GO BIG
or go home...
The beginning of our journey starts in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where we bought an old 34.5" steel framed sailboat with the intentions of creating our future home. Little did we know that this would quickly turn into our most ambitious boat restoration project of our lives. We wanted to design and create not only a place to live but a fully electrical boat to sail around the world. And each day has brought us not only one step closer to our dream but also taught us some tough lessons along the way.
How it all began...
The Lahakai already has her sailing legs. She was a custom build completed in 1997 in France and has already successfully sailed the open seas. The original owner landed in Brazil where the once blue sailboat enjoyed the clear waters on the coastal line of South America. She was later sold to a Brazilian and brought to Rio de Janeiro where she sat unused for the better part of a decade.
As time went on, she was neglected and her repairs were shoddy. She had not left the same pier in years and it seemed like only the paint was keeping her afloat.
We knew that this boat had so much potential to complete our dreams. We specifically wanted to learn more about steel boat maintenance and get a chance to design and build something from scratch. As artists, we were excited to use our creativity.
How's it going...
What we didn't know at the time was that we were about to enter in to the biggest boat restoration of our entire lives. The condition of the boat had not been as advertised. But it was too late. With the boat on land and the interior ripped out we were faced with some hard truths and some big decisions. Like, should we save this sinking sailboat or abandon it...
The Journey
1990
A steel boat was being built in France that was destined for great things.
1997
It is later sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to the Coast of Brazil and sold. The name was changed from to the "Vagal".
2022
FEBRUARY
The Lahakai is completely transformed as we do major construction on in our boat restoration project to save this sinking sailboat
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2022
June
The Lahakai splashes into the water and we prepare her to be sailed to the south to continue her construction.
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2022
JULY
We sail the Lahakai, bare bones and without a motor, 7 days to the south of Brazil
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2023
May
The wood boat interior design
starts and we got creative with
every single aspect of this boat!
HIGHLIGHTS
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Where will the future take us...
Join us!
The journey continues, into the water and around the world..
So, don't miss a single episode as we take you along side us!
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A ship in harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for.
– John A. Shedd
The Laha-What?
What is the meaning behind Lahakai...
While on a trip to Indonesia, Luke took a boat trip to travel around the small islands and take in all the natural beauty that the region had to offer. As they glided past each island, each beautiful sandy beach, and each palm tree that effortlessly reached for the sky, the captain would tell him stories of the surroundings.
One island stood out in particular. It was a tiny island that no one lived on, there were no structures, no landmarks or distinction, but it had a wildness to it that you could feel from afar. This one is called Lahakai, said the captain. He turned off the motor and they drifted in silence. It means untouched by man and unknown to others, his voice trailed off. He stared longingly at the island like he could see something that no one else could. After a moment, he turned the motor back on, breathed in the salty air, gave a thoughtful and wise smile and the tour continued.
Now, we don’t know how this name came to be in the captain's stories but this memory echoed in Luke's mind for years to come. The untouched. The unknown. So many places yet to be seen with our own eyes. This is how our sailboat was christened.
The Lahakai represents the journey ahead and the undiscovered.