginning I tried very hard, to help them with words and deeds. Und, clear, most wanted help from us. Whether through publicity or financially. Some even expected complete financing of the entire trip. If possible in advance.

“But very few of these big dreams have come true. In the early years, we publishers often sat together for dinner after the boat shows. I once talked to Bobby Schenk about these dreamers and said: “Do I have to take them all at face value?? IMG_7774, not even ten percent of them actually drive off.” Bobby, who has really been involved with long-distance riders his whole life, saw it even more soberly: “I guess, it's not even one percent.”

„It’s a dream. Until you write it down. Then it’s a goal”, I read it once. That burned itself into me. Und mehr noch: “A goal is a dream with a schedule.” Realizing a dream is always about that at some point, to set the cornerstones, make a schedule with appointments and write the whole thing down. Who wants to go on a blue water trip, but has no fixed departure date, will never go. “We're leaving, when everything is ready”, Over the years I have heard from aspiring blue water sailors over and over again. And never again from them afterwards. Because if that's the plan, it will never be fulfilled. Ships are never completely finished.

I defined for myself many years ago, that my ship maximum 90 Percent must be okay. Because something is always not optimal. Is important and essential, that all things, those for seaworthiness, Navigation, Safety and command of the ship are necessary, are complete and in order. Looks don't matter, Convenience and comfort too. Often it is personal convenience and premeditated reasons, that prevent a sailor from doing so, To become a long-haul sailor. And of course the weather. So often you hear from sailors: “We wanted to, but the weather wasn't right.” On the 15.000 We surfed nautical miles on our Atlantic lap three days from a low in the North Atlantic, that us 45 Knots of wind and eight meters of waves. That was the only moment, that I would say about, I would have preferred to stay in the harbor. All other situations - whether bad weather, Wind from the front, Choppy seas or strong winds - were uncomfortable, but quite feasible. Most of the time it wasn't even really uncomfortable in our safe ship. So most of the obstacles really only exist in the head.

The day of departure is difficult for many sailors. The family's tears, overcoming uncertainty, what will happen - on the journey, but also during the absence. How much family time do you waste? Just, when the parents are older, is difficult. Is it worth the trip, the precious one, to sacrifice little remaining time? It was the same for us. "

“But the harbor wall is barely in the wake, numerous worries fall away. Then the horizon can be seen ahead. New experiences, Adventure is waiting for you.

“Maverick 1” im Dezember 2005

However, the period from the first flash of the dream to its realization can be very hard and long for some people. Above all, when there is no fixed plan. And even more difficult for me: no perspective. 'Cause I knew, I would not have the necessary riches anytime soon, to buy a good boat and accumulate a travel fund, more than the necessary time.

I have made up my mind, wanting to make another big trip, caught back then, I 2006 sold my little MAVERICK in Charleston and flew home. At that time, the course and the schedule were clear to me: Now quickly get my studies over with, earn some money, build your own ship, Earn travel funds and then off again. But in the end there were eight long between the decision and the departure, Years of privation. "

“At first everything went according to plan. One month after the end of my trip with my fellowship 27 I found myself in a lecture hall in Kiel, between 300 other students, of which at least good 40 had also taken the shipbuilding course. The choice of subject was clear to me. Even as a little boy I had designed and built model boats and couldn't imagine anything nicer, than to see my boat ideas made of wood and fiberglass swim past me.

But the basic course was boring and tough. Lots of math, which was properly sieved. I was never particularly fond of math. Therefor technical drawing and CAD. And then there was still the ocean, Who didn't let go of me. And tempting offers. For example, I should come to a sailing club in Bünde and give a lecture. I wasn't told twice. Above all, because it's for that too 300 € should give. So in the evenings I made a presentation in my room in a shared apartment, cut videos with music, loaded my PC and stereo into the car and made my way to Bünde in East Westphalia. “I got there with an hour and a half buffer, went to the tavern and told the landlord, that I'm here for a lecture. “It doesn't start until seven, there is no one there yet.” So I sat in the car and waited. When I came back to the pub after half an hour, the landlord only said to me: “Still too early.” Back in the car. Half an hour before the start of the lecture I made one last attempt. The landlord started right away: “I told you, that it only starts at seven ...” “And, and, but I still have to build”, I replied. “aber aufgrund eurer zahlreichen Emails hat man sich umentschieden, YOU are the presenter? Mensch, we thought so, you don't come anymore!”

So I gave my very first lecture about 70 Members of the Bunde offshore sailing community. A funny one, very pleasant evening. I really enjoyed it, to take people with me on my adventure. But the lecture turned out to be much longer than expected, since I had never practiced it in front of an audience. I clicked hard 350 through pictures and told stories and anecdotes for two and a half hours. Still, no one seemed bored. That's why I've kept the lecture in much the same form over the years, but shortened to a good one and a half hours. "

“Maverick too” swims. June 2014

“Delius Klasing Verlag asked me in the Caribbean, if I could not write a book about my trip. “Was für eine Ehre”, dachte ich damals, because I've always hoped, to be able to publish a book someday. But now, Back in Germany, those responsible had read my final interview in the yacht. And it said fat and fat: “I want to go again in four years. And then all around the world.” So they withdrew the offer, because they wanted the book about the circumnavigation right away. It wasn't clear at all, whether this would take place at all. So suddenly I had to fight for it, that now a book about my first trip should be written. “The youngest German single-handed Atlantic sailor” was my argument. I was supposed to deliver sample chapters and then got the promise. However, the book should be ready in six weeks. I started typing. But apart from studying, there was only something to do every evening. Because I had to put a lot of work into my studies, especially in the first semester.

So while I was experiencing a small flight of fancy in terms of sailing, I slumped more and more during my studies. I had to choose: "I'll skip my studies or the book? I had a solution quickly: I could always catch up on the semesters, but the cow “Sailing” had to be milked, as long as she gave milk. So I did my best, deliver a good book. Luckily, I also got a postponement for the submission and was able to work on it from morning to night throughout the first semester break.

But the cow gave more and more milk. And I milk. Accepted every invitation. I even flew and drove to Switzerland umpteen times and gave my lectures. But I was never a good businessman. For youth groups and churches, I often only drove across Germany for gas money. Less the fuel costs but sometimes only paid lectures 50 € profit left. But that “touring life” I liked it. To be able to give the lectures, I took a day off from university. That I let go of too much material in addition to my part-time jobs, I first noticed, as I said one morning “Moin, Mr Erdman. Nice, that you could set it up” was welcomed. "

Finally on the water. June 2014. Relieved and happy.

“After three semesters, I moved 2009 then the line. My plan was, from autumn to study either international specialist communication in Flensburg or journalism in Berlin. To bridge the time until then and to gain a little experience, Wilfried Erdmann arranged for me to do an internship at the yacht in Hamburg. And a new phase of life began.

Every morning from March on I commuted from Kiel to Hamburg and started, to write first newsletters and online articles. After just under two weeks, I was supposed to deliver a page with background information for a history article by Arved Fuchs. In front of the article was then “Written by Arved Fuchs in collaboration with Johannes Erdmann”. As if we had sat together on the text. I got bigger and bigger tasks and was very surprised at the same time, what trust the department and, above all, my boss placed in me.

After three months, I was even offered a traineeship from September, that most journalists only get after completing their studies. At the same time, I was supposed to learn my tools at the Academy for Journalism: to write, taking photos, film and cut. A very tempting offer. But until then I still had two months, to decide. “And I had the best place in the world to think about - the Atlantic Ocean.

Find the way

On a “Hanseboot” I got to know the boat builder and knot specialist Egmont Friedl, who had just bought a ship in the USA. After a summer in Chesapeake Bay, he was thinking, to sail the ship to Europe, and was looking for a fellow sailor. Clear, that I didn't have to think twice. So we flew in early June 2009 to the USA and took over the ship in Deltaville, Virginia. We equipped the GAVDOS x, We stocked up and then made a detour to New York, to eat one last American steak. "

“The route across the North Atlantic was tough. We sailed, as recommended in the manual, at 40 ° north, but were always too far north and always got headwinds on the northern side of the lows. We thundered two storms with heavy and wide, but only 32 Foot long Colin Archer replica. We turned up in a storm for a day and experienced a knock-down in a big wave. The mast lay flat on the water and it broke a lot. But after three weeks we reached the Azores in wonderful weather.

I believed, I would have the opportunity during the crossing, to realize it, where my life should go. But the whole crossing worried me, which even caused stomach pains. First of all, the weather, of course, that was rougher than expected, then especially worries about my friend Cati.

I only got to know them six months ago and knew early on: “It belongs to me.” Cati had never really sailed before, but she liked my stories of distant islands and the blue ocean, and we had started, to forge common travel plans. "

“When I left Germany, she still told me, that she's feeling weird all the time right now, dizzy, and every now and then even slip your foot off the pedal while cycling. “You need to see a doctor urgently”, I told her. But then my plane left, and I've already been to the US, when she finally got checked out. The doctor sent her relatively quickly to a special clinic and there the MRI. There were some bright spots in her brain. What it was about, couldn't be said. Any inflammation. Possibly multiple sclerosis? That guess came quickly, because her mother has this disease, and with family members is the chance, also to get sick from it, at least minimally increased. It hurt me, to see and find out about them lying in the hospital via Skype, what unpleasant examinations she had to endure. Then came the good news: “The doctor says, that it is definitely not MS”, she announced. “It was probably just a tick bite.” A week later, half an hour, before we left New York, then the correction: “It's MS. "

Fresh a couple in May 2009

“While Cati was relatively relaxed, as she had known the disease from her mother for many years, First a world collapsed for me. I thought of her a lot and wrote her emails every day. And it tore my heart apart, that I couldn't be with her and visit her in the hospital. When I landed in Hanover four weeks later, she couldn't tell from the misery. She had gotten a little thinner, but fun and lively as always.

I had already bought a small sailing boat in April, because I really wanted to teach my new friend how to sail, but had no boat. So I had made it up, what a charter over Easter would cost. “Well 650 €? That's a lot for a weekend.” Then one morning I happened to have an old Hurley 22 discovered on eBay. The auction was supposed to end in eight hours and the highest bid was included 650 €. “So for the price I could even buy a boat!” Tempting. I looked at the account: 1.300 € left. So I offered 1.300 €.

In the evening we were invited to dinner, and I had long since forgotten the commandment. My cell phone rang. “congratulations”, eBay wrote to me via SMS. “You have 'Hurley 22 Sailboat ‹for 1.290 € auctioned!” Incomprehensible. Suddenly we had a boat.

A week later we drove to Fehmarn, to examine it. Length: 6,60 Meter. Year: 1968. Weight: 2,2 Tons! Cati thought it was huge, and I was also surprised by the space available. But there was a lot to do in the cabin, and something stank a lot. The carpets and walls were moldy, the bulkhead had drawn water, the side walls were bruised. So I bought vinegar cleaner at the boat shop next door, a bucket, two pots of paint, roll, Antifouling, Sandpaper and tape. While Cati established a first relationship with the ship in the cabin with a breathing mask and cleaning rag, I went with sandpaper once 6,60 Meters to the bow and 6,60 Meters to the stern dragging along the side of the ship. Then again with the paint roller and blue paint. The next day we painted antifouling and after two days of work we had a great beginner ship for the first season. "

Cati and our first boat together, a hurley 22. More 2009

“After my return from the USA, Cati really wanted to go sailing with me. She had read a few sailing books in my absence in the hospital and was really keen to go on a night trip. “It all sounded so romantic. The rushing water, the stars, the glow in the wake ...”, she enthused. So the third overnight exit took us over to Denmark. Until then we were almost only motorized due to the lack of wind.

With the last bridge opening, we left the Schlei and set sails. But the wind was much stronger than announced. About 5 Beaufort blew from the east, and the ship dashed high upwind to Søby on Ærø. We had imagined, that one could sleep and one could sail - but Cati was so scared, that I couldn't even go to the forecastle for a moment, to change sails. The mast was barely more than a meter from the cockpit. The boat turned out to be a very early version of the Wavepiercer concept: Instead of floating over the waves, the heavy long keeler always dived brutally right through them. A lot of water went over the deck and got into the cockpit. And we didn't have any oilskins with us. There were other problems too: "Um, I have to”, said Cati after about halfway across. “Then you have to go to the bucket”, I explained to her. But that wasn't an option for them with the Plexiglas plug-in bulkhead. So she pinched and stopped.

“Five nautical miles to go, then we are in port”, I said against 1 O'clock in the morning and added: “About an hour.” But I wasn't so sure. I couldn't get off the tiller, and my navigation was very rough. I had against 23 Clock quickly ticked a waypoint into the GPS, only to get back upstairs in a hurry. I sincerely hoped, that it was the correct coordinates. But when we were within half a nautical mile of the waypoint and saw no bank lighting, I became skeptical and went back to the map below deck. “Opps, I did make a mistake. One more hour from now”, I explained meekly. "

"When we turned around 4 Arrived in the port of Søby in the morning, Cati couldn't take it any longer. She jumped up about ten meters from the box, hurried below deck and sat on the bucket, while I tied the lines.

The cabin was a mess. In addition, the forward hatch appeared to be leaking. All of the upholstery was soaking wet, and actually it was clear to me, that Cati would never get on a boat again after this experience. But when she was in the bunk, which I had covered in the meantime with garbage bags against the wet, turned to the other side, she mumbled tiredly, but satisfied: “We did it. It doesn't get any worse than that. Then it can only get better tomorrow.”

So in Cati I had found a great girl, that would go along with all sailing adventures. But actually that was just a bit stupid timing for me, because basically I have been since winter 2008/09 dabei, Prepare a new one-handed adventure and find supporters for a non-stop trip of your own. I had high hopes, because I had already had a successful long journey and wrote a book about it, that sold brilliantly. “There was also the sum, compared to a large offshore regatta like the Vendée Globe, manageable. Instead of several million, I was just looking for a ship. So the insert was about 100.000 €, which would roughly come back in through the subsequent sale of boats.

So I wrote letters and sent information folders with quotes from various well-known sailors about myself, with whom I had contact. At least there had to be someone, who would lend me money for a ship and make up for the loss in value. I could probably cover the travel expenses myself. I had great hopes, especially with the largest employer in my hometown of Wolfsburg, suggested, Calling the ship BLUE MOTION and running a great advertising campaign with Volkswagen for long journeys with little fuel. But I only got text module answers back, that one would have made a decision, just golf- and sponsoring equestrian events. "

“As the yacht Wilfried Erdmann 2008 to 40. Anniversary of his first circumnavigation asked, to write down once, what is in the 40 Had changed everything for years, he suggested, instead, to go sailing with me for a day and talk to me about the difference between our generations. He noticed the name PATHFINDER of my boat at the time. He liked this one. “The name fits”, he wrote, “because the young man tries, to find his way.”

But which way would that be?? Einhand? Or as a couple? I still didn't know that. I was young now, healthy and strong. Motivated. Hungry for the sea. Nonstop would be an option now at this point in life. No children, No family, no career in the job. But how long would Cati be so healthy?, with the terrible diagnosis? Because a trip with her would also be incredibly nice. To experience all of this together with her. A completely different sailing than non-stop alone. And maybe a trip like this would be just the thing for you, after all these years in law school, as a reward for all the stress. That would be stressful too, that was clear. But more self-chosen, “more positive” Stress.“

“But then came summer 2012 her first state examination and changed everything. The stress made Cati's health very difficult. But she persevered and made every exam, although she was getting increasingly dizzy during the last exam. The next morning she got the receipt for all the stress, should be avoided as much as possible by MS patients. She fell over in the bathroom and couldn't do anything. Do not talk, don't move, gar nichts. The ambulance came and picked her up. It took months, until she recovered. Again and again she was missing entire sequences of her life, that the brain had simply erased. Even in the middle of walking, the brain temporarily lost control of the body, she stumbled and hobbled, moved in slow motion. Then suddenly control was back, as if nothing had happened.

The consequences of the exam scared me. And then she just failed.

Even after months of studying for the next attempt, it became clear, that this time there was even more pressure on her, and I suggested to her, to drop out of the course. “Abort? After so many years? Then I am 25 and only have a high school diploma!” She couldn't and didn't want to. “But health was more important, and so she decided in May 2013 after some time to think about it, cancel. Then she fell into a hole, From which she only slowly found her way out again through a few internships.

This made a decision for me too: First I want to go on a trip with Cati. If now is the time, sailing together, then we'll sail together now. So I set up a new website, which has been the biggest step of my life so far for me. Because through that I not only got a solid public bond, but also an obligation. I had persuaded Cati, to give up the studies, now I was responsible for them too. The old website was called www.allein-auf-see.de, the new consequently www.zu-zweit-auf-see.de. "

“We happened to just bought the boat for our long voyage together: eine 42 Year old contest 33, that I 2012 when OLGA bought it in Holland and named MAVERICK TOO. Visually, the ship wasn't in bad shape. But there were a number of osmosis nests hidden under paint and gelcoat, which I luckily found before I bought it. So I was able to push the price down enormously. After buying it in January, we went to Holland every few weeks, slept with ice on deck in the cabin, warmed by a fan heater, and started, to prepare the ship for the transfer to Germany and to do the first inventories. The transfer through the standing mast route was great. My parents were with me on board, while Cati studied hard for her first state examination in Kiel. "

“For autumn 2012 MAVERICK TOO went ashore in Neuhaus an der Oste. After two years in a one-room apartment in Hamburg, I bought a huge old house there in the summer. At a price, For which one could only buy a garage in Hamburg. I had every month 570 € rent for 40 Square meters in Wandsbek and now paid the same amount back to the bank every month. In 14 Years should the house with its 200 Square meters of living space. In addition, it opened up completely new possibilities for me in terms of boatbuilding, because my new workshop, the forging hall attached to the house, Measured ten by six meters and had ceilings three and a half meters high. Only the gate was 15 Inches too narrow, otherwise even MAVERICK TOO would have fit in. To make matters worse, the house was right on the dike, on the other side was a private jetty ten meters long. A perfect place to live for every sailor. "

Excerpt from: Erdmann, How & John. For two at sea: Auf Schlingerkurs ins Segelabenteuer