Who we are
We are Tommy & Antje, formerly complete landlubbers and now passionate sailors with a desire for a life beyond the everyday grind. Our home floats. We have been travelling around European countries in it since 2022. We have moored in the eastern Swedish archipelago, at a wooden jetty in a Norwegian fjord and in large harbour cities such as Aarhus and Gothenburg. Unlike many of the young “sailing influencers” on YouTube and Instagram, we are no longer in our thirties; counted together we are well over a hundred years old.
But rather than focusing on children and careers, we are discovering the world. Slowly, very slowly indeed. Which is why, after four years, we are still travelling around northern and western Europe. We stay wherever we like it, sometimes for a little longer.
Why we sail
The sea has always fascinated us. For us, sailing means freedom, simplicity – and the art of experiencing a great deal with very little. No day is like the next: sometimes you sit at anchor beneath the stars, sometimes the weather annoys you because it spoils your day of sailing. And sometimes it is that one important meeting that prevents us from continuing our journey. But that is exactly what we love. No everyday routine, no nine-to-five job in an office. Instead, seeing the world and enjoying our freedom. That is what matters to us.
We first got the idea from a colleague of mine. She told me during a lunch break that her parents had learned to sail in their fifties and were now cruising the Caribbean in their boat. I immediately thought: I want that too! I cycled home that day and said to Tommy: »I want to learn to sail and then cross the Atlantic.« Unlike what I expected, he did not immediately think I had lost my mind, but did not think the idea was bad either.
What we share here
On this site, we want to take you along on our travels and introduce you to our life on the sailing boat. We show you our favourite places, share tips for everyday life on board and introduce our equipment and favourite tools. We have sometimes had to painstakingly gather a great deal of information ourselves. We want to save you that effort. Whether you are just planning your first trip or have been travelling for a while already – perhaps there is something here for you. Or perhaps we will make you want to try this life for yourself one day.
Our boat
Our boat is an Island Paket 32. And like every boat, she is a compromise. For us, she combines the most important features. Along with a few disadvantages and quirks. A compromise, then. She is 10,67m (35ft) long and 3,5m wide. But you only have 32ft (just under 10 metres) for living, because she has a bowsprit at the front. She is a long-keeler, which makes her very safe at sea but brings you out in a sweat in harbour. She is simply not as easy to manoeuvre as other (modern) boats. Yet for such a small boat, she offers a surprising amount of space inside. And many clever solutions make our TIAMAT something of a floating tiny house.
Drop us a line
Do you have questions or feedback, or would you simply like to say hello? We are delighted to receive every message!