The idea: fellow sailors share the costs of sailing around the world
Moritz Wichmann put money aside for ten years as a newspaper editor, then he quit his job and bought a second-hand Dufour 43. His plan: fellow sailors would pay between 250 and 600 euros per week for their legs and thus help finance the circumnavigation. The result after 18 months: 40 trips, 221 people on board - and in the end, the financing worked out.
Moritz does the maths in the podcast: How much does a used circumnavigation boat cost? How high are the running costs? And how do you manage to set sail with a limited budget instead of spending years in the shipyard?
From editor to boat all-rounder
On the way, Moritz grew beyond himself: he learnt to repair diesel engines, mend sails, overhaul the on-board electrics and repair his equipment - often in remote places or even in the middle of the sea. His realisation: you don't need an engineering degree to do this, but you do need to be willing to get your hands dirty.
Red Sea risk
One of the biggest challenges on the circumnavigation was the passage through the Red Sea: a 2,000-mile battle against the wind and through highly sensitive political waters. The beginning - a risky night passage through the Bab el-Mandeb - was characterised by fear of the Huthi rebels. In view of the war, poverty and the situation in the region, no one was initially prepared to take this risk with him. In this episode, Moritz explains how he overcame this stage despite the enormous hurdles and the surprisingly positive encounters he had along the way.
Organisation of 221 crew members
How do you manage a fluctuation of over 200 people in a confined space and with a tight schedule? Were there any conflicts that jeopardised the project? And where do you even find crew for remote routes? Moritz talks about his most important findings in the podcast - and gives an insider tip for anyone who wants to hire crew.
After the circumnavigation
A year after the adventure, Moritz is back in everyday life in Berlin, in a permanent job - and is about to embark on his next big project: he is going to be a father. How does he manage his return to life on land? He charters out his Dufour 43 in Greece. Will the model work? Find out more in the podcast.
Here you can listen to the YACHT sailing podcast with Moritz Wichmann
At this point, you will find external content that complements the article. You can display and hide it with a click.
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Amazon Music
Audible
And don't forget to subscribe and leave feedback.
If you have any questions, suggestions or topic requests, please write to us at podcast@yacht.de!
Antonia von Lamezan
Volontärin
