Getting Mona Lisa ready

Before setting sail on this great adventure with Mona Lisa — departing from our home port in Kiel-Schilksee, navigating through the Dover-Calais Channel, crossing the Bay of Biscay, and heading south to the Canaries before tackling the Atlantic crossing to the Caribbean — a few key upgrades and safety adjustments were essential. From resealing the windows to updating navigation systems and installing a water maker and solar panels, we made sure everything was shipshape to handle the journey ahead.

But sometimes, as we all know, things don’t go as planned. Actually, scratch that—most of the time, things don’t go as planned. A few fixes weren’t done in time, and with a scheduled crew change in the Canary Islands awaiting us, we had to set sail as planned. No big deal…except we were now lugging around solar panels and a watermaker to install while sailing. Fun times ahead!

But hey in case you are interested into some adjustments we did, here’s the rundown of what we did manage to pull off before leaving port:

• Converted all lights to LED. Because who doesn’t want to save energy in lights so it can be used for charging modern electrical devices?

• Installed connectors and mounts for two solar panels. Now we’re officially harnessing the power of the sun and can be called "sustainable" - one watt at a time.

• Resealed all windows. If it’s wet below deck, you’re doing something very, very wrong. That way we've got at least one less thing to worry about in case it does get wet inside.

• Upgraded lifelines to Dyneema. Apparently, this magical rope is 15 times stronger than steel and light enough to float. Yes, I’m also impressed.

• Calibrated the rudder bearings. Steering accurately is highly recommended if you don't want to end up like Columbus.

• Installed a Bimini top. For those hot summer days on the southern Atlantic passage aka barefoot root.

• Added an EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon). Aka our "Don’t worry, we can be found" beacon.

• Replaced Genoa track lines. Because frayed lines are so last season.

• Changed the bulbs for the deck spotlight. Cue dramatic lighting for late-night boat parties—or emergencies, whichever comes first.

• Installed a watermaker. Because fresh water is kind of important, especially in the middle of the ocean.

At this point, it might be wise to let you know who’s on the crew and who’s writing this blog. You might assume the writer is already on the crew, right? Well, she is, just not yet.

Let’s start with the most important person, not because he’s more clever than the rest of us combined or the best sailor I’ve ever known (although both are true). No, it’s because he’s the one planning this entire trip, the one who owns the boat, the one who can fix anything that needs fixing, the one who knows how to sail through any weather, and most importantly, the one who will be on board the whole time. That's Marco, my dad.

The second member of the crew, at least for the entire preparation phase and the first 36 hours of sailing, is Guido—Marco’s brother, my uncle. Guido is a mathematical genius with an artistic, generous soul, which is definitely not the usual package for a science nerd. He’s probably been a sailor since before he could even say his first word and is not only Marco’s brother but also one of his closest friends. Watching the two of them work together is like watching a perfectly mismatched duo—they complement each other so well!

The third person on board for the first part of the journey, from Germany to Tenerife, is Niels. So, who is Niels? He’s a friend of mine, whom I met almost three years ago during a winter season in Söll, a tiny village in the Skiwelt resort in Austria. Niels is a snowboard instructor in the winters, a skipper in the summers, and, as far as I can tell, great company all year around. Honestly, he has figured life out!

Niels didn’t know anyone from the crew besides me, yet he still decided to join for the first part of the sailing trip. Ballsy move! To make sure things would go smoothly, he and Marco met up a week before the journey started in Hamburg. Their mission? Prepare the last bits on the boat and, most importantly, figure out if they could work together as a team. Both of them agreed to give each other the freedom to back out if things didn’t click, without bad feelings.

Now, the above might have sounded a bit dramatic, and I don't want to scare potential or nice weather sailors away but trust me, this sailing is a bit different than the summer sailing cruises where you go through warm islands, sipping beers and swimming around. On this kind of trip, especially in the first stretch, the crew needs to work like a well-oiled machine. The route takes you through the North Sea, the English Channel, and the Bay of Biscay—all places known for challenging conditions at this time of year. Cold weather, strong winds, and occasional storms are pretty standard. To navigate these waters you need excellent communication between skipper and crew, solid theoretical and empirical sailing knowledge, and the stamina to keep going when things get tough.

And that’s why they wanted to meet beforehand. Spoiler alert: not only did they become a great crew, but they also probably made a friend for life!

Well, boarding completed!

The next post will be about the journey from Cuxhaven to Den Helder!