We’re not idiot’s abroad – we’re idiots on a boat!

Every once in a while you meet someone special. Someone that goes above and beyond all expectations. Someone that fundamentally changes who you are and how you think.

For us, we’ve been privilege to meet several ‘someone specials’ this year. It seems that we’ve been massively rewarded for saying ‘screw it’ to our lives and trading them in for new ones…and perhaps, for going so far out of our comfort zones. Let me explain…

Instead of being the ‘idiot abroad,’ I’d class my husband and I as the ‘idiots on a sailboat.’

Now, I know I shouldn’t be so harsh on my husband and I but what we didn’t know far outstripped the few things we did know.

With very limited knowledge on boats and even sailing, we sold all our possessions, purchased a 56’ Oyster sailboat and embarked on an around the world adventure with our, at the time, 3 year old daughter earlier this year.

Many people thought we were nuts and even the UK newspapers called us terrible parents for taking our daughter out of a ‘normal’ life, but my husband and I wanted to change the way we lived our lives.

We were tired of the rat race, living closed up in a house, eating processed foods and failing to connect with nature and people

Furthermore, we wanted to bond as a family – to truly enjoy our daughters younger years together.

That being said, I’m thankful as to how naïve we were about our decision

I fear that if I knew then what I know now, I would have never said, ‘screw-it, let’s trade our land based life in for one on the sea.’ The learning curve has been overwhelming at times.

Interestingly, however, the universe seems to teach us what we need to know when we need to know it. Whenever our backs have been up against a wall and we didn’t know where to turn, someone steps up and shows us the way.

Throughout the year, whenever we needed help, someone appeared

Whether we needed someone to help translate for us, get our generator working (again!), show us how to trim our sails, take us to see real local life rather than the tourist traps, dive down to secure our mooring line to a more secure ‘anchor,’ or go up our mast to figure out why our main halyard wasn’t working correctly.

This list could go on for page after page. The things that Jim and Carole taught us alone could create a small book. Read: Couple sets off for a 3 year around the world sailing trip – 15 years later they’re still going!

Our first season sailing our boat has now come to an end and it finished on a momentous high

It finished with yet another person that has helped us in priceless ways and has become a new friend – a friend that I hope will be a friend forever.

Our new friend, Andrea, and my hubby, Simon

Let me tell the story as it’s a perfect example of the age-old adage of when you need a teacher, the teacher appears

While sailing around the Ionian Greek Islands, our main halyard broke (the rope that holds the main sail up) and my husband, Simon, found oil in the bilge below the engine.

We anchored in a bay, called a contact that recently helped us on other repairs 300 miles away. Simon asked if he knew anyone in our area that he’d recommend. Within minutes, Simon was arranging for someone to come out the boat.

Not long after the phone calls, hubby went to the shore to collect yet another engineer to look at our engine. Throughout the season our engine and generator had a variety of problems but Simon and I didn’t know where to start. Our plan was to have engineers do a massive service on them at the end of the season.

Little did we know that it wasn’t just another engineer that boarded our boat

Andrea Blasi boarded our boat and within a few minutes of looking at the engine, he started to real off a variety of things that were wrong. He also makes a call to his business partner, Vitorrio so to arrange for a look at our rigging. Please read the following article to really appreciate our ‘chance’ meeting with Andrea and Vittorio: The trials of a new boat owner – a tale of coincidence, corruption and contempt for the marine industry

After a few hours, we all decided that the best thing to do was to slowly sail the boat closer to Andrea and Vittorio’s base only a few miles away in Preveza, mainland Greece. Once there, we could get a firm idea on all the issues and create a plan to sort things out.

The next day, we made our way to Ionian Marina directly across the bay from Preveza, Greece

Andrea hopped aboard with another engineer and they start taking things apart. They quickly diagnosed a problem with our turbo and knew that it needed to be sent away for inspection. They also took off the diesel fuel pump and announced that it’s never been changed and doesn’t work correctly.

After looking at a variety of things, Andrea opened the heat exchanger on the generator and discovered that it was completely solid with salt, sludge and 2 impeller blades. As the duo kept pulling things off, they kept showing us the poor state of things. All of our injectors were completely caked with carbon.

While various pieces and parts were sent off to be serviced or taken back to workshop to be cleaned, Andrea taught us how to clean the engines

Both were covered in black dust, oil and soot. Looking back, they were in such a terrible state. We just didn’t know any better.

Andrea spent a day going through all the electrics showing us how to use a multimeter to test the continuity and fix any wires that weren’t working, burnt or corroded. Andrea demonstrated how to solder and then he’d pull it apart so that we could have a go at it.

He introduced us to new tools, solvents, equipment and techniques that would make our lives easier and help us to maintain our engines. Day after day, for three weeks, Simon and Andrea laid on the floor cleaning and inspecting. Once the engines were clean, Andrea pulled off any corroded parts and showed Simon how to repaint them.

Eventually, once all the parts were back and in place, Andrea and Simon repainted the generator

Before my eyes I saw an amazing transformation

Previous to meeting Andrea our engines looked like they were old, exhausted and ready for decommission. In fact, engineers in Sicily told us that they both had to be replaced! Now, they almost looked brand new. The above picture show shows the before and after images of our generator.

The day finally came when our Westerbeke generator was put back together and ready for testing. We all held our breath as the heat switch was depressed and then the start button was triggered. The sound of the engine was amazing – I know that it sounds silly, but the engine purred.

And the following day it was time to test the main engine – it’s a Perkins. Once again, we held our breath and when the start button was pushed, the engine turned on and we heard even more purring. It was music to our ears.

Image of the engine being put back together

Throughout the repairs, I read a boat maintenance book and kept asking Andrea questions to make sure we knew what needed to be done and where it was. At one point I asked Andrea about our stern gland. I had a niggle that there wasn’t something quite right with it. Read When I thought things couldn’t get any worse, they have – looks like we might have fried our propeller shaft to hear that story. Needless to say, Andrea showed us what was wrong and how to fix it. That’s all sorted now.

As if that wasn’t enough, while checking the electrics, Andrea became upset about the placement of one of the circuit boards

It’s located in the lifejacket locker where it can be nocked. Before I knew what was going on, Andrea was moving the circuit board to a more suitable place and getting a container to cover it so it wasn’t exposed.

Andrea also fixed our broken freezer latch, my Dyson hand-held vacuum (both shown above) that turned on and off intermittently and helped to get a stuck drawer unstuck. This will sound ridiculous, but having my Dyson fixed was better than any present I could ever received! After two years of having it go on and off as I vacuumed it now turned on and stayed on.

Not only did Andrea, and his dog Bonsai, spend time with us ever day for over 3 weeks but we also enjoyed dinner with him every night

Andrea took us to authentic Greek restaurants, cooked meals for us or joined us aboard Britican for meals. One night he made us homemade gnocchi’s – the BEST homemade gnocchi’s I’ve ever had (sorry mom!)

When Andrea offered to make us Tiramasu, I quickly asked, ‘Do you mind if I film it in Britican’s Galley?’ Andrea agreed and so you can learn how to make it too if you want! Watch the video here: Authentic Tiramisu aboard Britican

Andrea also took us grocery shopping, to chandleries and around the area to source items we needed for the boat.

After 3 weeks and a lot of chats, I felt as if I had known Andrea for my whole life. I came to realize that he doesn’t help people because he needs a job or money. He helps genuine people that genuinely want to take the time to learn about boats, boat engines and maintenance. He wants to pass on his many years of experience. Furthermore, my daughter, Sienna fell in love with him. We all truly felt as if we found a new member of our family. (Pictured above is our guest, Admiral Stefano, Sienna and Andrea all playing games around the table).

In the beginning of this article I started off by stating Andrea changed who I am and how I think…Let me expand on this:

How has Andrea changed who I am?

Where do I start? My husband and I are no longer idiots on a sailboat for starters. We’re no longer afraid of our engines. Andrea has given us more confidence and instead of fishing for us, he’s taught us how to fish. We now know exactly what we have to do and when we need to do it. Furthermore, if there is a problem we no longer fear touching our engines. Our heads have been pulled out of the sand.

I am no longer a silly girl that will ask an engineer to service our engines without me watching and knowing what should be done. If I get an invoice that my heat exchanger has been cleaned and I don’t see it removed from the engine, I pity the engineer that has to endure the wrath of Kim.

I am now a true believer that when the student asks for a teacher, the universe will deliver the teacher. Simon and I were desperate for help but we didn’t know what kind of help would be best. We needed someone to take the time to show us how to do things. Furthermore, we needed someone that didn’t require oodles of money.

How has Andrea changed how I think?

I no longer think that the generator cupboard or engine room is scary. I no longer think that the foundation of our ‘home’ is on shaky ground. I think our engines are in top condition and I know that between my husband and I we can work together to keep them in top shape.

I also think that the best people to help you work on our boat are people that live on a boat themselves. Did I mention that Andrea not only lives on a boat but he was actually born on a boat!? Boaties know the dangers involved with poorly serviced engines. They understand what it’s like to be in a Force 10 storm relying on their systems. Furthermore, they know how everything works together as a whole system.

Just a bit on Andrea as he’s an amazing person

He was born on a boat (pictured above) in 1955 outside of Gibraltar coming from Brazil with both parents being from Italian decent. His father was an architect and decided to build a one-off sailboat.

Andrea went to school in Italy, worked on fishing boats and started tinkering with marine engines at the age of 16. After a long stint in the Forces as an engineer amongst other things, he ‘retired,’ and over the last eleven years he started 3 restaurants, one near Rome in a shipyard, another one in Leros Island in the Aegean sea and one in Leftkas, the Ionian Sea…all of which he built up and sold.

Andrea enjoys the simple life – he loves mostly to clean a dirty engine

Throughout his whole life he’s owned over 15 boats to maintain, service and enjoy.

Currently, Andrea spends the summers on his 19th boat, African Queen. You’ll find her moored up across from Preveza.

So…if you ever find yourself sailing around the Ionian Islands and want to take some time learning and ensuring your engines are in top-notch condition, I urge you to contact Andrea. He’ll only offer to help out if you genuinely want to learn, so if you’re in hurry or think you have all the answers he’s not for you.

Furthermore, working in conjunction with Andrea is Vittorio Manlingri, Vendee Globe racer and ex boat builder amongst many other things

Andrea put us in touch with Vittorio and his son Nico to help us with our rigging. Not only did they finally sort out a 3 times reoccurring issue, but they fixed some very low cost but highly sensitive issues we had on our rigging.

Nico sewing a cover around our shroud

What was great is that Vittorio took the time to explain what was wrong, why it was wrong and how we can make sure to keep up the maintenance. Did you know that you’re supposed to go to the top of your mast every couple weeks? Do you know what to look for when you do? These key things Vittorio and his son taught us.

And Nico spent days up our mast repairing all our sail protectors on our shrouds

He spent hours with our guest, Admiral Stefano, making templates, sewing the protectors and then being hauled up the mast to fit them.

Starting from the left – Sienna, Me, Vittorio, Andrea, Nico and Stefano

Fortunate for us, we enjoyed an amazing meal of lentils made on Vittorio’s boat in addition to a few meals out at various restaurants.

Listening to Vittorio’s stories about leaving Italy with his family to sail around the world at the age of 16, racing in the Vendee Globe, capsizing a catamaran going over 50 knots/hour, boat design and his future plans were enthralling. Both Andrea and Vittorio have these amazing personalities where you just want to sit and listen to them talk forever.

What I’ve discovered is this…

There are marine engineers that are engineers because that is the career choice they made. And then there are marine engineers that are engineers because, for them, there’s nothing better in the world to do.

Andrea, Vittorio and their support team are serving people in the boating world because they love the boating world…and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

If you can’t get these guys to help you out, my suggestion would be to find others that are similar. Find people that live on a boat and ask them for assistance before reaching out to those that live on land and only work on boats for an income.

Andrea, Vittorio and their full team work out of Preveza, Greece. To get in touch with them, your best bet is to email Andrea at: abla@globalintel.ch or email me and I’ll send you their phone numbers.

And just one last note if you’re wondering about costs

For all the work we had done – the parts serviced and/or replaced in addition to the labor hours and all the extras that Andrea, Vitorrio and their team did for us we spent less than 1/2 of what a new generator would have cost us.

Come next year, if we didn’t meet these guys we would have wasted 10’s of 1000’s of euros on buying engines we did not need. As I’ve already mentioned, not only did they teach us to fish rather than fish for us but they gave us priceless confidence, a new friendship and saved us money.

Andrea’s Top Advice

• When you buy a boat get to know the boat intimately. Understand how it works. If you don’t want to go in and tinker yourself…find someone that can walk you through it.
• When you know there’s a problem do it now not tomorrow – don’t put your head in the sand
• People that want to live aboard must be confident with mechanical things…You can do lots of things yourself so just get started. Pull things apart in a safe place and call for help only if you can’t find a solution.

Totally aside…I have a theory as to why we keep having these incredible life experiences

Back when we lived on land everything was predictable. We knew what our lives were going to be like. Now that we are out of our comfort zones, we’ve been forced to open up to whatever the universe presents. Furthermore, we no longer ‘know it all,’ and we have to ask for help. By doing so, our lives seem to have entered the magical world of coincidences and serendipity. Looking back I can’t come close to accurately describing how amazing our lives have become by getting out of our ‘normal’ routines. I truly believe that life rewards those that say ‘screw it, I’m going to go for it!’

Amen.