For people who have followed my story this will probably come as no great surprise.

But with a very heavy heart, I have no choise to announce that Gaiasdream my pride and joy and also a project which was the culmination of my lives work needs to be sold.

This was never part of my lives plan , but things rarely go according to plan.

She is to be sold as is where is and all offers will be considered.

She is still one of the largest modern proas afloat and will represent great value for money.

For more in formation:

mobil: 0409857097

email yette.ini.wijnen@gmail.com

Lisa Blair,

Has once again set of on a voyage.

This time she is sailing single handed non stop and unassisted anti clock wise a round Australia. And is attempting the first woman to do so.

I did lots of work on her yacht to get her to the start line once again.

Follow her on   lisablairsailstheworld.com

Finally myself

Since this is a web page about what I do, it would not be complete without sharing a major change I have had to make in my life.

Male Inigo to Female Yvette

After 35 years of struggling with gender issues, something had to give last year and I took steps to get some help.

I have had some very happy years but there were also some very unhappy ones.

My psychiatrist promptly diagnosed me with gender dysphoria, which means my brain thinks I’m a woman but I have the body of a man.

It has been a long and sometimes very painful road, which is not finished yet, but now I’m finally myself; a woman. It’s a major step forward in my life.

I have never been myself, it will be very interesting to finally find out what that means.

My new name is Yvette(I chose that one) Ini(old nick name) Enid(name I was

supposed to have) Wijnen.

I now have a new birth certificate issued in the correct gender and with my new name and an new passport.

I still do the same things, and Gaiasdream although for a little while had to go on the back burner, is an high priority in my life.

I have also got a new domain name to go with my new name.

  www.yvettewijnen.com

I’m sure this change will not be easy for everyone , especially people close to me.

I thank everyone for their support.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments.

With love Yvette

Lisa Blair the first woman who circumnavigate Antarctica solo, unassisted with one stop (she lost her rig, a long courageous story, two weeks after I lost mine) will be arriving in Sydney harbor on the 26th of August.

https://lisablairsailstheworld.com/

Gaiasdream will be there, join us in welcoming her home in her yacht “climate action now”

She will be at the heads at 12.00 and at Delbora’s marina at rush cutters bay at 1300

We are getting there the new mainsail made by Ullmansails, has arrived and has been installed, because we are now running a completely different rig things are a bit more complicated but, we are nearly there.

Can’t wait to take her for a spin.

Also will do a video soon of the new setup, its more complicated but should be more reliable than the old one.

Just have to see if its faster than the old one.

the new main sail

the new mainsail on the boom

Finally the rig was ready to be restepped on the new mast step, amid ships and a meter to windward from the old mast track.

Chriso from all waterfront constructions came over with the crane barge to step the 20.5 meter wing mast.

Everything went really smoothly the biggest worrie was that the mast support pole would not fit but it all worked out perfect even the pre spliced dyneema  rigging was the perfect length.

The work is far from over next job is to rebuilt and modify the boom followed by a total reorganization of the deck layout to suit the new rig.

crane in place the lift the mast

attaching the mast support pole

the rebuilt rig finally standing

It has been slow going, the repairs and the rig modifications on gaiasdream, the weather has been dificult to put it mildly, rain is not good for working with epoxy.

The mast is in one piece once again and for extra stifnes extra glass was laminated on to most of the mast.

New spreaders had to be built as well since the old one got bend.

Also a new mast step  has been built and the hull reinforced to take the load.

Weather depending I hope to paint the mast and the support pole this weekend.

The rebuilt of gaiasdream is going well.

The mast is back in to one piece and is being reinforced to make it stiffer.

Like I said in the last post I’m modifying the rig, the mast will be mounted amidships on the windward side of the main hull, I just finished the new mast base.

There will be hank on and roller furling head sails.

With these modifications the rig will be simpler and more reliable.

Ready for the planed long voyages.

pics to follow soon.

On Thursday the 9th of feb gaiasdream was 11 miles offshore sailing at 10 knots close hauled in 23 knots of wind. When a stainless shackle gave way in the windward rigging. I could not get quick enough to the main sheet, the diamonds could not take the full load and gave way resulting in the mast breaking in halve and going over the side.

Damage to the boat it self minimal, but the mast is broken in halve so is the mast suport pole, and the mainsail is beyond repair.

I’m already in full repair mode, the mast should be glued back to gether next week, I will post updates from the repair work, I’m also taken the opportunity to modify the rig, more about that later.

rig under tow

bottom mast and boom

whats left