‘During our five year cruise in the Med, and south along the East African coast towards Cape Town, we encoutnered many yachties. A lot of them admitted they got frustrated because their ultimate sailing dreams remained out of reach. Lack of time, not enough crew, an overwhelming respect for the sailing grounds boisterous reputation, or just nog enough trust in their own self supporting capabilities, were often given as reasons. Reactions to our articles and the book I published on our family cruise, further supported our finding that a lot of yachties long to explore very remote destinations, but just do not get around to actually go out and do it by themselves. But still, these people have the financial means and have one or more months a year to spend on something exiting. They would cruise the Mediteranean and park their yacht during the wintermonths. Or they would spend the summermonths at home and escape the European winter by sailing their yacht in the Caribean. We call these people part time live aboards.

Since I graduated a professional mariner just before we sailed from the Netherlands, I decided upon our return to terra firma, to develop an expedition sailing vessel for those part timers. On their expedition yacht they could explore destinations well of the beaten track, with the aid of a capable crew, and with their family, friends or likeminded people. Since most yacht owners use their asset only for a very limited amount of weeks a year, co ownership seemed the logical way to go. According to the same train of thought, chartering would come in handy to reduce running costs. Having been involved in ship finance deals as a lawyer and inhouse counsel for financial institutions, I knew  substantial cost benefits were to be had, should the vessels be employed commercially under exotic laws.

But this time I decided something simple and straightforward would do much better. Our vessels fly the Dutch flag. I believe in a transparant structure, no offshore registrations, exotic flags and dubious leases. I was convinced this program would be attractive for the co owners. That it turned out this attractive, took even me by surprise. But even though investing in the Sally Lightfoot fleet might yield a financial profit, the main thing of it is that owners invest in their dreams. On their own yacht, they explore the last unexplored waters of our planet. That in itself is the reward, the biggest non financial profit their money can buy them.’

Edo Ankum, founding father of Sally Lightfoot