MAR A LA VISTA

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

WE KEEP SAILING TO THE NEXT GOAL. AHOY!

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

HOW WILL YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS BE USED?

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

INSTAGRAM of Sergi and Nirvana

EMAIL: sergibasoli@gmail.com

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