The liveaboard experience!
SV Acid Rain
Tell Me More

About us

The idea

Our goal is to bring you closer to nature by spending quality time at sea. Be as a liveaboard in a quiet and picturesque harbour or out on the opean ocean, the sea will heal your worries and help you to recharge your batteries.

The boat

Acid Rain is a 39ft steel ketch built in South Africa. She has competeted in the 19xx XXXXXX race and finished in Xth place. She is not only fast, but also very reliable and extremely sea-worthy.

Our philosophy

Wherever we go, we try to keep our footprint minimal and live in harmony with nature, taking time to enjoy life's simple pleasures.

Experiences

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur.

Liveaboard

A day or two in the life of a sea nomad

Milebuilder

For forty days or even more ...

Yoga

A spiritual door to the natural world

Snorkeling

Explore the reefs with us

Diesel Engine Maintenance

Prevent and solve diesel engine failures

Passage planning

Testimonials

Come as crew, leave as a friend.

  • Tereza

    Liveaboard

    Sailing with Alex had been such a positive experience! He's got this unique laid back yet proactive and disciplined approach, which makes for lovely days at anchor, taking it easy and at the same time enjoying life to the fullest. On passages he was just so well tempered, supportive and caring, always making sure his crew is happy and...well fed. Acid rain classic, please!

  • Pol

    Liveaboard

    Our experience on Acid Rain was wonderful. We came from Barcelona to spend a few days off the radar in Isla Graciosa, Lanzarote, and it turned out to be much more than that. It seemed as if time slowed down and every little thing gained presence. Waking up with the sea, practicing yoga on the beach, enjoying healthy lazyness, eventual adventures, chilling conversations, incredible dinners by the hand of Alex, a great cook and fall asleep like in mother's belly with the rocking of the waves.
    We felt more than welcome and receive a friendly and caring attention from Alex. Returned to our homes completely renewed with the desire of more time for reconnection. We feel deeply thankful for the opportunity and hope to repeat it.
    We would recommend it to anyone who wishes to have a moment to see things from another perspective.

  • Diana

    Liveaboard

    I joined Alex and his crew for a passage from Guadiana river to Gibraltar and back, which lasted almost a week. One of the nicest sailing experiences I've ever had! Alex is a great skipper, chilled and easy going and at the same time very serious about safety. He knows the boat inside out and can fix everything there. Thanks to his guidance I completed my RYA Day Skipper course without a problem! Alex adopted an abandoned cat who turned to be an amazing first mate. Very respectful, clean and clever! Both the cat and the skipper actually! ;) If I cross paths with them again, I'll be delighted to hop on Acid Rain for another lovely sailing experience.

  • Zoltan

    Milebuilder

    I planned to do a milebuilder for a week on SV Acid Rain, but due to a lucky accident, one week turned into three and I had the privilege to meet amazing people while on board. Alex is an excellent skipper who never looses his temper and I learned a lot during our 600NM passage. It was definitely not my last time aboard and I'm already looking forward to the next one!

  • Beccy

    Liveaboard

    I happened to meet Alex and his crew whilst on holiday in Playa Blanca, Lanzarote. Feeling a bit claustrophobic in the built-up tourist area, I ended up spontaneously extending my holiday so I could stay aboard Acid Rain and see the island from a more unique perspective. Despite booking on last minute, Alex was an amazing host who made me feel at home the second I stepped aboard. Evenings with great conversation, the most delicious home-cooked meals and looking out to sea to watch the sunset... I will definitely return to stay with Alex on his travels in the future!

  • Jay, Chiara & Shaka

    Boat neighbours/buddy sailing

    Alex is the best ocean neighbour we could have asked for, anytime we need something he's there for us whether it is food, a gas bottle to finsih cooking dinner or to push us to be constant with yoga. We met in the yard in Portugal and have been buddy sailing since, hopefully for the rest of the year too! He is a great sailor and we have loved meeting the crew that steps on Acid Rain. If you come onboard you'll meet us too and have a ton of fun.

  • Lukas

    Liveaboard

    I've had an amazing time staying on Acid Tain for 9 days on La Graciosa. Being my first stay on a sailboat, I was very glad Alex was the captain. He is a great person who always tries to make everyone happy on board. As a newbie, I was fortunate to learn some things about sailing and sailing life and Alex was great at teaching about it. Having a professional chef as Captain was wonderful and with Patches around you always have a great company. If you chose Acid rain you will have an amazing time with even more amazing people. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing Alex again and I'm very glad I had this amazing opportunity. Come as crew leave as a friend!

  • Kate

    Liveaboard

    Dear friends, let me introduce you to Captain Alex and Pirate Patchy. They both live on a ship called Acid Rain with an interesting story behind them (and even better in front of them) somewhere on this planet. It was only a while before I was greeted on board and I know that for me as a complete beginner in the world of sailing, it was the best choice. Their sensitive and calm approach is exactly what one is looking for on the way to discover new water adventures, and I can only wholeheartedly recommend this crew. Alex taught me something about the basics of sailing and I believe that even experienced people should learn from him. He is also very hospitable and can delight taste buds of any kind in the swinging kitchen. Beside AR, I have met Alex’s sailing friends Chiara and Jay, who completed the picture of perfect holiday. At the end I would like to thank Alex & co for the opportunity we have created together and I believe in a future meeting. Good luck crew.

  • Matt

    Liveaboard

    Acid Rain is a time machine! The spontaneous, free, and slow-paced daily life really creates that extra time for deep talks & thoughts, reading that book, leave the have-to-be-productive anxiety behind, and excellent food prepared with care. Adventure & Action? Sure! Once we’ve calmed down from everyday stress, we enjoyed snorkeling, fishing, and exploring the stunning islands whilst Alex providing us with surfboards, the dinghy, and his lovely company.
    I’ve had the pleasure of being part of the wonderful crew of Acid Rain off the coast of Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, and Lobos Island in May/June 2022. Alex and Patches made me feel more than welcome from the very start of our 18 days lasting journey which was a great experience for me! What can you learn from them? Alex, as an experienced captain, is able and eager (if you’re interested) to explain to you everything about sailing, boats, and life as a sea nomad. Maybe even more importantly, he has an incredibly honest & caring art of communication that is really vital for the shared life on board – especially when it comes to having first boat life experiences! Moreover, he is probably the most chilled person I know – at the same time being on top and aware of all the things necessary. His knowledge and skills regarding DYI boat maintenance and repairs are impressive! And Patches? She can definitely teach you curiosity and that there is always an opportunity to play :)
    If you’ve got the opportunity to hop on board with these two great characters…just hop!

  • Saskia

    Liveaboard

    ACID RAIN!!! What can we say! We packed many adventures into our 2 days and nights on this beautiful boat! Romantic early starlit mornings, homemade (and caught) fish tacos, music and hangouts into the evenings, a trip to a nearby island, snorkeling, waves, salty hair, and big grins. All under the generous and caring watch of Alex, El Capitan, and Patches his right-hand gal (and sea-steady super cat), who went above and beyond to make sure we had an amazing time. The bed was comfy and for two non-saily types we LOVED it on the boat, plenty of space and enough privacy with the 2 rooms being quite separate, Alex is totally lovely and after only a few days we felt like old friends :) Thank you, Alex! Can't wait to plan our next sail..!

  • Yuna & Florian

    Liveaboard

    Coucou! We really appreciated our no-stress week aboard Acid Rain! Though Alex might seem to live like an old sea wolf, he perfectly adapted to us and our wishes. Anchored in a very calm bay of Sal Island in Cape Verde, we switched between relaxing moments, English classes, and fun activities such as surfing and spearfishing (thanks for the yummy garlic bread and fishcakes captain). We also had the chance to feel Acid Rain sliding on the water twice, safety guaranteed with First Mate Patches at/on the chart table 😁 See you soon dude, Farsadennec will catch you up soon! Bon vent, belle mer!. Yuna and Florian

  • This
    could be
    You :)

Our Crew

Alex

Captain

An experienced skipper having accumulated several thousand nautical miles including a circumnavigation of Britain, Rathlin, and the west coast of Ireland. He has sailed around the channel Islands and set out from Falmouth in 2019 to the infamous Bay of Biscay and navigate the stunning Ria's of Northern Spain then down the wild Portuguese coast and onto the Algarve. A navigation of the Guadiana river as far North as Alcutim and as far east as Gibraltar before heading south once more for the warm and windy canary Islands. Alex has also gained experience on other sailing vessels, having crossed the Bay of Biscay four times and crewed on deliveries around the UK and Europe. He also gained valuable experience as a racing crew on yachts out of Falmouth, taking part in many regattas and round-the-cans races for the Royal Cornwall yacht club. He has also crewed on more classic boats such as the working boats and gaff riggers. A born adventurer his turbulent and colourful life has seen him rub shoulders with all walks of life from ambassadors and millionaires to the homeless and orphaned. He has spent the majority of his life away from his homeland in such places as remote as north-East China and a four-year stint in Russia's vast Siberia and that is to name only a few of his adventures. This time has given him a unique character ability to integrate into many different cultures and an acceptance and understanding of people and their needs. One of his favourite sayings "I would never judge or try to understand the depths of anyone unless I had walked a lifetime in their shoes" he believes in acceptance and the brotherhood of man.

Patches

First mate

Patches is the newest crew member on SV Acid Rain, having joined in October 2021, quickly climbing the ranks from competent crew to first mate.