A Son de Marvideo
116. Hans Geilinger. Sailing around the world aboard the Tuvalu.
4 December 2025 · 1h 4m · 31 views
What this video covers
Hans Heilinger and his wife, Inma, circumnavigated the globe over 12 years aboard their Dufour 40 Performance, named Tuvalu.5:05 The couple spent one year preparing the vessel for the voyage, transitioning from their established lives in Barcelona to full-time cruising.11:09 While Heilinger, an architect by trade, emphasises the importance of rational planning and maintaining a "Plan B" for technical challenges, he credits intuition as a vital tool for solving problems encountered at sea.16:44 The pair previously sailed a Dia 98, but they selected the Dufour 40 for its capability to handle longer passages despite it being a production fibreglass boat rather than a specialised steel or aluminium bluewater cruiser.9:38 The experience is documented in Heilinger’s book, Tuvalu, which details their encounters with diverse cultures and environments.3:05 Beyond the circumnavigation, the podcast addresses common maintenance issues, specifically identifying hatches, acrylic windows, and deck cable glands as the most frequent points of water ingress that require proactive sealing to prevent interior damage.56:16
Boats in this video
More from A Son de Mar
From A Son de Mar — 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.