Members' logbook: Joaquín Folch on summer cruising and life on board 37m Buka

From watching the Monaco Historic Grand Prix from his yacht to tackling a 35-knot crossing in the Bouches de Bonifacio, Joaquín Folch shares a summer spent cruising the Mediterranean on board his 36.8-metre yacht Buka.

Joaquín Folch

Yacht: Buka
LOA: 36.8m
Year: 2006
Location: Mataró, Spain

What have you been up to on Buka?
I spent 55 nights on board this summer, which is normal for us. My wife, Virginia, and I were deeply involved in the project, and since delivery we have spent at least two months on board in the summer – always in the Med. 

We started this season very early, in April, because I had the Monaco Historic Grand Prix races where I race a 1959 front-engine Grand Prix car. I’ve taken part in the event since 2006, and I always come by boat to do it in style. Our mooring is at the exit of the tunnel chicane, so you can watch the races from there.

Where did you go after that?
From there, we went down to the Ligurian coast towards Sicily, then crossed to the Ionian Sea, where we spent June and July visiting islands such as Kefalonia, Ithaca, Kalamos and Kastos. We like it there best; we are based in a small marina and have guests coming and going over the weeks.

How do you spend your time on board?
Our activities are all sports oriented, such as biking, swimming, paddleboarding, diving and snorkelling. And good food! This year we had an excellent chef from Brazil, and we had really good menus and dinners with friends. 

I also try to do all the crossings, which are distances of up to 300 or 400 nautical miles. I do shifts on the helm, like the captain and crew, and do engine room checks. This is a lot of fun for me because my background is in mechanical engineering. I’m also normally at the helm when we dock.

Any hairy moments while under way?

On our way back to Spain, from Sicily, we decided to take the northern route in the channel between Sardinia and Corsica, named Bouches de Bonifacio, which is known for its bad weather. I was at the helm as we crossed at four o’clock in the morning with headwinds over 35 knots. 

The wheelhouse was pretty silent, we were doing 15 knots and thank God she behaved accordingly. Fortunately, from there it was a smooth passage back to our base near Barcelona. I like to have these experiences though; it’s like crossing Messina or the Strait of Gibraltar. 

First published in the October 2026 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.