Sailing 4MS

Having a slowly paralyzing disease is one of the biggest challenges a human can have. Multiple sclerosis is a disease that attacks the nervous system. It slowly paralyzes a person. And for it there is no cure.

One of our clients, Ruben Donne, has a dad who was diagnosed in 2016 with this slowly destructive disease.
Ruben wanted to help him, and as he was young, strong, and still single, it was a great moment to take on a dangerous challenge.

Ruben loves the water. He spends most of his free time as an amateur sailor. And for the last years he works on a big gas tanker traveling the oceans for companies across the world.

Doing so, he was able to save up some money. He took all of his savings, about €35.000 and bought a 6.5 meter small red vessel with special equipment to sail the big oceans. Ruben was going to sail without a motor, only using the wind, all the way from Belgium to South Africa, the country where he and his dad had spent a lot of time together.

He decided to do it all alone, just supported by a team from the University of Hasselt in Belgium guiding him through radio. The journey was named ‘Sailingchallenge4MS.com’ A physically and mentally huge challenge. Down the globe to Capetown in just 60 days.

It was a fundraiser and awareness bringer for Multiple Sclerosis. And the funding was simple and clever. Sponsors and donators could buy any of the 7,818 nautical miles of the voyage for just €10,- each. And before he set sail on October 1st he had raised over €60.000 for International research and Multiple Sclerosis Network Limburg.

2wrap.com offered to sponsor and provide a new design for the boat. In collaboration with our team, a beautiful blue and orange wrap was developed. A wrap decorated with the symbols of the challenge and curving lines in special patterns, amplifying the boat’s speed and agility. The wrap was installed by our team from Turnhout.

Ruben, a clear minded guy, executed the long journey perfectly. The heavy tasks of continuously working the wind with the sails, while living on a very vulnerable mini-boat with just a mattress and some dry food. Sleeping only in very short shifts of just a few hours.

During the entire journey, he encountered no serious problems. The boat got hit once by an invisible object below the waterline. A scary moment, but it gave no damage. Not even to the wrap. So all together, it became one of the most successful solo sailing journeys in history. The boat arrived in perfect condition on January 3rd 2017 at the South African coast.

Rubens dad, seriously suffering from Multiple Sclerosis, had flown all the way to Capetown and got on a small vessel in the harbor to come up and embrace his son. ´It was undoubtfully the most special moments of our lives´. Ruben told afterwards.

Ruben is safe back home now, doing a lot of interviews, even a Ted Talk, on his challenge for MS. And up until today, a long time after he finished the journey, the wrap is still in perfect condition on his sail boat. Ruben is preparing a new challenge. A new sailing journey for Multiple Sclerosis. This time he will be joined by several MS patients. Together on a bigger boat for a very long journey. And 2wrap.com is ready to sponsor and provide all the wrapping they need.

2wrap.com is one of the industry leaders. From sailboat, to jet ski to super yacht. Almost every water vehicle you wish we wrap. And with our special techniques, we can even wrap while it is still in the water. Just click here, and we will provide you a free quote.