SHERIDAN, WYOMING – December 10, 2025 – Crossing the Atlantic is a bucket-list milestone for many blue-water dreamers, but doing it on your own yacht, under your own command, is something else entirely – and that’s exactly what the Steeler Ocean Explorer 72 Two Bubbles just achieved on her maiden voyage from the Netherlands to Barbados.
From Dutch canals to Caribbean blue
The story starts far from palm trees and cocktails. Freshly delivered in the Netherlands, Two Bubbles slipped out into the North Sea and headed south, following a classic ocean route that feels like a farewell tour of Europe: down the Portuguese coastline, past sun-drenched marinas, then on to the Canary Islands and finally Cabo Verde.
From there, it was time for the real test – a clean 2,000-mile stretch of Atlantic from Cabo Verde to Barbados. It’s a route sailors know as a tradewind highway, but this time the conditions were tougher than the postcard version: 30–35 knots of wind and 4–5 meter waves, the kind that quickly reveal whether a yacht is truly built for the ocean or just for show.
A steel explorer that behaves like a much larger yacht
For Steeler Yachts, this was more than a delivery trip – it was a live-fire test of their Ocean Explorer philosophy: long-range capability, real stability and efficient performance in the messy reality of offshore weather.
According to her owner and captain, Two Bubbles “never flinched.” In those 4–5 meter seas she behaved with the quiet confidence you expect from far bigger exploration vessels, keeping her shoulders square to the swell and rolling through the waves instead of fighting them.
Even in those tougher conditions, the numbers tell a reassuring story for anyone dreaming of long passages:
- Average speed: 7.35 knots over the crossing
- Fuel consumption: 31 liters per hour
- Typical cruising in normal seas: around 8–8.5 knots
For a steel 72-footer built for serious exploration, that combination of comfort, predictability and efficiency is exactly what blue-water owners look for.
Editorial extra: 3 reasons this Atlantic story matters to yacht lovers
- Proof of concept – not just brochure talk
Many yachts claim ocean-capable status. Two Bubbles backed it up with an 11-day Atlantic crossing on her own keel, in real-world conditions, with the owner at the helm. - From sail to motor, without losing the spirit of adventure
The captain had already crossed every ocean on the planet under sail. This time, he chose a motoryacht – and came away convinced he hadn’t sacrificed the romance of long passages, only gained more comfort and serenity along the way. - Confidence for future exploring
Knowing your yacht will look after you when the sea gets moody changes everything. It turns “maybe one day” plans into real itineraries – whether that’s more Atlantic crossings, high-latitude routes or slow island-hopping seasons.
A personal milestone and a shipyard first
For the owner, the arrival of Barbados on the horizon was more than just landfall. It was the moment he realized that Two Bubbles had just become the first Steeler ever to cross the Atlantic on her own keel – a deeply personal achievement and a landmark chapter for the Dutch shipyard.
In his own words, the passage wasn’t just another voyage; it was proof that shifting from sail to motor had been the right move. The spirit of exploration is still there – only now wrapped in more stability, comfort and the kind of calm that lets you enjoy those long blue-water days even more.
Small brand, big-ocean ambitions
Based in Meppel/Steenwijk in the Netherlands, Steeler Yachts has built a reputation among European owners for craftsmanship and smart design. With the Ocean Explorer line and this successful Atlantic passage, the yard is clearly signaling that it’s ready to play in the serious expedition and long-range cruising league.
And for Two Bubbles and her captain, the story is only just beginning. As he puts it: “Two Bubbles and I have a whole world left to explore.” For anyone sitting at home sketching dream routes on a chart, that’s exactly the kind of quiet inspiration that makes you start planning your own escape under the wide Atlantic sky.
Learn more about Steeler Yachts and the Ocean Explorer 72 at https://steeleryachts.com.