Yffig Pleybert - 56 years old - France

Yffig is just the kind of stalwart seadog any ambitious expedition needs. He grew up hauling sails and scrubbing down decks, before moving into the shipyards of Britanny, where he drilled, nailed and polished his way to the position of expert ketch-maker. Yffig knows the bones and belly of Fleur de Passion like the Gulf Steam knows the Atlantic. He's always busy tweaking her performance and energizing her beauty. He can talk to you for hours about the sea, in practice and in theory, but won't ever get preachy, supercilious or crusty. He's a friendly, reassuring presence on board, and an indispensable part of the Changing Oceans Expedition.