We’ve been eyeing a proper amateur barista machine for a while now, and with a bit of experience using Sage, we finally made the call on Monday—it’s ordered! But first, we had to make sure it would actually fit onboard. ‼️SPOILER ALERT: IT DOES‼️ Now, we’re even more excited to set off on our journey of a lifetime, sipping amazing coffee with incredible people along the way. ☕️ Fancy joining us for a great cup of coffee somewhere on the open sea? Check out our route on our website — www.just-oceans.com/destinations

Here is an update on our woodwork! 🔊 Over the past weeks, we’ve been busy building custom cabinets & shelves for Vela. It has offered everything from tricky boat measurements to priming, veneering, and crafting our own trim - but it’s all coming together! 🔨⛵️ And we are so ✨PROUD✨ Still lots to do before we can install and varnish everything, but we’re loving the progress and we are learning something new every day. 🤓 Who else loves a good boat DIY? ⚒️

Here’s a little update on the cockpit enclosure project 🪡 - on day 94 of our countdown before we set sail!! The status? It’s going well. After the fourth test fitting, I have a good gut feeling about it, and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. ✨ This process has been frustrating! But honestly, that’s how we’ve felt about every boat project. And yet, every time we overcome one, we sit back and think, 😎 That was so worth it! 😎 And even better—we did it ourselves. Which means we now know exactly how thinks are build or made on our boat. Our home, our vessel, our ticket to see the world 🗺️ Boat projects come with highs and lows, and this footage was captured on a high! Would you also like to hear about the lows? Because gosh, we have a lot of those too 🫠

💸 Support the fundraiser here: https://gofund.me/fe0cd3c3 📽️ Watch until the end to find out how we recovered the final footage. We lost our drone in the ocean – and with it, our favorite way of sharing the beauty of sailing life. It was supposed to be just another magical day at anchor in the Grénan archipelago. Swimming, paddleboarding, sunsets, snacks – and a quick drone flight before setting sail to Île-d'Houat. But things quickly spiraled. First a broken shackle. Then a forgotten bottom plug in the dinghy. And then… we crashed our DJI Mavic Air 2 straight into our dinghy. The drone sank. The footage was lost. Or so we thought. This is the full story of how it happened, how we tried to save it – and why we're launching a fundraiser to get back in the air. We’re full-time liveaboards, DIY’ing our way around the world, and your support helps us keep creating content and sharing the ups and downs of boat life. 📽️ Watch until the end to find out how we recovered the final footage. 💸 Support the fundraiser here: https://gofund.me/fe0cd3c3

🎁Ad for @renskibprofessionalyachtca6150 // Giveaway 🎁 We’ve loved sharing our Christmas calendar with you and hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know Vela, our plans, and the sailing lifestyle a bit better. Today, we’re celebrating the spirit of the sailing community - exploring, learning, and helping each other grow as sailors. That’s why we’re thrilled to team up with our friends at ✨RENSKIB✨ for a very special Christmas giveaway! 🌟 What you can win: A complete set of RENSKIB’s professional polishing products to keep your boat looking amazing! 🌟 How to participate: 1️⃣ Go to Instagram 2️⃣ Follow @just.oceans and @renskibprofessionalyachtcare 3️⃣ Like the Reel on Instagram 4️⃣Tell us which boat you’ll use these products on and tag 2 sailor friends who’d love them too! The gift consist of: ✨R-110, Gel Coat Cleaner ✨R-120, Liquid Rubbing Compound ✨R-130 A, Pre Sealer A ✨R-140, Shampoo ✨R-130 B, Sealer B 🎁 The winner will be announced on December 26th - good luck! Thank you all for being part of this journey. Wishing you fair winds, calm seas, and the merriest of Christmases! 🎅🌊 🎵 Music by Sergio Prosvirini from Pixabay #YouTubeShorts #Explore #TravelVlog #Vloggers #DailyLife #ChristmasCalendar #Vlogmas #ChristmasOnBoard #Beneteau44cc #Sailing #Liveaboard #LifeAtSea #TinyLiving #Giveaway

🚩 Sail with Us in 2025! 🚩 Ready for the adventure of a lifetime? In 2025, we’re sailing Vela all the way to Greece, exploring France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy along the way. 🌊 Route 1: Learn to navigate busy waters as we sail from Denmark through the North Sea and the English Channel. 🏞️ Route 2: Discover the stunning coasts of France and Spain, following the Bay of Biscay for coastal gems and also for reducing the risk of orca encounters 🍷 Route 3: Taste port wine in Portugal and cross the iconic Strait of Gibraltar into the Med. ⛵ Route 4: Sail along the Mediterranean coasts of Spain, France, and Italy, uncovering hidden treasures. 🏛️ Route 5: Explore historic waterways from Italy to Greece, ending with breathtaking islands. Each leg is about 4 weeks, go secure your spot now at www.just-oceans.com/destinations (link in bio). Adventure awaits—will we see you aboard? 🌍✨ 🎵 Music by Sergio Prosvirini from Pixabay #YouTubeShorts #Explore #TravelVlog #Vloggers #DailyLife #ChristmasCalendar #Vlogmas #ChristmasOnBoard #Beneteau44cc #Sailing #Liveaboard #LifeAtSea #TinyLiving #BoatExpenses #Budgeting #Circumnavigation

For the past 3 weeks, we’ve almost shown you every nook and cranny of Vela, sharing how to live aboard and our plans to upgrade her for our circumnavigation. Today, we’re switching gears and talking about the numbers. 💯 Owning and upgrading a boat isn’t cheap, and spoiler alert: we haven’t won the lottery or landed big sponsors. This dream is built on years of hard work, planning, and budgeting. 📝 From yearly expenses like insurance and harbor fees to big upgrades like navigation systems, electric setups, and new sails—being a boat owner comes with a price tag. 🏷️ So, how much does it really cost to buy, maintain, and sail a boat around the world? We break it all down for you in today’s episode! 👉 Can you guess our biggest expense so far? Watch the video to find out, and let us know if you think the cost of boat life is surprising or expected! 🎵 Music by Sergio Prosvirini from Pixabay #YouTubeShorts #Explore #TravelVlog #Vloggers #DailyLife #ChristmasCalendar #Vlogmas #ChristmasOnBoard #Beneteau44cc #Sailing #Liveaboard #LifeAtSea #TinyLiving #BoatExpenses #Budgeting #Circumnavigation

Day 18 of our Christmas calendar is all about navigation! 🎄 With our 20-year-old system in need of a major upgrade, we pulled out every single wire and installed a state-of-the-art B&G network. Here’s how it works: 🛠️ The Backbone: Our NMEA2000 network runs the length of the boat, connecting all key components: 🌬️ Wind sensor: Real-time wind speed and direction. 🌊 Speed & depth transducer: Critical for safe navigation. 🖥️ Chartplotters: Zeus S 7” at the nav station & Zeus S 12” in the cockpit. 🛟 VHF & AIS: Keeping us connected and safe. 🔋 Victron Ekrano integration: Displays electrical monitoring on our nav instruments. ⚡ Ethernet Network: Some advanced systems connect via Ethernet for seamless updates and integration: 🛰️ HALO Radar & Forward Looking Sonar: For precise situational awareness. 🌐 Internet-connected chartplotters for real-time updates. 💡 Smart Navigation: From the Precision 9 gyro compass and autopilot computer to the rudder feedback unit, every single component works together for smooth sailing. This setup gives us full control and visibility, ensuring we’re ready for any adventure. What’s the most exciting feature of this system to you? Let us know in the comments! 💬 🎥 Tomorrow, we explore even more of Vela’s features—stay tuned! 🎵 Music by Sergio Prosvirini from Pixabay #YouTubeShorts #Explore #TravelVlog #Vloggers #DailyLife #ChristmasCalendar #Vlogmas #ChristmasOnBoard #Beneteau44cc #Sailing #Liveaboard #LifeAtSea

Day 17 of our Christmas calendar dives into something BIG: our new electrical system! 🎄⚡ This year, we upgraded to a setup that lets us live off-grid for months at a time. Here’s what powers Vela: 🔋 800Ah lithium batteries feeding our Lynx distribution panel. ⚙️ Powers essentials like the 12V DC system, electric winch, anchor windlass, and oil heater. 🔄 MPPT solar charger harnessing energy from the sun. 🔌 3kW inverter/charger providing AC power wherever we are. 🚛 Future-ready: Plans to add a new engine generator for even more charging efficiency. 🎛️ Fischer Panda genset (8kW) for backup AC power when needed. This system gives us the freedom to run big gadgets like a watermaker, induction cooktop, and maybe even a washing machine (coming soon in the new year!). Check out our animation to see how everything works together! ✨ Got questions about living off-grid or boat electrical systems? Drop them in the comments! 💬 🎥 Join us tomorrow for another peek into life aboard Vela! 🎵 Music by Sergio Prosvirini from Pixabay #YouTubeShorts #Explore #TravelVlog #Vloggers #DailyLife #ChristmasCalendar #Vlogmas #ChristmasOnBoard #Beneteau44cc #Sailing #Liveaboard #LifeAtSea

While Vela is on land, we get the perfect opportunity to show you everything beneath the waterline! Let’s take a closer look: ✨ The Rudder: A spade rudder gives us excellent steering capabilities, but its design makes it more sensitive to impacts compared to a skeg rudder. ⚙️ The Propeller: Our Max Prop automatic feathering propeller adjusts itself when we sail, reducing drag and letting us glide faster through the water. 🔩 The Keel: Weighing 3100 kg, it is a fin keel with a bulb at the bottom. The keel ensures we stay upright by counteracting the wind in the sails. It also minimizes sideways drift while sailing.’ 🌀 The Bow Thruster: This little helper makes docking and maneuvering in tight spots easier by pushing the bow to either side - but it’s not much help in strong winds! 🚰 Thru hulls and Drains: Did you know we have 18 holes below the waterline? 16 are thru hulls for water intakes, discharges, and transducers, while 2 are for cockpit drainage. Since the old fittings were 20 years old, we replaced them all to ensure Vela stays leak-free. Every detail below the surface has been carefully designed and maintained to keep us safe and efficient on the water. Could you imagine replacing 18 fittings under your boat? Let us know in the comments! 🎵 Music by Sergio Prosvirini from Pixabay #YouTubeShorts #Explore #TravelVlog #Vloggers #DailyLife #ChristmasCalendar #Vlogmas #ChristmasOnBoard #Beneteau44cc #Sailing #Liveaboard #LifeAtSea

The mast is what transforms Vela into a true sailing vessel, harnessing the power of the wind to carry us around the world. 🌍 Standing tall at 18 meters above the waterline, it’s more than just a sail holder—it’s a hub of essential gear: ✨ Wind instruments tell us the direction and speed of the wind. 📡 VHF antenna keeps us in communication with other vessels. 🔦 Navigation lights guide us safely in the dark. 🌩️ Radar and reflector detect other ships, weather squalls, and make sure we’re seen. And let’s not forget the sails that make it all happen: 🌀 Genoa (head sail): Easily rolled in and out from the cockpit. 🌬️ Main sail: Adds stability and power, with reefing controlled from the safety of the cockpit. 🎈 Asymmetrical spinnaker: A colorful, lightweight sail for catching light winds downwind. Whether it’s cruising calm waters or bracing for strong winds, everything is managed safely from the cockpit. Our mast is not just a symbol of freedom—it’s a feat of engineering that keeps us moving forward. Do you have a favorite sail to work with? Drop a 🌬️ in the comments if you’d love to try handling a spinnaker! 🎵 Music by Sergio Prosvirini from Pixabay #YouTubeShorts #Explore #TravelVlog #Vloggers #DailyLife #ChristmasCalendar #Vlogmas #ChristmasOnBoard #Beneteau44cc #Sailing #Liveaboard #LifeAtSea

Day 13 of our Christmas calendar takes a closer look at the deck of Vela! Built for adventure! 🌎 🔹 Bow: - Equipped with a 33kg Rocna Vulcan anchor. - 80 meters of chain. - Electric windlass for the heavy lifting. 🔹 Washdown Pump behind the chain locker: To keep things tidy, we’ve got a saltwater washdown pump installed. It’s perfect for rinsing off the anchor and chain, keeping mud and grime off the deck. 🔹 Midship on each side: - Water filling stations for our two water tanks - Discharge outlets for our holding tanks. 🔹 Aft Deck: - Storage lockers for all our deck gear, extra diesel, - Gas locker (soon to be extra storage when we go electric 🚀). 🔹 Swimming Platform: - Another deck locker - Emergency tiller access - Freshwater shower after a jump in the clear blue water ✨ And soon, a solar arch will complete the setup - hosting our solar panels, dinghy, grill, and liferaft. 🌞 This deck is ready for everything from long passages to lazy days at anchor. What’s a must-have feature on your dream boat’s deck? 🌊 Let us know! 👇 🎵 Music by Sergio Prosvirini from Pixabay #YouTubeShorts #Explore #TravelVlog #Vloggers #DailyLife #ChristmasCalendar #Vlogmas #ChristmasOnBoard #Beneteau44cc #Sailing #Liveaboard #LifeAtSea

Welcome to Day 4 of our Christmas calendar! 🎄 Today, we’re taking you behind the aft cabin, where all the magic happens to keep Vela running smoothly. ⛵ Here’s what’s tucked away behind our bed: 🛠️ Rudder & quadrant: This is where the hydraulic steering actuator connects to the rudder, enabling us to steer from the cockpit. While the hydraulic system eliminates breakable wires, it also means less tactile feedback on the rudder. 🔥 5kW oil heater: This keeps our entire boat warm—even in freezing winter temperatures. ❄️ We plan to insulate the heating hoses to improve efficiency and reduce diesel consumption. 🌬️ Ventilation pumps: These service the galley and engine compartment, but they’re old and noisy. Replacing them with quieter, more efficient models is on our project list! 🤖 Autopilot system: Autopilot computer: Powers the hydraulic pump, steering the boat for us. Gyro compass: Provides precise input to ensure we stay on course. This area might not be glamorous, but it’s essential for keeping us comfortable and safe at sea. Got questions about how these systems work? Drop them in the comments! 💬 🎥 Tune in tomorrow as we explore another part of Vela! 🎵 Music by Sergio Prosvirini from Pixabay #YouTubeShorts #Explore #TravelVlog #Vloggers #DailyLife #ChristmasCalendar #Vlogmas #ChristmasOnBoard #Beneteau44cc #Sailing #Liveaboard #LifeAtSea