The sailing boys are back on land - and already have new plans

Created: 04/17/2022, 19:00

On their boat, the "Arrya", on the Pacific: Tim Hund (left) and Vincent Goymann.

© Sailing Boys

After 39 days on the high seas, the sailing boys have arrived in Indonesia.

The longest sailing stage of the two brought them many nice experiences - but they also had to struggle with problems.

Gaißach/Königsdorf/Sorong – After 39 days they made it: The “sailing boys” Tim Hund and Vincent Goymann recently arrived in Sorong in Indonesia after their longest sailing leg to date.

The starting point was Papeete in French Polynesia.

Their boat, the “Arrya”, had to be towed to the finish.

As the two globetrotters from Gaißach and Königsdorf reported to the courier by telephone, they covered 5,650 nautical miles during their crossing, which corresponds to 10,464 kilometers.

They reached an average speed of almost six knots.

"That's okay," Dog says.

"Unfortunately, we often had a lull, otherwise we would of course have been faster."

"In the end you're really exhausted"

In general, the "sailing boys" experienced a lot of the weather that sailors can encounter during these days on the Pacific: calm with rain, calm with sun, days with good wind and good weather and two stormy days.

"Then it really got down to business: rain and changing winds with an average of 20 to 30 knots and it even blew at 40 knots at its peak", says Tim Hund from Gaißach.

They also encountered a wave almost eight meters high.

In retrospect, that was also the most negative experience of the long journey, says Goymann.

"At some point you get cold, you can't sleep and you end up really exhausted."

The "sailing boys" communicate with the residents of Sorong with hands and feet.

© private

How do you last that long for two on a 17 meter long nutshell in the middle of the ocean?

"Sometimes you have days when you feel imprisoned," admits Hund.

Goymann had a similar experience: “Some days I felt a bit oppressive.

That was largely due to the limitations that you have on the boat.” But there wasn't much friction between the two, says Hund.

"If something happens, it will be clarified." Goymann adds that it's normal for everyone to have a bad day.

"Then you just sit down on the deck and reflect."

It is difficult for the sailors to define a single event of the trip as the highlight.

"I would describe the entire experience of the passage as a high point," explains Goymann.

“Seeing yourself change, starting a different life, is like a mind-expanding experience.

Over a month for two at sea: That is pure life.” Hund sees it that way too: “You grow extremely, spend a lot of time with yourself and learn a lot about yourself.” Without the internet and smartphone, you also have a lot of time for new things to discover yourself: "I've become a bookworm," says Hund.

But despite all the great experiences, both say: "We don't have to sail that long again in one go."

Various damage to the boat

On such a long journey damage to the boat is inevitable.

“Three of our sails have snapped.

The two light wind sails can no longer be repaired.

But the so-called staysail for strong winds can be sewn up,” says Hund.

In addition, a laptop gave up the ghost, a drone leaned into the water.

The two suffered the greatest damage just before they reached their destination: the motor shaft broke 70 nautical miles from Sorong.

This connects the diesel engine to the propeller.

"With the sea as smooth as glass in the middle of the night, there was suddenly a bang and then there was a rumble," explains Hund.

The reason was that the shaft was not perfectly aligned, which led to permanent tension.

The “Arrya” had to be towed the last nautical miles into the bay by another boat.

The motor shaft has since been repaired.

A specialist from Bali took care of it.

Cost point: around 4000 euros.

Communication with hands and feet

Meanwhile, the circumnavigators enjoyed the port city.

"It's very wild here: lots of people, motorcycles, smog, rubbish and great markets," says Goymann.

In addition, they are probably the only western tourists at the moment.

And although hardly anyone understands English, you are often spoken to.

But you can communicate with hands and feet.

"People are very nice," says Hund.

"We're in a whole new world compared to French Polynesia, which is quite French."

The plans for the next few weeks are already set: "In the next three to four months we will stay in Indonesia and explore the area around Raja Ampat, Bali and Lombok," says Hund.

In the long term, the "sailing boys" want to arrive back in the Mediterranean at the turn of the year.

ARNDT PROHL

More information about the crossing is available on the "Segeljungs" YouTube channel.

Under the motto "Pacific to the power of two" they tell of the 5650 nautical miles on the water every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.