The microsailing scene may be very small, but it is surprisingly diverse. Dogged record hunters meet tinkerers and romantics who long for the greatest possible independence. We introduce the three sailing enthusiasts and the status of their projects.
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Sven Yrvind, quirky and tough as nails
As an adolescent, Sven Yrvind struggled with school and life. In his 20s, he discovers his passion and purpose in boatbuilding. It just has to be small! Since then, Yrvind has been designing and building boats with which he conquers the oceans. In 1974, the Swede dramatically capsized over the bow off Cape Horn, but he learnt his lesson and six years later completed the round trip from east to west in the southern winter. This record of 5.90 metres still stands today.
The living legend of small boat designers is now 85 years old. We catch up with him on the phone as he rides through the Swedish winter to his small boatyard. When asked whether he is thinking about giving up boatbuilding and sailing, Yrvind replies with a laugh:
No. For me, sailing stands for a good life!"
As Sven Lundin, he grew up in a seafaring family and later changed his surname to Yrvind, which loosely translates as Whirlwind and also became his nickname.
Yrvind's new project
Having already travelled the world's oceans with numerous self-built microboats made of various materials, Yrvind has been working on a 5.3-metre short and 1.40-metre narrow sailing canoe every day since September 2024. He drew this "Bris System 540" himself 35 years ago and sold the design, after which around 15 boats were built.
Some time ago, he came across an example for sale on the Internet and bought it for 2,000 euros. Now he is giving his old design a refit with the knowledge of today.
Among other things, he saws off the stern to install a new steering system and lifts 90 kilograms of ballast from the floor to reinstall new ballast with an additional 60 kilograms deeper in the hull. He also wants to raise the deckhouse by ten centimetres to provide more buoyancy in the event of a capsize.
Instead of one, the "Bris Exlex" will in future have three masts - now a trademark of his miniature designs.
All work steps and approaches are described on his YouTube channel shared. You can only love Yrvind and his yellow sticky notes.
From Ireland to New Zealand
In 2025 or 2026 at the latest, Yrvind would like to sail this boat from Ireland to New Zealand to, as he says, "eat an ice cream". A stop on Madeira is firmly planned to stock up on fresh food.
With exactly 480 sardines and 70 kilos of his specially mixed survival powder made from egg yolk, almonds, milk and wholemeal flour in the stowage compartments as well as 120 litres of drinking water under the bunk, they set off on the remaining 13,500 nautical miles to Dunedin in New Zealand. Nothing else will be on the plate. "Maybe there will be a second stop somewhere, even though I will be self-sufficient for exactly 240 days," explains the old Swede.
During each trip, I'm already working on the design for the next boat and looking for further optimisations."
Continue to Cape Horn
From New Zealand, it will later continue through the Southern Ocean to Cape Horn, before diving back into the Atlantic and sailing home. A crazy trip for someone approaching 90? Definitely, but the Swede has not become a legend for nothing.
He conquered Cape Horn once before in 1980 in a 5.9 metre micro yacht, in the southern winter and against the prevailing wind direction. He still holds the world record for rounding Cape Horn in the smallest boat.
