After ten years of great success in the business world of Germany, 'Michel' as he has become known to many charter guests and friends, gave up the "civilized" life that seemed ready to destroy his health, to live out his dream of sailing the world's oceans.  He began with rather disappointing boats: a 21' wooden sloop, a 38' NE fiberglass ketch and a Swan 65 which he had built new after the famed world race win of sister-ship, "Sayula".  In 1975, he happed upon the 118' TALOFA IV, the largest aluminum sailing yacht of her time, and impressed with her speed and beauty, bought her and renamed her SAYONARA ALPHA. Over a period of 12 years, he personally updated and completely re-designed this magnificent vessel, becoming one of the most successful luxury charter-yacht owner/operators in the 1980's.  He sold SAYONARA ALPHA in 1989 after sailing her nearly 150,000 miles over the world's oceans with guests to such remote destinations as Pitcairn, Easter Island and New Zealand and in the popular charter grounds of the Caribbean, Mediterranean and even New York.  After selling SAYONARA ALPHA, he wanted a motor-sailor and went to Hong Kong to build a Cheoy Lee with his own design alterations.  Disappointed by the shipyard attitudes, he commenced his search for a pre-owned motor-sailor and found the 85' M/S INDEPENDENCE in Key Biscayne, Florida in 1990, only one year before Hurricane Andrew wiped out much of the area.  The INDEPENDENCE, formerly NEREUS, was designed by William Garden as a long term ocean voyager and is known to have made at least one circumnavigation in the 1960's. Using this already unusual design as a base, Michel has re-designed and re-built her with his all-lady team, into the ultimate world cruiser with nearly limitless range and abilities for her class.  Between haul-outs, the INDEPENDENCE has made her sea trials with voyages far into the Pacific, 10 trans-Atlantics, all of the Mediterranean and Adria, Brazil and up and down the Caribbean. She has hosted guests in Panama, Costa Rica, Croatia, Canaries and the Caribbean. Not one of the main team has logged less than 80,000 miles. Even his youngest daughter had 4 Trans Atlantic crossings logged before her third birthday.

Michel's personal sailing resume includes 18 Trans-atlantics & 8 trans-Pacific crossings and all over sailing totaling over 240,000 miles. In the words of an associate, 'Michel crosses oceans the way most people drive to the next town.'  Michel has written many articles for Yachting publications and he has spent several years compiling his experiences and both serious and candid observations on a wide range of topics. His book, excerpts of which will be included in this site, will be published in the near future.