SAILING ANIMA
CHASING DREAMS
Follow me on SV ANIMA as I sail “around the world” (hopefully soon)
Ahoy, I’m Paul – a German transplant officially calling Curaçao home, and this is the story of how I rescued an abandoned sailboat to chase my Caribbean sailing dreams.
⛵ Meet My Project Boat: A 1990 Gib Sea 402 Master
When I stumbled upon Bowalie in 2025, she was far from seaworthy—but her potential was undeniable. Despite years of neglect, I saw a diamond in the rough: a sturdy hull, a practical layout, and an interior begging for revival.
🌊 From Charter Workhorse to Forgotten Derelict
For years, Bowalie hosted day charters in Bonaire—until her owner vanished, leaving her stranded in a marina. Abandoned and decaying, she eventually wound up on a private pier, forgotten by everyone… until fate intervened.
🔧 The Rescue Mission
Through a twist of luck, I discovered Bowalie, negotiated a fair deal, and embarked on a crash course in “emergency boat repairs” just to sail her to Curaçao. Now, the real work begins: her full transformation into ANIMA (her new name, meaning “soul”—because every great boat deserves rebirth).
Join me as I:
✔ Battle corrosion, osmosis, and mystery repairs
✔ Document the highs (progress!) and lows (why is everything broken?)
✔ Work toward the ultimate goal: exploring the Caribbean in my self-restored floating home
Follow below for regular updates — this is going to be one heck of a ride!
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Final Fixes Before Departure
November 30th, 2025Boat Life Preparations in Curaçao After months of repairs, upgrades, and unexpected delays, I’m finally getting closer to setting sail again. My Gibsea 402, built in 1990 and lovingly brought back from a neglected state, is almost ready for the next...
First Sail After the Rigging Repairs: A Day of Discoveries, Adjustments & Barnacles
November 23th, 2025There are days in boat life that feel like milestones — not because everything goes smoothly, but because everything finally starts moving again. This sail was one of those days. After months of refitting my Gib’Sea 402, replacing neglected rigging,...
I Bought a Neglected Sailboat in Bonaire – And Here’s the Full Boat Tour (GibSea 402)
November 16th, 2025When I decided to buy a neglected sailboat in Bonaire, people thought I had lost my mind. Maybe they were right. But sometimes, the best adventures begin exactly where everyone else sees a mistake. What started as a spontaneous dream to return a...
Life at Anchor: Fixing Leaks and Living Off-Grid on SV Anima
October 26th, 2025Life at anchor is rarely just sunsets and cocktails — sometimes it’s fiberglass dust, epoxy fumes, and a leaky water tank testing your patience. In this week’s episode aboard SV Anima, I tackled one of those essential (and slightly messy) off-grid...
DIY Rigging Upgrade at Anchor – Installing Sta-Lok Terminals on My Sailboat
October 12th, 2025When you live off-grid on a sailboat, maintenance doesn’t wait for the perfect conditions. This week, anchored in a calm bay under the Caribbean sun, I tackled one of those essential (but slightly nerve-wracking) projects — upgrading my rigging with...
A Day in the Life – Groceries, Boat Work, and Dreams on the Horizon
October 5th, 2025Everyday life looks a little different when your home floats on the water. In this episode, I share a glimpse of what off-grid living aboard a sailboat really feels like — a blend of simple routines, salty hands, and small adventures that make up life...
Life at Anchor – Off-Grid Living in a Curaçao Lagoon
September 28th, 2025After an unforgettable trip to Bonaire, I’ve dropped anchor once again — this time in a quiet lagoon in Curaçao. The water here is calm, the breeze steady, and life moves at the rhythm of the wind and the waves. It’s the perfect place to slow down,...
The Quick Escape – Sailing from Curaçao to Bonaire and Back
September 21th, 2025Sometimes, boat life takes you on adventures you didn’t exactly plan — and this one was a perfect example. Sometimes you get interrupted from life on anchor and work on the projects, turning into an island passage between Curaçao and Bonaire.The...
Sailing Off-Grid – Testing Freedom, One Anchor at a Time
September 14th, 2025There’s a special kind of feeling that comes when you finally leave the marina behind — when the last dock line is untied, and your boat becomes your entire world. In this video, I set sail to test life off-grid, anchored solo and relying...
Back to Boat Work – Rebuilding My Anchor Locker
August 29th, 2025After a short break on land, it was time to get back to what boat life is really about — fixing, improving, and keeping this floating home seaworthy. My next challenge: rebuilding the anchor locker. When I first installed my new windlass system, I...
Sailing Adventure to Grenada and the Grenadines
August 15th, 2025What was supposed to be a simple hop over to Grenada turned into a full-blown Caribbean odyssey. You’d think that, living in the islands already, a short flight south would be easy — but this trip had other plans. It started with a missed connection,...
Rebuilding My Anchor Locker – One Step Toward Freedom
July 25th, 2025When I first bought my boat, I knew I was stepping into a world of adventure — but also a long list of projects waiting to be tackled. One of the first things that caught my attention was the anchor setup. The boat came with a tiny anchor and an old...