Handplane & wood shavings, Class Globe 5.80, Hull # 208 in the Background

DriftingDonkey

Join me on my journey as I build and race a Class Globe 5.80 sailboat, aiming to participate in a race around the world.

About Me

Welcome to my personal webpage! This is a portrait about myself and my journey to build and race a Class Globe 5.80 sailboat around the world. Join me as I document and share my experiences along the way.

Hi, I’m Fabian.

I work at an engineering firm as a project planner and technician. After completing my studies as an energy and environmental technician in 2021, I spent time working in the photovoltaic industry, an experience that shaped how I approach planning, systems, and practical problem-solving today.

My professional path began elsewhere. In 2013, I completed an apprenticeship as a boatbuilder in Switzerland and worked in the trade for several years. I didn’t come from a sailing background; I chose boatbuilding for the broad skill set and the freedom it promised, already imagining projects that might one day extend beyond the workshop.

My first ocean crossing came shortly after, sailing double-handed with my grandfather from Cape Verde to the Caribbean on his Beneteau Oceanis Clipper 43. He was 79, I was 24. That passage left a lasting mark.

A few years later, I earned my RYA Yachtmaster Ocean in South Africa and worked for a time with Professional Yacht Deliveries (PYD) as first mate. Eventually, I returned home and shifted my focus back to engineering.

Sailing moved into the background until I discovered the Class Globe 5.80—self-built boats racing across oceans and around the world. The idea felt immediately right.

I’m now working toward the 2028 Transat and the 2029 Mini Globe Race. There’s still a lot to learn and build, and this site is where I document that process.