Sailing Living Fest
Sailing Living Fest is a unique and innovative project which aims to help the public understand more about the sailing world. It celebrated during the 29th an 30th of january 2019.
This festival touches the surface of a vibrant lifestyle that celebrates life at sea and a marvellous community of people.
Visitors enjoyed workshops about: music, magic, innovative technical demonstrations and a thorough introduction to boats and boating.
The first edition took place on the 29th and 30th January at Marina Del Sur (Las Galletas, Tenerife) and was streamed on the internet for international viewers.


The Port: Marina del Sur Tenerife
The first Sailing Living Fest was held on the island of Tenerife at Marina del Sur, Port of Las Galletas, located in the town of Arona, between the 29th and 30th of january 2019.
Sheltered a unique natural enclave, Marina del Sur has been thoughtfully developed, offering multiple nautical and leisure services, as well as a wide selection of bars and restaurants. Care has also been put into creating a varied calendar of events throughout the year, with activities for all ages.
The location then was the perfect nautical venue for the first edition of the Sailing Living Fest: good weather, a friendly environment, crystal clear waters and a great range of marine services and activities.
Tickets and Raffles
All workshops were free, but tickets were put on sale through the eventbrite platform, with the intention of raising funds to cover the festival’s organisation and logistical expenses.
The ticket sails link could be found on the Sailing Living Lab website and also in the event that was created on the Sailing Living Lab Facebook page.
Raffles were set up with prizes in order to incentivise ticket sales. Those who acquire an entry participated in the following draws:
Internet live video streaming
All the workshops were live-streamed on the internet through: YouTube and Facebook
You can find all the videos from each workshop in this webpege and in Sailing Living Lab´s Youtube Channel or in this playlist.
Workshops
Sailing Living Fest offered workshops on varied topics, seeking to engage with the greatest possible audience from all sectors of society. The themes with which we are currently working include:
- Life on a boat: gastronomy, recycling, maintenance…
- Science and Technology: underwater robotics, whale sighting, research on microplastics, oceanography…
- Art and culture: magic, music, theatre…
- Sports: dinghy sailing, scuba diving…

Underwater robotics
This workshop was taught by the engineer Diego de Miguel, CEO of the Sailing Living Lab project and owner of the Acrobat sailboat. He was accompanied by Quique González, Partner of the Tech SME NIDO Robotics.
The workshop is divided into 2 parts: one theoretical and another one practical.
The first one explains how an underwater robot works, showing the SIBIU Nano model from the headquarters of Nido Robotics. In the second one a practical demonstration was performed from Acrobat sailing vessel at the Marina del Sur Tenerife.
Diego previously performed this demonstration: Cartagena, Algeciras, Lanzarote, Tenerife and Gran Canaria.
Workshop: preparing for an offshore passage
2 nomads of the sea, Pedro Jiménez and Paula Gonzalvo, told us about their projects: Copérnico – Doblón and Allende los Mares with details on their planned voyage across the Atlantic and down to the Antarctic.
They discussed boat preparation and safety planning for this ambitious sailing voyage, covering some of the many requisites for offshore cruising, such as routing, onboard systems, clothing, provisions, safety equipment and much more.
Lava Charter boat preparation workshop
The Lava Charter team talked about sailing around the local westerly Canary Islands, including tips and advice on itineraries.
Manager José Carbó and maintenance supervisor Binio also run through an onboard check-list, identifying how to prepare a boat for setting out to sea.
Sailing involves developing a profound technical understanding and skill set but also enjoying some of the finest pleasures life has to offer. Safety on board and at sea should always be considered a basic priority and the key to enjoyable cruising.
Galvanic corrosion workshop
This workshop was taught by materials engineer Alejandro Samaniego and CEO of Naval Research and Development, accompanied by Diego de Miguel, CEO of the Sailing Living Lab project and owner of the Acrobat sailboat.
Both talked about the problem in the ships with the galvanic corrosion and the technological solutions proposed by IDN. They showed us the equipment installed in the Acrobat and the Copernico – Doblón.
Oceanography workshop
Oceanography is a science formed by many integrated and mutually supported sciences, basically resting on four main pillars: Physics, Chemistry, Geology and Biology. Project FarFalle has a divulgo-educative-scientific perspective, offers enriching experiences in Marine Sciences for all kinds of public with the use of research instruments on board different boats and in different places of the Canary Islands.
During the Sailing Living Festival we sailed aboard the Picarus Saling Club and discovered you many sub-worlds where you can immerse yourself with them.
Cooking on board workshop
It is not easy to cook on a boat, because the space is very limited – and of course worse sailing when everything moves!
We stepped into the galleys of the festival boats and improvised recipes with whatever could be found in them.
A doctor evaluated the correct nutritional balance for onboard provisioning and gave us good advice to have a healthy diet on board.
Waste recycling workshop
This time we looked at how to recycle waste generated at sea where we don’t have convenient recycling waste containers to dispose of everything!
Hence the idea of reusing waste to give items another life or at least learn to occupy less space, since boats after all have very limited storage space.
During the festival Ana Martinez showed us how to make a totally «do it yourself» project, recycling waste that we generate on board. With just: sewing machine, scissors, materials to recycle and a little imagination, and we had our unique and 100% recycled DIY project.
She offered further recycling tips in order to make daily life on board really self-sustaining!
Maritime engineering workshop
This workshop was taught by engineer Daniel Romero, founding partner of Pharos Engineering, a company specialized in coastal and port engineering.
In the first part he made us an introduction to the maritime climate in the Canary Islands (waves, winds, tides), wave prediction models, climate change, etc. and some tools that sailors can use to study the climatic conditions in the areas where we sail.
In the second part, he gave us a workshop on «How to design a marina». He taught what tools engineers use to design a port and will answer all those curiosities that you have always wondered about.
Tiy sailboats workshop
This workshop was taught by Mara Arnalda, instructor from the Escuela de Vela Los Cristianos. In learned how to craft a small sailing boat with easy-to-get materials and with plenty of room to continue inventing.
Directed especially at children, but in which adults also found ways to activate their imagination and apply their knowledge of construction and in the improvement of the boat’s navigability.
MATERIAL: bottle corks, elastics, wooden sticks (skewers) and eva rubber.
With this boat you can then explain sailing courses and the position of the sails with respect to these, as well as the rules to avoid collisions.
Magic workshop
Ingenuity games workshop
Knots, lines and ligatures have always been associated with sailing and the sea. Is there any better entertainment resource on a boat than a collection of ingenuity games «made in Zapata» (the magic museum-Alcañiz); a group that have travelled the world for two generations; collecting and exchanging knotting games and tricks to satisfy this very human need for self-improvement.
The Sailing Living Fest showcased this collection, offering these games to sailors and the port community.
Pay careful attention to Marta Zapata’s demonstrations and explanations in order to continue expanding and creating new tricks.
Music Workshop
Music and life on board a boat by Alberto Martín. Music and art should be part of all people’s lives, Whilst we may not always be aware of it, music is in all sounds and rhythm is also even part of us; emanating from our heartbeat. Alberto offered creative rhythmic proposals for making music on board.
He showed us some simple rhythms to accompany musicians you may meet during your travels.
A virtual journey through the ports of the world and their different rhythms.
No previous knowledge is necessary since rhythm travels with us.
From a social perspective, music is a fundamental from of self expression and helps to break down barriers. All are invited at the end of the festival to take part in a group jam session.
Cetacean sighting workshop
Picarus Sailing Club took us out to sail to see cetaceans like: dolphins, pilot whales and whales And maybe also some turtle!
They are professionals with many years of experience working in the sighting of cetaceans. They also have a hydrophone with which we can listen to these wonderful mammals.
On their boat, the researchers: Tania Montoto and Carmen Meléndez, told us about their work in oceanographic science.
Dinghy sailing workshop
Sailing instructor Alejandro Cabrera organized dinghy sailing trips on boats belonging to Actividades Náuticas de Tenerife.
This activity is aimed at children from schools in Las Galletas area (Tenerife) and we hope was useful to encourage many children who watch the workshop online to awaken their curiosity about this beautiful sport.
Dinghy sailing is the basis of any good sailor and a simple and economical way to start sailing.
Scuba diving workshop
With Buceo Canarias we learned the procedure to follow to carry out a Dive Try. This is how is called the first diving experience that allows us to enter this beautiful activity.
A diving instructor explained, step by step, to a person who has never dived how to prepare himself and use the equipment. Then they dove in the waters of the Port Marina del Sur Tenerife.
From the Acrobat sailing vessel we watched them underwater thanks to ROV SIBIU Nano by Nido Robotics.
And all this can be seen in real time online!
Nautical DIY workshop
Boating knots worhshop
This workshop was taught by Mara Arnalda, instructor from the Escuela de Vela Los Cristianos. In it we learned to tie the 4 most used nautical knots: the figure of eight, the reef knot, the bowline and the clove hitch.
If you want to start in the world of sailing and all things nautical you have to know the basic knots and practice them until you can tie them without thinking, as they are very important for safety reasons when sailing and are one of the most repeated tasks carried out on board.

The Boats
As this is the first edition of the festival we have opted for a reduced event format. This makes the execution of the project more viable and will serve as a real test for future and more ambitious editions.
Therefore we will limit the participation to a maximum of 6 boats. All of them are sailboats and their owners are aware of the protection of the environment.
The boats will offer accommodation to the creators of workshops invited to participate.
These sailboats will be:
- Acrobat
- Copérnico – Doblón
- Esperance
- Martha
Acrobat
Acrobat is a SIGMA 38 sailboat.
It is the Sailnig Living Lab project´s boat.
Sailing Living Lab is a unique and innovative project, open to collaborations with companies and universities interested in testing new technologies in the open sea.
She sails a sustainable trip around the world trying to make it a better place, getting to transform knowledge into GDP, improve the quality of life of people and help in the conservation of the planet.
Acrobat will host 4 guests during the festival.
Copérnico Doblón
Copérnico – Doblón is an aluminuim 68 feet sailing vessel.
She is a boat prepared for offshore sailing, due to cross the Atlantic just after the Sailing Living Fest. Her goal: to reach Antarctica.
She has: 4 double cabins, 3 bathrooms, heating, generator, several refrigerators, freezer and endless amenities for the navigation program for which she was designed.
She travels to the festival with the crew that will cross the Atlantic, and so can only accommodate 1 guest.
Esperance
Esperance is an aluminium 38 feet sailboat.
This is a unique and original boat, because the shipyard in which it was manufactured is property of the descendants of the famous fighter pilot of World War I: Manfred Von Richtofen, better known as the «Red Baron».
A very robust and reliable boat that her owner maintains constantly.
It can accommodate 3 guests during the festival.
Martha
Martha is a beautiful 40 feet sailboat manufactured by the prestigious shipyard Colin Archer.
She has a classic and elegant design with 3 double cabins, and an extra bunk.
Her proud boatowner takes great care of her and sails bravely.
She will be able to offer accommodation for 4 guests making the ideal space for Alberto Martin Prieto’s Wood Box workshops.