With Battle Born Batteries powering their sailing vessel, Sailing Uma, Dan and Kika are exploring the world, navigating narrow fjords and creating awesome content! Our company strives to help everyone create content and outfit their rigs with LiFePO4 batteries.

Meet Dan and Kika

For Dan and Kika of Sailing Uma, life is currently coasting along for them on their 1972 Pearson 36 electric motor sailboat. It’s powered by 12 of our Battle Born 100Ah 12-volt batteries and helps them visit more than 22 countries.

The name of their boat, Uma, is inspired by the Portuguese word for “first” or “primary.” They consider buying the boat the perfect solution to feeling stuck in life. With making traveling a priority, they are able to get out on the water and stay out there, no matter how the seas fair.

In 2019, Sailing Uma finished their three-year circumnavigation of the Caribbean and sailed through the Bahamas and along the East Coast of North America before crossing the North Atlantic over to the United Kingdom for the winter. Preferring warm weather but enjoying the cold scenery, the couple loves to take their time and enjoy exploring most of the places they visit instead of rushing through.

Now they are currently exploring Norway, enjoying a flexible lifestyle that lets them live self-sufficiently on the boat. Dan and Kika describe it as “a house with changing backyards” because they can live every day differently on the water. Their plans change daily every day as they have no set schedule, moving at their own pace and changing with the unpredictable weather.

What’s In The Sailing Uma Boat?

They’ve had the boat for almost six years now, but their system wasn’t always this streamlined. Before making the switch to lithium, they ran a homemade electric motor made from a forklift motor and lead acid batteries, going through sets of them every six months. Now powered by Battle Born batteries, Dan and Kika have noticed a world of difference. They genuinely enjoy the act of sailing and being able to do it well helps with how they live their lifestyle.

Their system specs include:

• 12 – Battle Born 100Ah 12 V Batteries (BB10012)
• 1 – Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/30
• 1 – Victron BMV-712 Battery Monitor with Bluetooth Built In
• 2 – Orion-TR 48/12/30A DC to DC Converter
• 1 – Victron Energy Phoenix Power Inverter 48 V 1200 W

“It’s been fantastic,” Dan said. “While in the Bahamas and the East Coast, we were able to keep them topped off with just the solar panels, and in the UK during the winter, we were plugged into a marina most of the time, so it wasn’t too bad.”

“With the boat, the goal is to be able to live self-sufficiently,” Kika said.  “Sometimes our event for the day is to get groceries or do laundry since we don’t have a washing machine or a watermaker aboard.”

While Sailing Uma has considered converting a van or skoolie, they realized the idea of driving many miles or working on diesel or gas engines didn’t appeal to them like life on the sailboat did. Dan and Kika admit that before starting Sailing Uma, neither one of them had stepped foot on a boat before. It just goes to show you can’t knock anything until you try it!

What’s Next for Sailing Uma?

Originally, Dan and Kika were planning to sail to Iceland, but discovered that Norway is just as beautiful! Their plans are changing constantly, something that happens when you live on a boat and bring your house with you.

They often joke that while living on a boat, you can only really get one thing done a day. “If we get two or three things done, then it’s a really good day!” said Dan. While the couple is living the dream and exploring Norway, you can watch their latest adventures and keep up with them here.

Follow Sailing Uma on Instagram or subscribe to them on YouTube, and check out their website!

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