What started as a radical act of self-determination more than a decade ago has grown into one of sailing's most compelling ongoing stories. Dan and Kika of Sailing UMA didn't take to the water chasing comfort or status. They were drawn by the prospect of genuine independence, sustainable living, and a life lived on their own terms.
The pair's entry into sailing was unconventional from the very first transaction. They spotted a 50-year-old sailboat listed at $21,000 and negotiated it down to $3,000 after finding the inboard diesel engine was beyond saving. Somehow, they got Uma sailing, and left Florida with just $20 to their name. The audacity of that departure set the tone for everything that followed.
Over the years, Uma has been reshaped and rebuilt in stages. Early work concentrated on making her genuinely seaworthy, then subsequent upgrades targeted offshore capability, including preparation for an Atlantic crossing. Now, armed with more than a decade of hard-won experience, a stronger budget, and solid relationships with marine suppliers, Dan and Kika are undertaking the most ambitious refit the boat has ever seen.
They're calling this phase Uma 3.0, and the scope of the project reflects just how far their ambitions have grown. At the centre of this rebuild is a commitment to getting every system and every surface right, because the voyage they're planning demands nothing less.
Getting the coatings right has been a cornerstone of the refit. For that, Dan and Kika have leaned heavily on International®, part of AkzoNobel's portfolio of yacht brands, for its reliability, technical performance, and the expert guidance the brand provides.
In areas of the boat most exposed to moisture, including below the waterline and inside lockers, they've applied Interprime® 820, a base primer suited to damp and demanding conditions. For Uma's interior, they turned to International®'s Interior Primer 860, which builds a moisture-resistant foundation and sets up smooth, long-lasting finishes, a practical priority for a boat that is someone's full-time home across all kinds of weather.
The hull and deck have been treated with the Perfection Pro Paint System, chosen for its high-gloss finish and its suitability for application without a spray booth. Dan and Kika completed this work with proper training and support in place, wearing appropriate PPE throughout. The final topcoat is being held back until conditions are ideal, when it will add both the polished finish and the surface protection the boat needs against sun and sea.
Below the waterline, Micron® 99 from the Micron range by International® has been selected to keep the hull clean during extended passages. It's a proven solution built to handle sustained exposure to ocean conditions.
The relationship between Dan and Kika and AkzoNobel has deepened considerably across the course of this project. "Having access to expert guidance on product selection has been a game changer for us," Dan said. "We're no longer guessing; we're building with confidence."
The technical ambition behind Uma 3.0 goes well beyond paint and primer, though. The driving purpose of the entire rebuild is to demonstrate that fully electric sailing is a practical reality right now, not a distant aspiration. Uma is being fitted with advanced electric systems drawing power entirely from solar and wind, cutting out fossil fuels altogether.
"Our goal is to demonstrate that an all-electric boat, built by two people with no formal marine background, can travel to some of the most remote places on Earth," Dan said.
The voyage ahead is set to mark a genuine world first: a classic boat, comprehensively rebuilt and running solely on renewable energy, heading off-grid to distant shores. Dan and Kika hope the project will shift the conversation around electric propulsion and encourage a new generation of sailors to think differently about how they travel the oceans.
Further details about the upcoming voyage will be announced through their YouTube channel, Sailing UMA.
