Hi! My name is Giulia Sent, a PhD student in Marine Science with a big dream: turning my beloved sailboat into a small Research Vessel that will contribute to real scientific projects developing better ocean monitoring systems, essential for understanding and protecting our seas.

In 2022, I bought Sara, a beautiful Hallberg-Rassy Mistral 33 from 1973, and she has been my beloved floating home in Lisbon ever since. As I worked on my PhD, I started dreaming of a grand voyage: sailing from Lisbon to my hometown in Venice (Italy), and back.

As I started planning the trip, I realised that sailing thousands of miles without collecting oceanographic data would be fundamentally wrong for a Marine Scientist. And so, the Becoming R/V project was born: a journey to turn a sailing dream into an opportunity for ocean observation.

In the later months, I rolled up my sleeves to build collaborations with research institutes. Thanks to this effort, I have already secured partnerships with ongoing scientific projects (e.g. PlanktoSpace) that will provide instruments and integrate the data I collect into existing research projects.

However, this scientific endeavor is entirely volunteer-based. I am funding this project myself while finishing my PhD (with a PhD salary), and this is where your help can truly make a difference.

Your support will help:

• safely equip the boat for a mostly solo voyage

• upgrade the electrical system to host scientific instruments (e.g. new batteries, more solar panels)

• complete important upgrades and refit a 52-year-old vessel

• carry out research that would otherwise not be possible

Sara is sturdy and full of character, but she needs care and some expensive improvements to be ready for this mission. Check my website for more information! (https://becomingrv.wordpress.com)

By contributing, you’re not just helping me sail home, you’re helping create a low-impact, volunteer-driven research platform that turns a personal journey into something meaningful for the ocean we all share.

Any support, big or small, brings this project closer to reality!

Thank you