The first post for 2024

Long time no update, but here it is, the first post of 2024.  

For this post I am again taking a break of the ‘possible candidates’ series (which will have a new post soon, I promise), just to update people on what else I have been doing.  

As I explained in an earlier blog post it is not just acquiring a boat, but it is also about getting back to sailing and learning again how to sail. Now, give me some slack on the latter, a lot of you will be saying: “sailing is like biking, once you know how to do it…”  But yeah, I haven’t been biking for years, the rules of the road and the traffic have changed, and we will not talk about the technological developments which have taken place over the last quarter of a century. And that is exactly what I meant; I must be humble and start a journey to learn a good part of sailing again.  Wind and water won’t change but the rest…

So, I became member of the GLCR, the Groupe Luxembourgeoise de Croisière et de Régate, which is one of the two accredited organisations in Luxembourg which can train you for the Luxembourgish Permis Mer et Côtier Plus, the only valid permit you can get to sail a Luxembourgish flagged boat offshore. 

Now there are ways around this, as I have a Dutch ICC, which is also a professional certification for the commercial use of ships under 15 metres and less than 12 passengers, the responsible ministry will give you a legal endorsement, allowing you to use it on Luxembourg flagged vessels in the same capacity.

So, in principle I have the same rights as those with a “Permis Cotier”. But I feel that I should do the training again in order to be ‘up to date’. I inscribed for the first basic training and in May I will be in Sint-Annaland (NL) with the club for a week of sailing and reaffirming my competences, and I really look forward to it 

In addition, there is also a possibility via the Toerzeilers association, to participate as crew at the 45^th Rally to Lowestoft, so I inscribed for that as well. participation will be dependent on how many positions are open with the skippers. But it would be cool to add another 200-250 miles to my logbook, so fingers crossed for this too. 

And as a third, I finally got to creating myself a profile on Crewbay, come and say hi if you are interested in taking me on as crew.

I  am currently preparing my next post in the series of possible candidates, which will be on the Albin Viggen, and the more I learn about it, the more I like about it, so stay tuned for that one, I’ll post it soon.

Take care,

Steph

So, what’s the plan?

For this blogpost I’m leaving the current series of posts on possible candidate boats and try to elaborate a bit on the plan.

Reason for this is a discussion I had this week with my physiotherapist, he is very much into endurance sports, currently training for an Iron Man competition, and we were talking about the fact that even with little everyday adaptations you can slowly optimize the way to your goals. And I have a plan (which programme/project manager doesn’t), but I never discussed it here.

Therefore, allow me to shed some light on the roadmap—the plan that propels this dream into a tangible reality.

The pillars of the plan:

Sailing fitness – I must get my health in such a way that I can compete in a challenging sailing experience. This isn’t just about shedding a few pounds. It’s about ensuring my health aligns with the demands of challenging sailing experiences. As the saying goes, a healthy sailor is a competent sailor.

Financial fitness – Boat is not a word, it is an anacronym for “Break Out Another Thousand”, It is not just the purchase of a ship and the budget for the refit, there are also the costs of owning and maintaining the good ship, after all, a well-maintained ship is a safe ship. And the expenditure must also fit in my normal budget.

Education & Experience – I have a lot of experience, but not recent. The same with my knowledge, the first time I went over to the other side of the North Sea we did not have GPS and digital maps, but a Philipps DECCA receiver and a Sailor RDF receiver for electronic navigation. So compared to the old farts with drag log and sextant we were modern but compared to today’s digital landscape a lot has changed. Insights on boat building and sailing have changed, training needs have changed. So, I will have to educate myself and build up sailing experience again. The plan demands a return to the basics, investing in practical training like the Day Skipper/Coastal Skipper courses.

Last but not least, Life doesn’t pause for dreams, and the plan must harmonize with the symphony of everyday life. Balancing work, family, and personal pursuits requires a realistic timeline that allows for continuous progress without overwhelming existing commitments.

“A goal without a plan is just a wish,”

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

So, what are the milestones I set for the upcoming year?

Sailing fitness –  very prosaic, continue to lose weight and increase sports activities. Adding more activities helping a holistic approach to ensure physical readiness for the future that awaits me.

Financial fitness – Make sure there are enough savings to provide for the future next to the boat budget. Verify if the savings goals are realistic is important. Beyond the boat budget, financial readiness is critical. The plan involves building and verifying savings goals, ensuring a stable financial foundation for the boat and the journey ahead, while remaining stable in my current day to day.

Education and Experience – Getting back to sailing, effectively making a return to the hands-on experience of sailing. The aim is to achieve Day Skipper/Coastal Skipper or similar certification—a testament to reaffirming both practical skill and theoretical knowledge.

As I put down these milestones, I’m reminded that a dream isn’t just about the destination but the journey itself as well. At the same time I must be conscious of the fact that whatever the plan is, it is like the stars guiding a ship at sea, providing direction, but you will have to adapt your course to the changing winds of life.

Stay safe and fair winds,

Steph

Small is Beautiful: The Kolibri 560

Introduction

In this second blogpost on possible candidates, we’re setting our sights toward the smallest ship in my selection, the enchanting Kolibri 560. This diminutive craft may only be about 18ft, but it carries a unique allure that proves, once again, that “small is beautiful.”

The Kolibri 560 is a true testament to the idea that good things come in small packages. Measuring just 18.5 feet in length, this sailboat embodies the essence of compact elegance. What truly sets it apart is its exceptional and historically significant construction method.

A unique build

Nowadays we all are aware of the existence of maritime plywood. The Kolibri 560 is an evolution of this, as its construction features a wood-laminate hull. This technique involves laminating thin strips of wood to create a strong and lightweight hull. The owner of the Van den Brink shipyard started working on the technique in the 1940’s post-war years inspired by the successes in the airplane industry (think the famous De Havilland Mosquito) and for the time of its introduction it was a very modern approach.

The yard built various dinghies until in the early 60’s the owner decided that modern families needed a bit more. The designer G.A. Pfeiffer designed the boat as a family boat delivered as a kit which the 60’s family dad could finish in their own garage/garden. The design was very popular in the Netherlands and over 1000 hulls were finished from 1964 -1985. After that the hull was produced in GRP, until 1995. The boatyard is still active and still provides parts.

With the changing technical insights over time, most owners of Kolibri boats protected their ships with an additional coat of epoxy, effectively rendering it to a sort of sandwich build.

Technical

The ship is designed as a masthead sloop-rigged yacht with a transom hung rudder.

LOA	5.60 M
LWL	5.00 M
DRAFT	1.00 M
BEAM	2.10 M
DISPLACEMENT	0.75 T
BALLAST	255 Kg
AIR DRAFT	9.00 M
SAIL AREA	14.9 M²

Calculated values:

Hull Speed	10 Km/h	5.4 Knots
SA/Disp.	18.5	reasonably good performance
Bal./Disp.	34	Less stiff
Disp./Length	167	Light
Comfort Ratio	11.56	Lightweight
CSF	2.33	Not suited for ocean passages

What is attracting me to this ship?

The Kolibri 560 has great sailing characteristics. Fast sailing and manoeuvrable like an open boat, yet resilient and safe, so you don’t have to shy away from the big water. Due to its lightweight built, it tends to be more responsive and quicker to accelerate. Multiple Kolibri yachts have participated in the Small Ships Race and were very successful. For those interested, Eli van den Broek has uploaded a series of videos on YouTube on how he prepared his Kolibri, named Hydraat, for the 2016 SSR. The first part of the series can be found here.

The 560 has a spacious cabin and a practical interior, which has, over time, proven its true value. In this small boat we find 4 berths, a galley, toilet facilities and a large pantry drawer. As the design was for a family boat, there is an abundance of easily accessible storage space. And while nowadays it would not really qualify as a family boat anymore, many duo and solo sailors have now discovered the Kolibri 560 as their ideal ship. Due to its modest size and weight, a combination of trailer and the 560 will weigh approximately 1200 kilos. So, it can easily be trailered behind a normal car, making distant destinations easier to reach than it would be possible with a larger ship, especially here in Europe, in two days drive you could change your sailing area from the Baltics to the Adriatic coast. The Toerzeilers even have a separate committee that occupies themselves with the subject of Trailersailers. Even when that is not on my mind at the moment, it could be a future expansion of the hobby.

The relatively low cost of acquiring and repairing are a part of its attractiveness. When repairs are needed, the materials required are generally less expensive, and as the construction process was designed so it could be undertaken by skilled amateurs, even the somewhat larger repairs where others would already be looking for a yard, are overseeable. I’ve seen seaworthy ships being sold for around the €2000 – mark. And if you feel like you want to get to know your ship well, you can get a lesser maintained ship to fix up for around 500. And a 6-meter yacht needs less berthing space so you’ll be paying less marina fees as well.

Another point people tend to forget is that because of the ship’s relative simplicity, there are no complex things that can break and negatively impact your safety. For an example, not everyone is a proponent for having a transom-hung rudder, but if it breaks, it is relatively easy to remove and install an emergency rudder.

Negatives

Unlike the Midget 20, the Kolibri 560 is a light-built yacht, which will not need much wind to reach her optimum speed, yet it can handle a lot of wind when needed. However, a lighter build will make the ship less stable, or more nervous if you like that expression better. And when it comes to that I will have to look at the needs of my wife who will probably prefer a more stiff and stable ship over a more nervous one.

And again, the interior might be relatively spacious, and even when I don’t mind doing my business on a glorified bucket, the less than basic toilet facilities might not be really appealing to my wife either.

In conclusion

The saying “small is beautiful” truly applies to the Kolibri 560. This little gem, with its unique wood-laminate hull, demonstrates that sailing isn’t just about the size of your boat; it’s about the experience and the connection to the water. Its simplicity in design and construction harks back to the essence of sailing—a close connection with the wind and the waves. And therefore, it is a worthy candidate for my personal shortlist.

Fair Winds,

Steph

Picture: Dorris de Heij, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Midget 20

In this post I am kicking-off the series of possible candidates for the challenge I set myself and we are starting with the Midget 20 Oostzeejol.

Introduction

Although she’s a small ship (only 6 metres or 20 ft) her design is such that in the right hands she is a very seaworthy ship. The roots of the design is deeply founded in the legacy of the fishing dinghy as it was built in the early 1800s is in the north of Denmark on the island of Sealand in the Lynæs area. The hull shape can be recognised in both small rowing and sailing dinghies and the heavy 50-ton Kattegat fishing cutters. Thousands of wooden ships were built at Lynæs through experienced generations of shipbuilders and in the 60’s the yard started building them in reinforced polyester as well. First for professional fishermen and later as a pleasure yacht. The design of the 20′ Midget/Oostzeejol is by Ir. B. Malta-Muller, and the boat was introduced and built in the Netherlands by Polymore yachting (hull) and Marfrig yachting (finishing and interiors) in the late 60’s until the beginning of the 80’s.

Technical

The ship is designed as a sloop-rigged sailing dinghy with a rounded rear (think Colin Archer designs). It has a long keel with a transom-hung rudder. It was built in glass fiber reinforced polyester using the hand lay-up method at the Polymore yard. The ship’s standard means of propulsion is by an outboard motor mounted in an engine recess in the lazaret, and it has the following technical data:

LOA	6.00 M
LWL	5.15 M
DRAFT	1.10 M
BEAM	2.39 M
DISPLACEMENT	1.325 T
BALLAST	525 Kg
AIR DRAFT (Mast height from DWL)	9.00 M
Sail Area	19.2 M²

Calculated values:

Hull speed	10.3 Km/H	5.6 Knots
SA/Disp.	16	Reasonable performance
Bal./Disp.	40	Stiff
Disp./Length	270	Moderate
Comfort ratio	16	Lightweight
CSF	2.20	Not suited for ocean passages

values calculated using the formulas used on sailboatdata.com

Based on the theoretic hull speed we could assume that you could cruise the boat around 3.5 / 4 Knots allowing 100 nautical miles/day.

What’s attracting me to this ship?

Sea worthiness, The ship has a ballast share of 40%. In combination with the long keel and wide beam it will also be very stable and it will almost be impossible to turn it over. Even when the CSF is not confirming this, practice is, the boat was exhaustively tested in bad weather (gales 9-10 Bft) by a known Dutch journalist (Copy of the article available in Dutch on the Midget club site) them concluding that the boat is quite wet in storms but very stable and secure.

Character, the old classical long keel form, rugged built and cozy interior certainly gives it a certain character what attracts me. The logical interior offers a lot of storage and functionality in a relatively little space. Everything is logical and oversee-able making it a good ship to be in even when it is small.

Youth sentiment? I learned to sail in a 12ft Oostzeejol, which is the little dinghy brother of the Midget 20 and it was a lovely little boat. Maybe that feeling of familiarity might be a factor as well

Negatives

To quote one of the Netherland’s most famous footballers, Johan Cruijff: “every disadvantage has an advantage” the ship is heavily built which makes it bad for speed, but very good for stability and seaworthiness. The question is if can I live with that set-off, and the answer to that is probably yes. Sacrificing speed to comfort is something we all do, after all not everything we sail is a race or a regatta. Add to that that in my intended sailing area you will have more issues with too much than with too little wind, (if you do not believe me just check out Erik Aanderaa on YouTube) and the choice is easy.

Having a small cozy interior is great, but it is small, the proverbial cat probably died from some serious concussions. There is no standing room making it hard to quickly jump into technical gear when it is getting hairy outside, and even with two people on the boat, you probably have to really like each other.

The basic toilet facilities (Porta-potti underneath the v-berth) will also not be very appealing to my wife, who will probably insist on having at least some modicum of proper toilet facilities

Conclusion

I feel that especially for solo sailing this could be a good ship for my situation. There are not many ships on the market, so to get a good one will be hard. To add to that, they are, in relation to other ships, quite expensive to acquire. A positive that mitigates the investment is that because of their sturdy build type and size these ships are relatively cheap in maintenance.

More information

There is an active owners club in the Netherlands and there is a German site called Oostzeejol which goes deeper into the history and details of this ship-type.

The Small Ships Race

Somebody asked me offline about the Small Ships Race and when browsing the internet, I couldn’t find much information in English about it either, so here goes.

What is it?

The Small Ships Race is an annual rally organized by Netherlands’ largest sailing club, De Nederlandse Vereniging van Toerzeilers. (Dutch Touring Sailors Association), it always takes place around the Whitsun weekend.

Under the motto, Small Vessels Large Skippers, the participants battle it out for the coveted Small Ships Race Challenge Trophy in a 100-mile “race” from IJmuiden (NL) to Lowestoft(UK). The Small Ships Race is intended for skippers of a small ship (<24 Ft or 7,5 meters) who want to make a crossing on their own keel. The fastest will win the regatta and will be presented the “Glazen Peper” (Glass Pepper) for those who, as the Dutch put it, have pepper up their backside. But every captain comes in victorious, as they cross off another milestone.

The real grail is of course the Small Ships Race Challenge Trophy, this trophy is awarded by the jury to the skipper who has made the greatest development in the field of seamanship, boat control, etc.

The Jury committee, which consists of winners of the previous editions, has developed a system where they will evaluate your race on five areas. To win the trophy Not only the corrected sailing time counts towards the result, but also matters related to preparation and evaluation of the preparation after arrival.

Each skipper is asked to complete an online survey in advance in which the following 5 categories are discussed:

– Safety

-Navigation and communication

-Comfort

-Energy supply

-Sail lining and sail trim

The jury committee awards points to each category, with a maximum of 5 points per category. This results in an average value that is assigned to the preparation. Upon arrival, the skipper evaluates the preparation together with the jury committee and the committee awards points to the evaluation with a maximum of 5 points per category. This results in an average value for the evaluation. In addition, the SW time sailed, possibly corrected with the time sailed on the engine (this time counts double), is converted into a score from 1 to 5 via a formula. The final score is the sum of the average score for the preparation, the average score for the evaluation and the score for the time sailed, with the score for the evaluation counting double. The maximum total score is 20 points.

Organization

The organizing committee is the Commissie Uiterton. An uiterton being the Dutch word for the famous red and white vertically striped navigation buoys which are the last buoys from a river or other big waterway towards sea indicating that you have safely arrived in open water. The goal of the committee is to get you to sea in a safe way, by organizing sailing events for skippers with different levels of experience, and offer guidance to help these skippers to make progress to their next step in sailing.  They help with preparations, they organize group radio during events so that skippers and organization can stay in touch and exchange information, experiences, and give guidance during the events. They organize tours and rallies to various destinations and Marine Training events.

The members of the committee are all very experienced sailors, and when you participate in the Small Ships Race you can expect something like what you see on the YouTube videos around the WRC ARC preparations. Or if you are more in to racing, the safety elements around the races organized by the RORC. Which means; preparation days, safety briefings, a list of mandatory safety items which must be on board/implemented and on which your boat will be inspected. They also have requirements for the experience level of the skippers, after all this is not a little day sail, the crossing will take a good 24 hours for most ships. So, to be able to participate, you need to have the necessary experience with sailing at sea, sailing at night and have experience with sailing longer cruises. Safety is taken very seriously.

Interested?

If you are interested in participating as well, you will need to become a member of the Toerzeilers at the hefty sum of 35 euros, which will give you access to the inscription page and a wealth of other events and knowledge.

So far, the technical details about the race, but what about my personal motivations? I will try to go deeper into those in a later post.

Fair winds!

Steph

Finding the Boat: The Shortlist

Ahoy there, welcome back!

In my last post, I promised to steer away from project jargon and keep things exciting for all readers. So, let’s look at the results of my methodical approach and dive into my criteria for finding the perfect boat.

As you might know by now, this adventure is all about preparing, acquiring, refitting, and sailing my dream boat, to the goal I set myself: participating in the Small Ships Race. I’ll elaborate the results of the MoSCoW exercise (sorry still a little project management), sharing why I’m eyeing certain features and, on the flip side, why I’m steering clear of others. So let us explore the results and the shortlist of ships based on my carefully crafted criteria. For those not familiar with MoSCoW, it’s a nifty technique that can help you prioritize features for any project, and I applied it to define my dream boat.

Mapping my priorities

Must-Haves

These are the essential features that are non-negotiable. They make or break the deal, ensuring a safe and enjoyable sailing experience. For me, these include a reliable engine, sturdy construction, and a well-maintained hull. Safety and seaworthiness take the helm here. So, what was on my little list in Excel?

1. Enough room for 2 and a dog – I will not always be sailing solo, and when my partner wants to join I need to make sure the ship is also comfortable for her.
2. Possible to set up for solo sailing – That implies simple sails, and the possibility to lead all the lines to the cockpit so that you do not need to go up front while sailing solo.
3. Toilet (in separate area) – My partner really does not like the idea of not having a toilet on board, neither does she approve of putting a glorified bucket in the middle of everything.
4. Cooking facilities – People misjudge the importance of being able to prepare something hot on board when sailing.
5. Boat papers (VAT statement) – I will probably re-flag the boat to that of my adopted country, while moving around in the EU, proof that VAT has been paid on a boat is essential. And as you can read in this article, life post-brexit hasn’t gotten any easier.

Should-Haves

These are important features that enhance the boat’s performance and comfort. The perfect sailing adventure wouldn’t be complete without adequate cabin space, good sail condition, and easy maneuverability. People tend to forget the importance of comfort as an essential safety feature. Being comfortable means less stress, better rested, more alert, better equipped to deal with what is being thrown at you.  

1. Charm – maybe stupid that it is so high up the list, but again, feeling well on board is essential and if you have a boat that appeals to you helps.
2. (Inboard) engine – I have seen too many incidents that could have been avoided by having a reliable engine to motor you out of the situation.
3. Logical interior – the comfort factor again, a logical interior where you easily can find your way around in can be the difference between a small incident and a calamity.
4. Spray hood – Smaller boats are normally a lot wetter, having a proper sprayhood on the boat will make you less tired in certain situations, it also helps keeping the interior dryer.
5. Working electrics – Being seen in bad weather is essential, working lights and working equipment (even when it is already a bit older) should be high on the checklist.
6. Good state of maintenance – I don’t mind having to clean a boat, but a well-maintained boat is a more reliable boat.
7. Proven design – There are a lot of self builds and one-off ships, and while they are not necessarily worser they are built by the vision of their specific owner/builders. Production boats with a proven lifespan are better documented, you know where you’ll find the weaknesses and what can be done to address them.
8. CE Class B or French Class 3 – The ship must be seaworthy, but a design having one of these ratings means that their seaworthiness has been evaluated.   

People tend to forget the importance of comfort as an essential safety feature.

Could-Haves

Ah, the delightful extras! While not critical, they would make the on-board experience even more enjoyable. This is of course the largest list; these are the elements that add a touch of luxury or bring just that little extra functionality to the ship. It also contains some elements that I would be willing to tackle just to get that little bit extra enjoyment out of the boat.

1. Extra sleeping places – means more room, also that could mean I could store extra sails in the V-berth and rest in the pilot berth while underway.
2. Cushions for the cockpit – Just to make it that little more comfortable. A flotation device shoved under the but works as well but, you know what I mean.
3. All lines to the cockpit – when it is already done for me, I don’t have to worry about it.
4. Windvane or auto helm – you can always just tie down the helm temporarily or use some bungies to go sheet to tiller, but an auto pilot or windvane makes things just that little bit easier.  
5. Furler(s) – OK it impacts the life of your sails, but it makes life on board also more comfortable, you have more variable options with adapting your sails to course and wind as well.
6. 3rd reef in mainsail – again, it will be needed for the race, if it is there I don’t have to deal with having it made.
7. Additional sails – yes, I want my sails as easy as possible, but a good half-winder, code 0, or an asymmetrical spinnaker can sometimes be so much fun.
8. Tender – I probably want one to get around with when on anchor or in a larger port. So if it is there already… you won’t hear me complain.
9. New cushions/fabrics – this gets often neglected, especially by those who use ships as daysailers or for club racing, so if I can avoid the expense…
10. Small Items to fix – I don’t mind if there is work on the boat, there will always be work on the boat and if fixing means life on board will be more comfortable, I’ll take it on.
11. paint work – Same thing, I don’t mind, so if it hasn’t been done, I can probably lower the price of the boat, and if it is already done, I don’t have to do it anymore.
12. bow sprit or spinnaker boom – It is an easy option to allow for more flexible sailing, I’m not going to complain if this comes with the boat.
13. CE Class A, French Class 1-2, other ocean worthy rating – see my earlier comment, if the boat has a higher class all the better.

Won’t-Haves

These are the features I’m setting aside for now. They’re lovely to have, but considering my budget and immediate sailing goals, they’re not high on my radar. Think fancy navigation systems and top-of-the-line electronics. This list also contains hard exclusions as things we will never have. (Well never say never, but you get the gist of it)

If the ship does not have a GPS or MFD I don’t care, I can perfectly navigate with paper charts and handheld devices. Radar, not needed, Radar reflector though…

The list of what we will absolutely not have while evaluating a ship :

1. Wooden decking – It is great, it is beautiful, it also needs maintenance and if it isn’t done properly, it can hide weak spots in the deck setting you up for really expensive repairs. And once you have to replace that deck you will be really in for a shock.
2. Tons of work due to neglect – the investment in time and money will just be too high to fit it in my budget. I am buying a boat to sail, not a restauration project.
3. Broken engine / no engine – cannot be negotiated upon. A working engine is so important for safety reasons.
4. “redesigned” interior/ electrics or other visible PFUSCH – You don’t know who made the modifications and how they were made, will you risk your safety? Neither am I.

You don’t know who made the modifications and how they were made, will you risk your safety?

The Shortlist: Ships Awaiting Exploration

Based on all this, I’ve narrowed down the pool of ships that catch my eye. Remember what I’d be looking for: A size under 25 ft, a proven, seaworthy design and the ship must be a production ship, not a one-off or something experimental. With the waters I am considering sailing in mind, the focus will be on designs built in the UK, the low countries and Scandinavia. As these ships are designed with the circumstances one can expect on the North Sea. Not a bad word on French designers, their designs have their fortes too, but you don’t want to find yourself with a relatively light built First 23 in heavy seas en route to the Shetlands.

These criteria very much point to a certain era of boatbuilding as well: the late 60’s and 70’s of the last century. In that era, several important developments can be seen; the start of building with modern materials, the IOR rulings leading to interesting designs some with real character. Also, because GRP was so new, they didn’t skimp on it during the construction. Yes, the risk of osmosis is higher, especially with ships built using hand layup methods, but a 50-year-old boat that is still in good condition you can safely assume is well built. And it is nicer than with some lighter built boats. I remember seeing a YouTube video where a sailor needed to do some work in the lazaret, and you could see the light coming through the thin hull, and honestly, that felt scary.

These designs made it to my personal shortlist:

Ron Holland’s 24ft Eyghthene

Per Brohäll’s 23ft Viggen

B. Malta-Müller’s 20ft Midget

G. Pfeiffer’s 18ft Kolibri

Frank Butlers 22ft Jaguar

E.G. van de Stadt’s 22ft Etap

Jacques de Ridder’s 23ft Etap

Oliver Lee’s Hunter 700

Carl Andersen’s Vindö 22

Frank Pryor’s 23ft Leasure

Dick Zaal’s Contest 25

So, what is next?

Each of these ships will be subject to a review in a separate series of posts. I’ll delve into the story of the boat, the designer, and the reasons why the boat is appealing to me. And if you think that I should look into another design not in the list, feel free to leave a comment and I’ll look into it.

Fair winds,

Steph

The Role of Principal Stakeholders in Private Projects – What does my partner think of this ?

As you might know by now, in my professional life I have a lot to do with project management and organizational change management. So, today, we’re setting sail towards a crucial aspect of private projects like this one—the empowering influence of our principal stakeholders.

In our professional lives, we often deal with project management and organizational change, and it’s no different when it comes to our personal endeavors. Engaging and enabling our principal stakeholders, especially our partners, takes center stage in shaping the course and ultimate success of our project. So let’s dive in and explore how their support and involvement can help steer our private project forward.

Embracing Shared Ownership: Defining the Journey Together

Involving your partner means co-owning the project. Get their input on key decisions and jointly define the project’s vision, objectives, and milestones. This creates a sense of shared responsibility, and it has made a real difference for me. While this project is my dream, involving my partner helped align our priorities and wishes. Her influence was valuable in setting the course, just like we discussed in my previous article on MoSCoW prioritization.

Leveraging Expertise and Support: Capitalizing on Strengths

Tap into your partner’s unique skills and knowledge to maximize the potential of your project. My partner is a pro at black hat thinking (De Bono’s six hats technique), grounding my sometimes over-optimistic ideas and assessing risks more realistically.

And no, she is not a killjoy, she is just better at thinking things through and assessing the involved risks. Her involvement adds value and contributes to my project’s success.

Encouraging Emotional Investment: Sharing Dreams and Aspirations

Share your passion and excitement for the project with your partner. It’s my dream, not hers, but expressing my vision and aspirations has helped her understand and emotionally invest in this journey. Again, this is my dream, not hers. She never sailed but I feel she will very much like the vanilla sailing of things, and I also know that she will probably feel less comfortable with rough weather, rough seas, or nervous boats. I am sharing my ideas, but she has a vision and aspirations too. She can imagine that for certain sails she will join me, and that for certain sails I will go solo.  She has her own life, and we support each other for our projects.   

Amplifying Creative Collaboration: Nurturing a Synergy of Ideas

In a normal project, you use the fact that your principal stakeholders possess diverse perspectives and insights that can ignite creativity and innovation in your project. Involving your partner creates a platform for brainstorming ideas and fostering a dynamic synergy. Dedicate time to creative collaboration, where all ideas are welcomed and explored. My partner is my sounding board, and seeing things from her perspective sparks new creativity and innovation.

As I continue our private project voyage, remember the power of engaging and enabling our principal stakeholders, especially our partners. Their involvement not only ensures project success but also strengthens our connections and shared experiences. By embracing shared ownership, leveraging expertise, encouraging emotional investment, and fostering creative collaboration, we unlock a force that propels our project to greater heights.

Next steps ?

So, what’s next? I’ll shift my project manager’s viewpoint aside for a while to keep this blog interesting for everyone. So in the next series of posts, I’ll be sharing how I made my shortlist of ships and discussing some of them.

Fair winds,

Steph

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Navigating Priorities: Using MoSCoW Prioritization to Select My Dream Boat

A long post today, so I hope you like this piece of insight.

When it comes to choosing a dream boat for your sailing adventures, the options can be overwhelming. From sleek designs to cutting-edge features, every boat seems to offer something enticing. To navigate this sea of choices, I turned to a valuable prioritization framework called MoSCoW. And In this blog post, I’ll try to guide you through the MoSCoW prioritization technique and how I applied it to create my shortlist of vessels responding to my sailing dreams.

Understanding the MoSCoW Prioritization technique

MoSCoW is a technique I regularly use in my professional life and is a project management tool to categorize and prioritize requirements. The acronym stands for Must-have, Should-have, Could-have, and Won’t-have. By classifying features and criteria into these categories, you can gain clarity on what is essential, what is desirable, and what can be sacrificed.

Must-Have: Non-negotiable Essentials

The “Must-Have” category represents the absolute necessities—features or characteristics that are crucial and indispensable for your dream boat. These are the factors that would make or break your sailing experience. Whether it’s safety equipment, a specific sail configuration, or a reliable engine, these aspects take precedence over everything else.

Should-Have: Desirable and Important

In the “Should-Have” category, we find features that are not mandatory but highly desirable. These are the aspects that would significantly enhance your sailing experience and contribute to your comfort and convenience. While they are not deal-breakers, they are still important considerations that add value to your dream boat.

Could-Have: Nice-to-Have, but Not Essential

The “Could-Have” category comprises features that are considered additional luxuries or bonuses. These are the extras that would be delightful to have on your boat, but their absence wouldn’t significantly affect your overall sailing experience. It could be a state-of-the-art entertainment system, a spacious galley, or custom interior finishes—features that are desirable but not vital.

Won’t-Have: Exclusions and Trade-offs

Lastly, the “Won’t-Have” category includes features that you consciously decide to exclude from consideration. These are the aspects that, while they may be appealing to others, don’t align with your specific needs, preferences, or budget. By identifying what you won’t prioritize, you can focus your search on the qualities that truly matter to you.

Applying MoSCoW to narrow down my search

Now that we understand the MoSCoW prioritization framework, let’s dive into how I used it to select my dream boat. Through careful consideration and evaluation, I assigned specific boat characteristics to its respective category, aligning these with my specific needs and aspirations. You do not have to be fancy about it, some simple lists in Excel or just on a piece of paper will do. A huge disclaimer here; what follows is my personal analysis, it does not mean it is perfect for you or a mandative list. Heck, you might have other priorities or characteristics. Me sharing this, is about showing how I did it so it can be of inspiration to others.  

Must-Haves

I identified the essential elements that were non-negotiable for me. These included safety features, a reliable hull, a specific size range suitable for my sailing plans, and other fundamental requirements that formed the foundation of my boat selection process. So, what are my criteria here?

I’m looking for a coastal cruiser, with a manageable length so it is easy to sail solo or shorthanded. The boat must be seaworthy, after all I will be sailing in coastal waters, therefore the boat must have a proven and popular design, with a long keel or a fin with rudder-on-skeg. The boat must have enough room for our little family of 2 and a dog. As I will not be doing just day sailing, having a toilet on board is a must, as are cooking facilities. Finally, the boat must come with a proper paper trail, because you need to be able to prove that VAT has been paid.

Should-Haves

Next, I looked at those elements that would enhance my sailing experience. This encompassed considerations such as comfort amenities, a functional and well-designed layout, efficient storage solutions, and any other factors that would contribute to a smooth and enjoyable journey.

What I noted was that the future boat should have charm, or character, or whatever you want to name it. If I am going to spend time on a boat, I want a logical, warm interior with comfortable cushions. Working electrics, even if it is just a basic set up, should also be present. In general, the boat should be in a good state of maintenance. Comfort in the cockpit is also important so the boat should have at least the possibility to bring all lines to the cockpit and the ability to be equipped with spray hood and dodgers. Talking about canvas, the boat should have a decent set of sails.

Could-Haves

In this category, I listed the features that would be nice to have but were not critical. While I appreciated these additional luxuries, I recognized that their absence would not hinder my ability to embark on and enjoy my sailing adventures.

The list of items that the future boat could have, is much longer. But a few things that I noted to consider in my spreadsheet were:  Extra sleeping places, Cushions for the cockpit, wheel instead of tiller steering, All lines to the cockpit, Windvane or auto helm, Furlers, Additional sails, Tender, New cushions/fabrics, and I also noted that the boat could have small Items to fix or little paint work to lower the price.

Won’t-Haves

Lastly, I established for myself what I was willing to sacrifice or exclude from my boat selection. By acknowledging the aspects that didn’t align with my needs or budget, I refined my search to focus on the qualities that truly mattered to me.

For me the future boat cannot have issues or tons of work due to neglect. It cannot have restauration needs like a broken or dismounted engine, weak spots in the deck or elements missing in the standing rigging. I also cannot afford to ignore changes in a boat’s design as they can impact the seaworthiness of the ship. So, my future boat won’t have a “redesigned” interior, “redesigned” electrics or other visible botch jobs. It also won’t have more than two sails to manage and above all no teak deck. Don’t get me wrong, it is beautiful, but the time and costs of maintaining repairing a teak deck most of the time lead to neglect in maintenance and problems in the deck layers underneath.

Conclusion

Using the MoSCoW prioritization technique allowed me to navigate the vast sea of boat options and select my dream vessel with confidence. By categorizing boat characteristics into Must-Have, Should-Have, Could-Have, and Won’t-Have, I could prioritize my needs and preferences effectively. Armed with this knowledge, I am able to embark on my sailing journey, knowing that my chosen boat has the essential features, desirable qualities, and corresponds to my dreams and needs.

I hope this blog gave you some valuable insights on how I did narrow down my choices and how you could apply the same to situations in your life.

Fair winds,

Steph

Why Meissa?

Since I was a young boy, I was fascinated by the sky at night, the little man in the moon, the star signs, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, the polestar and… Orion.

Orion is a most useful constellation for stargazers and those still mastering celestial navigation. It is one of the best visible constellations in the night sky and can be used to navigate and find other stars and constellations. The virtual lines extending over its stars can guide you to Aldebaran, Sirius, Procyon, and the twins Castor & Pollux (Never name your dog after Pollux, but that’s a different story).

You quickly get familiarized with its stars, Rigel, Betelgeuse, Bellatrix and Saiph as the shoulders and feet are clearly visible. The belt and sword you can see easily with the naked eye as well. But where the duck is Orion’s head? Even with 20/20 vision you might need some optical help with that, but the top of Orion’s head is the star, Meissa. It is a multiple star approximately 1,300 lightyears away with a combined apparent magnitude of 3.33 if you can trust Wikipedia.

Her name means The Shining One, and for Tolkien fans: She’s my precious.. You will have to put some effort into seeing her, but she will be there.

Is there any more similarity needed to make it the future name of my dream boat?

Fair Winds,

Steph

Featured image by sl1990 from Pixabay

So, what is it about?

I was raised in a small village 5 minutes cycling from the beach and grew up with watersports around me. As a boy I learned to swim, sail, surf, row, and drive powerboats. I was a member of the local rescue squad and so, salt, brackish or fresh, the water is in my blood. And then life happens…

My career made me end up in a small, landlocked country, which, after 20 years is now truly my country. Luxembourg is beautiful, but I still miss two things, wide water and proper kibbeling. So there was always this pipe-dream of having a little sailboat to roam the Zeeland Delta and other waters again. And then life happens…

COVID crisis, health problems, three hospitalisations in a relatively short period, and being diagnosed with a chronic disease are the sort of events that make you change your outlook on life, and the decision was made that the pipedream should become a reality, before death happens….

I have a long way to go, I must get my condition up to par, get my body into shape, get my financial goals set and met. I must find my ideal boat, refresh my theorethical and practical knowledge, etc.

A dream remains a dream unless you write it down and put actions to it. Then it becomes a goal and a plan. My goal? Participate in the 2027 Small Ships Race, a rally of 100 nautical miles from IJmuiden to Lowestoft in a sailyacht under 7,50 meters (<25 ft). And there you have it, that what this is all about, and black on white on the screen, my commitment to the goal.

Fair winds,

Steph