Podcast Maré Sonora ® video

What is it like living on the sailboat Planckton?

4 April 2026 · 52 min · 285 views · Ilhabela

Three crew stand together on sailing ship Planckton’s deck

What this video covers

Fábio and Cecília live aboard Plankton, a Vininautos 42 (finished at 43 feet) built in aluminum to a design by Thierry Stumpf, now based at Ilhabela, Brazil after returning from a five-year Atlantic circuit in late 2023.2:52 Fábio describes how Thierry sketched the boat on a paper tablecloth at a restaurant and recruited him as a co-builder when he was still a law intern with no funds; the boat's name derives from the biological definition of plankton — organisms that drift with current and wind — sharing its etymological root with the word "planet."3:22 The boat carries 1,300 liters of water in tanks that double as ballast and roughly 600 liters of diesel, giving it long-range cruising autonomy.19:39 The couple raised their son Igor entirely aboard, homeschooling him during the second Atlantic circuit and maintaining a dedicated cabin as his permanent space even when chartering the other two cabins.28:50 Igor, now 18, asked to return to Ilhabela for a stable social life ashore.32:06 The conversation also covers the Plankton's maiden voyage to Ilha da Trindade for the Maio Dourado Brasilis offshore race, and the challenges of landing there by helicopter due to heavy swell.36:59 A cat adopted from an abandoned litter at Praia dos Vagabundos in Paraty now sails with the family.33:50

Watch on YouTube

More from Podcast Maré Sonora ®

Sailboat Forel series: Greenland geopoliticsAug 2026Sailboat Forel series: Life in GreenlandAug 2026Sailboat Forel series: The GreenCORE projectAug 2026Forel sailboat series: The chefs aboardAug 2026

From Podcast Maré Sonora ® — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analysed video.

The Sailing Directory Newsletter

One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.

Report an issue