Meet My Motu
The boat that turned our dream into reality
Some boats are built to sail. Others are built to cross oceans.
SV My Motu is one of those boats.
A 1990 Amel Super Maramu, designed by the legendary French yacht builder Henri Amel, she was created for sailors who dream of distant horizons, self-sufficiency, and life beyond the reach of marinas.
When we first stepped aboard, we did not just see a yacht. We saw a home, an adventure, and the key to a dream that had been growing inside us for years.
Today, after more than 20,000 nautical miles, countless anchorages, and adventures spanning oceans and continents, My Motu continues to prove why she has earned her reputation as one of the world’s most capable bluewater cruising yachts.
A boat built for the world
Name: SV My Motu
Model: Amel Super Maramu
Year: 1990
Rig: Ketch
Length: 53 ft (16 m)
Home: Wherever the anchor drops
Built with long-distance cruising in mind, the Super Maramu combines strength, comfort, safety, and self-sufficiency in a way few yachts can match.
Her protected centre cockpit, watertight bulkheads, powerful rig, and thoughtful design make her perfectly suited for life at sea.
My Motu’s Journey :
1990 – Built in France
2021 – Purchased by Jeroen & Aagje
2022 – Extensive refit in the British Virgin Islands
July 1, 2022 – Lines cast off for a life at sea
2024 – Pacific crossing via the Panama Canal
2025 – 20,000 nautical miles sailed
Today – Exploring the islands of Fiji
Why we choose an Amel
Choosing a boat for a circumnavigation is one of the most important decisions a sailor will ever make.
We looked at many yachts, but time and time again, we came back to the Amel.
Why?
Because we wanted a boat designed for real ocean sailing rather than marina living.
We wanted:
✓ Safety in all weather conditions
✓ Easy sail handling for a couple
✓ Long-term liveaboard comfort
✓ Large storage capacity
✓ Reliable systems
✓ A proven ocean-crossing reputation.
The Amel offered all of that and more.
She is not the fastest yacht on the ocean, but she is a yacht that inspires confidence when conditions become challenging.
And after thousands of miles, we know that confidence is priceless.
Our floating home
Life aboard is surprisingly comfortable.
My Motu carries everything we need to live independently for extended periods in remote locations.
On Board
Spacious owner’s cabin
Guest cabin
Two refrigerators
Large freezer
Washing machine
Dedicated engine room
1,000 litres of freshwater storage
Large fuel capacity
Comfortable centre cockpit.
She is not just a boat.
She is our home.
Gallery
Preparing My Motu for a circumnavigation
Before beginning our journey around the world, we made a conscious decision: if we were going to trust My Motu with our dreams and safety, she deserved to be prepared for the adventure ahead.
During an extensive refit in the British Virgin Islands, My Motu underwent a major transformation. Virtually every system on board was inspected, serviced, upgraded, or replaced to ensure she would be ready for years of offshore sailing.
Major Refit and Upgrades
Complete servicing of virtually all onboard systems
Full servicing of both electric anchor windlasses
Servicing of the electric furling systems
Servicing of the electric mainsail furling motor
Complete engine service
Complete generator overhaul and servicing
New fixed raised bimini for improved protection and comfort
New cockpit enclosure
New dark-tinted cockpit windows
New mattresses throughout the boat
New interior cushions
New exterior cushions
Fresh oil and fluids in all major mechanical systems
New mainsail
New mizzen sail
New dinghy
New running rigging Forward-looking sonar
New wind instruments and navigation equipment
The improvements did not stop there.
Over the years, My Motu has continued to evolve as we learned more about life aboard and the demands of long-distance cruising.
Additional Major Upgrades
New standing rigging in Martinique Lithium conversion in French Polynesia New watermaker in St. Martin
Complete replacement of the C-Drive system in Fiji
1,270 watts of solar power
Starlink satellite internet
New galley sink and countertop Continuous upgrades to electrical, navigation, communication, and safety systems.
Like every true bluewater yacht, My Motu occasionally asks for attention in return for the freedom she provides.
From autopilot repairs in the Pacific and sail repairs in Fiji to generator maintenance in remote anchorages, every challenge has taught us more about our boat and strengthened our connection with her.
Ocean cruising is about much more than sailing. It is about understanding every system on board, solving problems far from help, and becoming part sailor, part mechanic, part electrician, and part engineer.
Every upgrade, every repair, and every mile sailed has helped shape My Motu into the boat she is today: a trusted home, a capable ocean voyager, and the vessel that continues to carry us towards new horizons.
Across oceans
Across Oceans
Since casting off on July 1, 2022, My Motu has carried us safely across oceans, through remote island groups, and to some of the most beautiful places on Earth.
From turquoise lagoons and palm-fringed atolls to vast stretches of open ocean where the nearest land lay thousands of miles away, she has proven herself time and time again as a capable and trustworthy bluewater cruising yacht.
The Bahamas
The Caribbean
Providencia
The San Blas Islands
The Panama Canal
French Polynesia
The Cook Islands
Fiji
Along the way, My Motu has completed a number of memorable offshore passages that have become milestones in our journey.
Major Ocean Passages
Bahamas → Caribbean — 1,100 NM
Our first major ocean crossing was a sail east across the Atlantic back to the Caribbean. A passage that gave us confidence in both ourselves and our boat.
U.S. Virgin Islands → Providencia — 1,050 NM
One of our longest nonstop passages in the Caribbean, taking us across open ocean to the remote Colombian island of Providencia.
Panama Canal → Marquesas, French Polynesia — 4,200 NM
The passage every Pacific sailor dreams of. Thirty-one days at sea, crossing one of the largest oceans on Earth with nothing but the horizon in every direction. It remains our longest and most iconic ocean crossing.
Bora Bora, French Polynesia → Aitutaki, Cook Islands — 500 NM
A beautiful passage between two of the South Pacific’s most stunning destinations, leading us from the lagoons of French Polynesia to the crystal-clear waters of the Cook Islands.
Aitutaki, Cook Islands → Levuka, Fiji — 1,220 NM
A memorable crossing that brought us to Fiji, opening the door to a completely new cruising area filled with remote islands, vibrant reefs, and unforgettable encounters.
Today, more than 20,000 nautical miles later, My Motu continues to carry us safely beyond the horizon.
Every passage, every anchorage, and every challenge has become part of her story and ours.
The miles tell one story.
The memories tell another.
And the adventure is far from over.
What makes My Motu special?
Every cruising yacht has a story, but few combine comfort, safety, and self-sufficiency quite like an Amel Super Maramu.
From her protected centre cockpit and watertight bulkheads to her electric furling systems and dedicated engine room, she was designed from the outset for long-distance ocean cruising.
While many yachts are built to spend most of their lives in marinas, My Motu was built for the open ocean.
More than thirty-five years after leaving the factory, she continues to do exactly what she was designed to do: carry her crew safely across the world’s oceans and bring them home again.
The meaning of the name My Motu
More than a boat
My Motu has been our home during sunsets in French Polynesia, our shelter during storms, our transportation across oceans, and our front-row seat to some of the most beautiful places on Earth.
She has carried our dreams further than we ever imagined.
She witnessed our family adventure as three Musketeers, carried us across oceans, and continues to be the foundation of the life we chose to build beyond the horizon.
And while we may not know exactly where the next horizon will lead, one thing is certain:
My Motu is ready for the journey.
“A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”