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MAR A LA VISTA

Restoring a traditional sailboat to go whale watching and raise awareness around conservation

Sergi R. Basolí

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SECOND GOAL ACCOMPLISHED! THANKS A MILLION! YOU ARE AWESOME!

WE KEEP SAILING TO THE NEXT GOAL. AHOY!

_______________________________________________________________________

My name is SERGÍ R. BASOLÍ and I want to fulfill a dream. I want to restore an old wooden boat with my hands and my seafaring passion to make it the first traditional boat dedicated to whale watching in Barcelona.

The "Ría de Ferrol" sailing in the Mediterranean
The "Ría de Ferrol" sailing in the Mediterranean

To this end I am founding MAR A LA VISTA, a project in which I will embark an intimate group of explorers willing to set sail together to share a traditional navigation experience, life at sea and responsible observation of cetaceans and other marine species.

MY STORY WITH THE SEA

A few years ago I decided to take a journey that would change my life completely. I went from working as a renewable energy engineer in Germany to traveling thousands of miles in a kayak. Halfway through the trip, I came across a homeless street dog, which I adopted and called NIRVANA. She soon became an excellent travel companion and agile sailor.

Nirvana and I on one of our Mediterranean crossings
Nirvana and I on one of our Mediterranean crossings

Kayaking gave me the possibility to observe nature in silence and at a slow pace. It was easy to see how protected marine habitats are healthy and full of life. Unfortunately not all places enjoy such protection.

This motivated me to navigate the coasts of six different countries to understand what influence humans have on the sea and to explore effective solutions to help protect it and regenerate its biodiversity.

Kayaking with Nirvana when we bordered the north of the island of Corsica
Kayaking with Nirvana when we bordered the north of the island of Corsica

Those years of solitary navigation are behind me and I realized that I wanted to share what I had learned and experienced at sea with more people. My kayak became too small for the new adventure I had in mind, so I looked for a larger boat and became a captain. And that's how MAR A LA VISTA was born.

THE "RÍA DE FERROL", A SHIP WITH HISTORY

When I came across the RÍA DE FERROL it was love at first sight. It was the ideal boat: a spartan looking antique boat, made of fine wood and with a long rudder. It boasted a solid mast, traditional sails with bare hand manoeuvring, old bronze hatches and portholes and a very wide deck. That beautiful boat was ideal for whale watching and enjoying the sea in a more authentic and unique way.

A "trincado" from 1910 in Ferrol rigging a traditional galician headsail
A "trincado" from 1910 in Ferrol rigging a traditional galician headsail

The RÍA DE FERROL is a "trincado"; a boat used to transport goods between the high estuaries of Galicia. It seems to be the last of its kind. It was built in 1949 and its former owner restored it in the eighties, pampering it as if it were a son. He finally made the difficult decision to give the baton to a new generation and thus manage to maintain the maritime cultural heritage it represents.

The "Ría de Ferrol" sailing in the bay of Ferrol in 2005
The "Ría de Ferrol" sailing in the bay of Ferrol in 2005

LEFT: The "Ría de Ferrol" was abandoned for many years in an orchard waiting for a chance to go out to sea again. RIGHT: The ship during the restoration work on the hull in the 1980s
LEFT: The "Ría de Ferrol" was abandoned for many years in an orchard waiting for a chance to go out to sea again. RIGHT: The ship during the restoration work on the hull in the 1980s

WHALE WATCHING

The fin whale, an endangered animal, is the second largest animal on the planet and the largest in our sea. Even so, there is a general lack of knowledge about its existence in our waters, despite the fact that they feed very closely to our shores during their migration through the Mediterranean.

Illustration of a fin whale
Illustration of a fin whale

Their presence is an indication of a healthy sea and protecting them is equivalent to preserving the marine habitat. With the project MAR A LA VISTA I intend to bring this reality closer to the community of Barcelona, to create awareness through direct experience with them and contact with the sea.

WHY COLLABORATE?

MAR A LA VISTA is a local sustainable leisure project based on respect for our natural resources and protection of marine biodiversity. With your collaboration you will help to rehabilitate a traditional boat and to preserve a true archaeological treasure.

All those who collaborate will be engraved on a brass plate with your names that will be installed on our boat next to the mast. That way you will always be remembered.

Nirvana is already guarding the future plaque<br/>
Nirvana is already guarding the future plaque

HOW WILL YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS BE USED?

English description below
English description below

1st OBJECTIVE 10,000 €: HULL AND STRUCTURE

● Hull repair and replacement of older frames
● Changing the propeller shaft
● Important deck repairs
● Treatment against woodworm in some structural points
● Compliance certifications and paperwork

This is something to celebrate! We will serve tavern wine on all routes! (all we can afford... For now!)

2nd OBJECTIVE 18,000 €: BASIC SERVICES

● Renovation of the kitchen and bathroom
● New wooden floor for the cabins, interior and exterior painting
● Port to boat access footbridge and water access ladder
● Engine sound insulation

We can aim for a little luxury now and we can add to the table a Galician "cloudy" wine. This is starting to work out!

3rd OBJECTIVE 26,000 €: NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT

● Approved safety equipment
● GPS and sonar installation
● Steering wheel repair
● Incorporation of the autopilot
● Fixing sails and putting in new lines

This is going well, albariño wine for all the crew!

4th OBJECTIVE 37,000 €: SIGHTING MATERIAL

● Binoculars for the crew
● Special underwater microphone and speakers
● Special waterproof drone
● Photographic camera
● Auxiliary boat with greater capacity

This must be celebrated with orujo!

5th OBJECTIVE 45,000 €: EXTRAS COMFORT

● Table and benches on deck
● Adaptation of bunk beds and sofas
● Improvement of the electrical system and installation of a solar panel
● Music and lighting equipment
● Awnings and hammocks

We will make a grand opening and baptize the boat by crashing a bottle of cava into the hull!

CONTACTS / CREW

Nirvana and I are waiting for you on board
Nirvana and I are waiting for you on board

INSTAGRAM of Sergi and Nirvana

EMAIL: [email protected]

CAMPAIGN ADVISOR: Paco Gómez

DRAWINGS: Marc Monfort

PHOTOGRAPHY: Lurdes R. Basolí

MARKETING & MEDIA: Eva Carbonell

VIDEO: Manuel Coronado and Horacio Cabilla: Light Hunter Films

SPECIAL THANKS: to the former owner César Bedoya and the wonderful people of Ferrol

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63 comments

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  • Júlia

    Júlia

    over 3 years

    Fantàtica iniciativa, felicitats!

  • Karppi

    Karppi

    over 3 years

    Enhorabuena por tu proyecto! Suerte amigo!😊

  • acamps07

    acamps07

    over 3 years

    Buena Travesía!

  • Fran Claudios

    Fran Claudios

    over 3 years

    Que los vientos sean favorables!

  • Paola Sol Ixent

    Paola Sol Ixent

    over 3 years

    Sort sergi!

  • Paola Sol Ixent

    Paola Sol Ixent

    over 3 years

    Sort sergi!

  • Julio F Monsalve

    Julio F Monsalve

    over 3 years

    Ánimo. Magnífica iniciativa Sergi!

  • Mitxelo

    Mitxelo

    over 3 years

    Ánimo y vientos favorables🛶⛵

  • matrenado

    matrenado

    over 3 years

    Mil ganas de subirme y avistar las ballenas!!!

  • María Muñoz Bonache

    María Muñoz Bonache

    over 3 years

    Que tengas mucha suerte.

#04 / ¡Empezamos con los envíos! / We start with the shipments!

Queridos mecenas,

¡Muchas gracias por vuestra paciencia! Finalmente la espera llega a su fin. Hemos tenido algunos imprevistos con la preparación de las recompensas que nos han hecho retrasar los envíos. Pedimos disculpas por ello.

Los abridores “marineiros” han sido cortados manualmente uno a uno gracias a la gran ayuda de nuestro amigo carpintero Jordi. Con mucho cariño hemos conservado una de las caras brutas, para que se pueda apreciar que es madera reciclada, madera con historia. Cada una de las 320 piezas ha sido redondeada y pulida, les hemos hecho dos agujeros y seguidamente roscado los tornillos que servirán de palanca para servir de abridor, a la medida justa. Y finalmente hemos colocado un cordel resistente para que sea más práctico llevarlo encima o usarlo de llavero.

Las impresiones Fine-Art han sido firmadas una a… read more

#03 / Seguimos con las reparaciones y los papeleos... // We're busy with the repairs and paperwork...

Estimados mecenas,

hace ya más de dos semanas del día en el que este proyecto cumplió un sueño… dos semanas en las que no hemos parado quietos pero aún nos emocionamos al pensar en vosotros y en vuestras aportaciones, no sabéis lo mucho que os lo agradecemos!

Esta campaña ha sido una locura de emociones, ha habido muchos correos, mensajes, llamadas...infinitas muestras de ilusión recibidas de mil maneras posibles, nos han entrevistado en la radio, en la prensa de aquí y de Galicia y muchos amigos nos han ayudado también a través de sus redes...a todos vosotros: ¡Mil gracias de nuevo!

Ahora hemos cambiado el ordenador por la madera, la pintura y otras herramientas. La idea era desde un principio poner a punto este barco con mis manos…y gracias a vuestra ilusión...lo estamos llevando a cabo! Todo… read more

#02 / ¡¡ 24 HORAS PARA EL FINAL DEL CROWDFUNDING!! / 24 HOURS TIL THE END OF THE CROWDFUNDING!

Muchas gracias por haber contribuido con vuestras aportaciones en este crowdfunding que nos llevará a surcar los mares en busca de ballenas disfrutando a la vez del arte de la navegación tradicional.

Nos quedan ya menos de 24 horas (hasta el domingo por la mañana) para llegar al tercer objetivo. Ayúdanos a dar un último empujón a este proyecto compartiendo la iniciativa en tus redes sociales y entre tus contactos. El RÍA DE FERROL te estará siempre agradecido por ello!

Mientras tanto, hemos avanzado con las reparaciones del casco y la hélice, los trabajos de pintura tanto dentro como fuera, la instalación de unos toldos y colchonetas para hacer los paseos más confortables y ahora estamos liados con la reconstrucción del camarote de popa. El siguiente paso es instalar el baño y la cocina, una nueva rampa de acceso, la escalera al agua y adquirir nuevos sistemas de navegación para hacer las travesías más seguras. Os seguiremos informando de las novedades!

De nuevo, read more

#01 / ¡MIL GRACIAS! ¡SEGUIMOS! / THOUSAND THANKS! WE KEEP GOING!

Queridos Mecenas,

Millones de gracias a todos los que ya habéis colaborado con vuestras aportaciones. ¡Juntos hemos alcanzado el primer objetivo, reparar el casco y la estructura! Y ahora, lo prometido es deuda, ¡lo celebraremos con vino de taberna!

¡Pero esto no termina aquí! Seguimos navegando viento en popa hacia el segundo objetivo para conseguir equipar el barco como se merece, y claro, poder servir vino turbio a todos los pasajeros del RÍA DE FERROL.

Nirvana en proa
Nirvana en proa

Si lo conseguimos, renovaremos el baño y la cocina, insonorizamos la sala de máquinas, pondremos un nuevo suelo de madera en las cabinas e instalaremos pasarelas y escaleras de acceso . Poco a poco, este barco va quedando precioso.

Sin vosotros, esto no habría sido posible.

¡Ahora formáis parte de este barco, vuestro nombre navegará a bordo para siempre! ¡Que emoción! Por eso os animamos a seguir difundiendo el proyecto en vuestro entorno y así seguir añadiendo tripulantes a esta nueva aventura marinera!

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