We’re Tommy & Antje. Former die-hard landlubbers, now passionate sailors with a longing for a life beyond the daily grind. Our home floats.
For almost four years now, we’ve been travelling through Central and Northern Europe aboard our boat. We’ve dropped anchor in the eastern Swedish archipelagos, tied up to wooden jetties in tiny Dutch villages, and berthed in big harbour cities like Aarhus.
Unlike the younger »sailing influencers« on YouTube or Instagram, we’re no longer in our thirties. Added together, we’re a good hundred years old. And yet, every now and then, we’re still “the young German couple”. Sailing does that to you – it keeps you young… and happy.
Why we sail
The sea has always fascinated us. Sailing means freedom to us. Simplicity. And the art of experiencing a great deal with very little.
No day is ever the same: sometimes you sit at anchor for hours under a sky full of stars, sometimes you’re annoyed at the weather because it’s completely ruined your plans. And sometimes it’s that one important meeting that keeps us from sailing on.
But that’s exactly what we love – and exactly what we write about. No everyday routine. No nine-to-five office life. Instead, seeing the world and truly enjoying it. That matters to us.
The idea of sailing didn’t even start with us. It came from a colleague of mine, who once told me during a lunch break that her parents had learned to sail in their fifties and were now cruising the Caribbean on their own boat. My immediate thought was: I want that too!
I cycled home that very day and told Tommy:
“I want to learn how to sail – and then cross the Atlantic.”
Contrary to expectations, he didn’t clutch his head in horror. He actually quite liked the idea.
What we share
On this site, we want to take you along on our journeys and show you what life aboard a sailing boat is really like. We share our favourite places, everyday tips for living on board, and introduce our gear and favourite tools.
A lot of information we had to dig out ourselves – slowly and sometimes painfully. We’d like to spare you that. Whether you’re planning your very first trip or have already been out there for a while, maybe you’ll find something useful here. Or perhaps we’ll simply inspire you to give this life a try.
Our boat
Our boat is an Island Packet 32. And like every boat, she’s a compromise. She combines what matters most to us – along with a few quirks and downsides. A compromise, after all.
She’s 10.67 metres (35 ft) long and 3.5 metres wide. But for living space you really only get 32 ft (just under 10 metres), because she has a bowsprit. She’s a long-keeler, which makes her very safe at sea – but can make you break a sweat in marinas. Manoeuvring isn’t exactly her strong suit compared to other (modern) boats.
That said, for her size she offers a surprising amount of space below deck. And thanks to many clever solutions, our TIAMAT feels a bit like a floating tiny house.
Drop us a line
Do you have questions, feedback, or just want to say hello? We’d love to hear from you.