A new Ulysses for the sake of the seas

Dan Lenard, co-founder of the renowned Italian yacht design firm Nuvolari-Lenard, departed from Cadiz, Spain on January 20^th for a daring adventure: a transatlantic cross scheduled to arrive at the Miami Boat Show around February 14^th. Ulysse Nardin has been present as one of the main sponsors. Dan’s company specialises in the design of yachts for both private clients and shipyards. Based near Venice, the studio has created some of the world’s most acclaimed superyachts, winning every major award.

The aim of his journey was to raise awareness for the plight of the seas. Dan Lenard chose sailing, because it is one of the modes of transport that were used by humans to explore the Earth. Today, his voyage is bearing witness to how polluted the seas and coastlines have become. Ulysse Nardin is proud to endorse Dan Lenard’s mission, which he has called “Vela-Code”. For this new Ulysses, this journey was a “distress signal on behalf of the ocean”, calling for a need to reset how we treat our environment. We need focused initiatives, for both prevention and cure: prevention, through intelligent design of yachts and through education to highlight activities and behaviours that cause damage; cure, by taking responsibility for what we have done and devoting resources to repair the damage.

Dan Lenard joins the Ulysse Nardin Armada of Explorers formed by free-diver and photographer Fred Buyle, sailors Sébastien Destremau and Romain Pilliard, snowboarder and surfer Mathieu Crépel and kite-surfing champion Alex Caizergues.

Dan’s true challenge on this journey is the fact that he was alone on his 33-foot-long sailboat, SCIA, without equipment such as an engine, any electronics, GPS, log, compass or autopilot. Dan’s only gear was the watch on his wrist, an Ulysse Nardin Diver Chronometer Great White, that accompanied him on his mission.

February 21, 2019