Saltwater&Diesel

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Saltwater&Diesel ⚓ Restoring Sophie-X, a 1979 Cox 22, and preparing for a voyage from the UK to the Philippines. Join the crew.

Honest boat restoration, diesel engines, seamanship, and life at sea—one step at a time.

17/10/2026

SHE’S OLD. SHE’S SMALL. BUT SHE’S GOT A WHOLE WORLD AHEAD OF HER. ⚓🌍

Turn the key. Hear that old diesel come to life. Watch the flag flying above her.

This is Sophie-X.

47 years old, 22 feet long, and soon to become our floating home.

There are thousands of miles of ocean ahead of us, countless coastlines to discover and a lifetime of memories still to be made.

She doesn’t need to be fast, fancy or perfect.

She just needs to keep taking us towards the next horizon.

And every time that engine fires up, the dream feels a little closer.

🌍 Want to see where this little boat takes us?

Follow Saltwater&Diesel on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok as we prepare Sophie-X, leave familiar shores behind and take you along for the adventure.

From the workshop to the open ocean, we’ll be sharing the successes, the breakdowns, the people we meet and everything in between.

One little boat. Our future home. A whole world waiting. 🌊❤️

🏆 WE HAVE A WINNER — AND WHAT A WINNER! 😂⚓Congratulations to Lee Clark, proud owner of the brilliantly named DIRTY OAR!W...
16/10/2026

🏆 WE HAVE A WINNER — AND WHAT A WINNER! 😂⚓

Congratulations to Lee Clark, proud owner of the brilliantly named DIRTY OAR!

We started this giveaway because we’d managed to buy an oversized oil cooler that Sophie-X didn’t even need.

Then Lee arrived in the comments and proved that we’re not the only people in the boating world with a talent for spectacularly questionable decisions! 🤣

Between the boat’s name, the thought of explaining it over the emergency radio and an insurance company wanting written confirmation, we were absolutely howling!

Lee, you’ve earned yourself an FG100 oil cooler! 🏆

Thanks to everyone who joined in and gave us a proper laugh. This is exactly the sort of humour that makes our little community so much fun.

Saltwater&Diesel — where questionable engineering meets questionable seamanship! ⚓😂

TO CROSS THE ARCTIC CIRCLE, YOU FIRST HAD TO FACE KING NEPTUNE! ⚓❄️26 February 1993. German Navy destroyer D182 Schleswi...
15/10/2026

TO CROSS THE ARCTIC CIRCLE, YOU FIRST HAD TO FACE KING NEPTUNE! ⚓❄️

26 February 1993. German Navy destroyer D182 Schleswig-Holstein.

Water temperature 4 degrees Celsius . Air temperature -4

Crossing the Arctic Circle wasn’t simply another day at sea. For those of us doing it for the first time, there was a rather unpleasant initiation waiting!

The crew was divided into two camps: those already christened into Neptune’s kingdom and those of us who still had to earn that honour.

We even formed an Anti-Neptune League, proudly declaring that no punishment or humiliation could break our resistance.

King Neptune’s followers had other ideas. 😂

There were revolting concoctions of fish, water, b**r and alcohol that we were expected to swallow.

Beeing stuck in big tube thst got flooded with seawater , not forgetting to mention that the Neptuncrew decided when to let us out …..

Then came the infamous bacon rope — swallowing a piece of bacon attached to a string, only for it to be pulled back out!

There was vomit everywhere, plenty of rough handling, and a lot of time spent crawling around on our hands and knees.

It was filthy, chaotic, completely outrageous — and, looking back, one of those unforgettable experiences of naval life.

Different times. Different traditions. A very different Navy.

We emerged battered, filthy and officially welcomed into King Neptune’s kingdom.

And 33 years later, I still have the certificate to prove it.

Today I’m preparing Sophie-X for a voyage towards tropical waters, but I’ll always carry those memories of life aboard a German destroyer.

You can leave the Navy. But the Navy never quite leaves you. ⚓🌊

THOUSANDS OF SHIPS. ONE LITTLE BOAT. ONE VERY BIG ADVENTURE. 🌍⚓Take a good look at this map.Every coloured symbol repres...
14/10/2026

THOUSANDS OF SHIPS. ONE LITTLE BOAT. ONE VERY BIG ADVENTURE. 🌍⚓

Take a good look at this map.

Every coloured symbol represents a vessel being tracked through AIS — cargo ships, tankers, fishing vessels and countless others moving across the world’s oceans.

And here’s the fascinating part…

These are only the vessels we can see!

Thousands more small fishing boats, traditional craft and other vessels may be out there without transmitting AIS, while reception and tracking coverage can leave gaps.

Now imagine taking Sophie-X, our little 22-foot diesel workboat, through some of the busiest shipping lanes on the planet.

The English Channel, Mediterranean, Suez Canal, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean — all lying ahead of us.

Somewhere amongst those enormous ships, we’ll be making our way towards Southeast Asia.

A ship can appear over the horizon long before there’s any room for mistakes.

That’s why keeping a proper lookout, understanding navigation lights, monitoring traffic and knowing the collision regulations are absolutely essential.

AIS will be another valuable tool aboard Sophie-X, but it can never replace a pair of eyes, good seamanship and sound judgement.

The ocean is enormous. But sometimes the space between two vessels becomes frighteningly small.

And that’s part of the adventure we’re preparing for.

One little boat. A world full of ships. And thousands of miles of ocean ahead. ⚓🌊

13/10/2026

£30. TWO HOURS. ONE COMPLETELY USELESS OIL COOLER! 😂🔧

We bought a massively oversized FG100 oil cooler for Sophie-X, drove two hours to collect it, spent £30, and then discovered something rather important…

WE DON’T EVEN NEED AN ENGINE OIL COOLER! 🤦‍♂️

A truly magnificent achievement in marine engineering!

So rather than let our stupidity go to waste, we’re giving the bloody thing away! 🎁

🔥 THE GREAT SALTWATER & DIESEL ROAST! 🔥

Leave your most obnoxious, sarcastic or downright hilarious comment about our latest engineering disaster.

The more you make me laugh, the better your chances!

⏰ GIVEAWAY CLOSES FRIDAY, 16 OCTOBER, AT 7:00 PM UK TIME.

There’ll be no random draw, no complicated scoring system and absolutely no committee.

I’ll personally choose the winner, entirely at my own discretion, based on whichever comment makes me laugh the hardest! 😂

One ridiculous mistake. One free oil cooler. And hopefully a comment section full of absolute comedy gold!

Not affiliated with or sponsored by Instagram or Facebook.

A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU! ⚓🌍Whether you’re following us on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or TikTok, I j...
12/10/2026

A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU! ⚓🌍

Whether you’re following us on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or TikTok, I just want to say how much I appreciate your support.

What started as an idea, an old diesel boat and a dream of crossing the world is slowly becoming something very real.

Every comment, every share, every bit of advice and every person who takes an interest in Sophie-X helps keep this adventure moving forward.

We’re not a big production team. Just a working man, an old boat, plenty of engineering challenges and a determination to see what’s beyond the horizon.

Some of you have been here from the beginning, others have only just discovered us. You’re all part of this journey now.

There’s still a mountain of work ahead, but I can’t wait to take you along for every mile.

Thank you for being here. It genuinely means a lot! ⚓💙

11/10/2026

AI DOESN’T SAIL THE BOAT. WE DO. ⚓🌍

We’re using ChatGPT as a tool to help prepare Sophie-X for her journey across the world.

From route planning, weather research and maritime security to engine maintenance, spare parts, fuel calculations and local regulations — AI helps us bring an enormous amount of information together.

And we’ll continue using it throughout the voyage to research unfamiliar places, solve problems and adapt to changing situations.

But AI doesn’t replace experience, seamanship or common sense. Everything important still needs checking against reliable sources.

The decisions are ours. The adventure is real. AI simply helps us prepare for it.

THE WORLD HAS ITS WARS. WE HAVE OUR VOYAGE. ⚓🌍This footage shows the German Navy’s 2nd Destroyer Squadron replenishing a...
10/10/2026

THE WORLD HAS ITS WARS. WE HAVE OUR VOYAGE. ⚓🌍

This footage shows the German Navy’s 2nd Destroyer Squadron replenishing at sea — a world I once knew aboard D182 Schleswig-Holstein.

Back then, we had the capabilities and protection of a warship.

Today, we’re preparing to cross the world aboard Sophie-X — just a 22 feet boat, without weapons, escorts or military protection.

But our determination hasn’t changed.

Our route towards Southeast Asia will take us through waters affected by military conflict, piracy and political instability.

We monitor developments daily. Not because we intend to become involved, but because knowing what’s happening around us is essential.

Their conflicts are not ours. We have an ocean to cross.

We understand the risks, and we’re prepared to accept those risks. But there’s one thing we refuse to gamble with — Sophie-X’s seaworthiness.

Her hull, engine, fuel and mechanical reliability must be beyond question.

We cannot control the world’s conflicts. But we can prepare our little boat for the journey ahead.

We have no battles to fight. Only a voyage to complete.

And our determination to complete it remains absolute. ⚓🌍

THIS IS WHY WE WANT TO EXPLORE THE WORLD. 🌍🐊⚓Not for luxury marinas or tourist resorts.I want to see the places where na...
09/10/2026

THIS IS WHY WE WANT TO EXPLORE THE WORLD. 🌍🐊⚓

Not for luxury marinas or tourist resorts.

I want to see the places where nature is still wild.

Places like Papua New Guinea, where saltwater crocodiles live in their natural habitat — among mangroves, rivers and remote tropical coastlines.

Imagine travelling thousands of miles aboard a little 1979 diesel workboat and seeing creatures like these living wild, rather than behind glass in a zoo.

That’s the sort of experience I’m looking forward to.

Of course, we’ll be keeping a very respectful distance. These are powerful, dangerous animals, and we’re visitors in their world.

For me, the journey isn’t just about reaching a destination. It’s about everything we might discover along the way.

That’s what Sophie-X is being prepared for. 🌊⚓

535 LITRES OF DIESEL. ONE LITTLE BOAT. A VERY LONG JOURNEY. ⛽⚓🌍Today, another two pieces of equipment arrived for Sophie...
08/10/2026

535 LITRES OF DIESEL. ONE LITTLE BOAT. A VERY LONG JOURNEY. ⛽⚓🌍

Today, another two pieces of equipment arrived for Sophie-X — two manual fuel transfer pumps and a fuel-filtering funnel.

And there’s a good reason for them.

We’re preparing to travel thousands of miles aboard a 22-foot diesel workboat, and fuel management is going to be a huge part of making this journey possible.

Our planned fuel capacity is 535 litres.

That’s made up of:

* 14 × 30-litre portable diesel containers — 420 litres
* 1 × 25-litre container
* 1 × 90-litre fixed fuel tank

The idea is simple.

We’ll buy diesel along the route, taking advantage of cheaper fuel where possible, and carry our additional reserves in properly secured containers aboard Sophie-X.

As the main tank runs low, we’ll use our manual transfer pumps to move diesel from the portable containers into the fixed tank.

And before that fuel goes anywhere near the engine, we’ll pass it through our new filtering funnel to help remove water and dirt.

Because we won’t always know how clean the diesel is when buying it in small fishing harbours and remote ports.

A diesel engine needs three things: clean fuel, clean air and reliable cooling.

This set up doesn’t replace the inline fuel filters on board .

The BMC 1.8 is a wonderfully simple old engine, but contaminated diesel can stop even the best engine.

The two manual pumps also give us redundancy, without depending on electricity.

Of course, carrying this much fuel means thinking carefully about weight, stability, ventilation, secure storage and fire safety. Every container needs a proper place aboard.

We’re not trying to make Sophie-X into a floating fuel station.

We’re trying to give a small working boat the range and independence she’ll need for a very big adventure.

One more delivery. One more part of the expedition coming together. 🔧⚓

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