Tomasz and Aleksandra started their big venture into sailing just about two years ago when they took delivery of their Malö 39 in Sweden.
The couple are both pilots who decided to step away from the cockpits of their respective airliners and set out on their new journey with the Elvstrøm Sails-powered S/Y Tranquility.
Their new life as full-time sailors has already taken them around some of Europe, but there’s more to come.
- We are both from the southern part of Poland and essentially grew up as far away from the sea as you can get. We are both pilots and have flown gliders and small airplanes, then made the move to be commercial pilots. I captained 737’s for more than ten years and Aleksandra used to be the captain on DHC-8's and First officer on 737’s, Tomasz says and adds:
- I picked up sailing at an early age and did lots of lake sailing in my summer holidays, whereas Aleksandra caught the passion for sailing when we met. As time passed, we usually chartered boats, but the idea of sailing for a longer period of time started to form.
Finding the right boat
The couple had to fight through a fair share of problems in their hunt to find the right boat for their dreams and ambitions. The search began in 2021 at the height of the pandemic – and when the market for sailing boats was as hot as it has probably ever been.
It ended up being almost 18 months of searching for the right boat to turn up, Aleksandra recalls:
- We wanted aluminum as it would be ideal for the type of sailing we are into, but they were simply out of budget or stock. We tried, but eventually we opted for a sturdy glassfibre boat. We set our sights for Scandinavian boats in general as we realized Hallberg-Rassy, Najad or Malö would be a good direction to go in, she says and adds:
- We were actively looking for HR42F’s but had some unpleasant experiences with sellers or brokers informing us that the boat had been sold - when we were already on the plane from Dubai to Europe for the viewing. Then the Malö 39 showed up and it just ticked the boxes for us, Aleksandra says.
Setting up ship
Purchase made, the next step was to start optimizing it for long-distance cruising. New sails were on top of the list, and so was it to adapt some ideas from the world of aviation, Tomasz states:
- Planes and ships are not far apart when it comes to the philosophy behind the way everything is planned and managed, and we used some of the same ideas here. One example could be our choice of short battens in the mainsail. Granted, full battens would perform better. But: In the event a batten breaks, it’s always easier to get short battens delivered to a place in the middle of nowhere – and a full batten isn’t. You always want the solutions which will give you the least amount of hassle if something breaks, he says.
Tomasz and Aleksandra found their right combination of sails with Elvstrøm Sails in Valencia, Spain. The Malö came with the circa 20-year-old factory fitted sails, and needed a complete, new set.
- We started looking for sailmakers right away. Our boat came with the original sails from 2002, so it was surely time for new ones. We chose Elvstrøm Sails for several reasons. The availability of worldwide support being one, and then we also had a great communication with the SailPoint in Valencia. They were great to discuss the options with, and we ended up having a new mainsail and 140% genoa made from Hydranet. We also added a Dacron jib for our inner stay, as it was on a promotion sale at the time, Tomasz says.
Giving the Malö a big update changed the boat completely, Aleksandra adds:
- We did a lot of work on the boat, but the sails really changed it. Before, the whole boat felt as if it was struggling even at around 6 knots. Now, with fresh sails, the underside redone and a new propeller, it cruises so well at those speeds and faster, and it just feels much better.
Sailing without a master plan
Having seen a substantial part of the world as pilots – the two have visited over 70 countries in total – sailing was also a call for a different way of exploring the world as it comes without a big plan. A polar opposite to their otherwise highly planned and fine-tuned approach:
- We don’t really sail with a big plan in terms of where we want to go tomorrow – I would rather say our plans are written in the sand at low tide. Now, we are in Porto and want to cross the Biscay to sail around the United Kingdom and Scotland next – followed by a crossing of the North Sea to cruise up the west coast of Norway. The ambition is to reach Lofoten sometime this summer, but we always take it as it comes.
Aleksandra adds:
- We have travelled a lot, but the regular kind of travel is always a matter of going somewhere and then having to go back at a set time. It always becomes dense and a bit rushed, whereas full-time sailing is a completely different and much more authentic experience as you never rush anything. You just go with the flow.
And of course, working from home as a pilot doesn't pan out, so the couple had to look in a new direction to work along the way of their big journey. Today, they provide consultancy for others, who are finding their way into long distance cruising.
- Working from home as an airline pilot is not really possible, so to work while we travel, we started offering consultancy for others who want to go long-distance sailing like us. We support our clients in sourcing the right boat and setup, and we do of course help them on the basis of all the knowledge we gained when finding and setting up our own boat, Aleksandra says.
You can follow the continued journey with Aleksandra and Tomasz on the S/Y Tranquility as well as their upgrade projects at https://tranquilitymare.com/en/.
