Schurmann Family

The Schurmann Family is a Brazilian seafaring and media group centered on the family of Vilfredo and Heloisa Schürmann. It became known nationally and internationally after leaving Florianópolis, in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, in 1984 to pursue a family dream of sailing around the world. Their first circumnavigation lasted ten years and involved Vilfredo and Heloisa and their children Pierre, David, and Wilhelm, who were teenagers or young children when the voyage began. The journey developed into a broader public project combining sailing, family education, documentary storytelling, publishing, and public presentations. The family later undertook additional expeditions designed around historical and scientific themes. In 1997, Vilfredo and Heloisa, together with their son David and granddaughter Kat, began the Magellan Global Adventure, an attempt to retrace the route associated with Ferdinand Magellan's fleet. The voyage lasted approximately thirty months and generated filmed reports distributed internationally. According to reference material, the project reached audiences in dozens of countries and attracted substantial television viewership in Brazil and elsewhere. It strengthened the family's identity as a recurring expedition and content-production organization rather than simply a private sailing family. In 2011, the Schürmanns led a search that located the German Second World War submarine U-513 in Brazilian waters, approximately 85 kilometers east of Florianópolis. The discovery followed years of archival and technical research and two years of maritime searching. Side-scan sonar imagery helped document the find, which was publicly announced on June 17, 2011. The expedition added an exploration and historical-research dimension to the family's activities. A third circumnavigation began on September 21, 2014, under the name Orient Expedition. The project used a purpose-built sustainable sailboat and incorporated technology, environmental concerns, educational programming, documentary production, and scientific sampling. The expedition drew on disputed historical theories concerning Chinese voyages predating Magellan, while its practical program included a partnership with Estácio and collaboration involving National Geographic. Members of different generations participated in different capacities: Wilhelm sailed as skipper, Pierre and David contributed to selected sections or shore-based operations, and Emmanuel represented the third generation aboard with his grandparents. The family's public output includes books by Heloisa, Vilfredo, and David Schürmann; television projects such as Magellan Global Adventure and Schurmann Family: Orient Expedition; and the feature documentary O Mundo em Duas Voltas, released in 2007. The family has also been associated with Pequeno Segredo, a story later adapted for film. Its activities have therefore extended beyond expedition logistics into Brazilian publishing, television, cinema, speaking, and educational engagement. In 2019, the family launched Voice of the Ocean, an initiative focused on awareness, education, innovation, and practical responses to ocean challenges. The program was described as combining a two-year sailing expedition with a television series, public experiences, an open-innovation search for start-ups, and global data collection intended to support scientific work. Through this initiative, the Schurmann Family positioned its public identity around ocean stewardship as well as adventure. The family remains associated with maritime exploration, environmental communication, educational outreach, and the use of family voyages as platforms for media and social-impact projects.

The Schurmann Family's public history began in 1984, when Vilfredo and Heloisa Schürmann left their home and professional routines in Florianópolis with their children Pierre, David, and Wilhelm to sail around the world. The decision transformed a private family ambition into a long-term expeditionary project. The first voyage lasted ten years and made the family the first Brazilian family recognized for completing a world circumnavigation by sailboat. It also established the pattern that would define the family's later work: voyages were treated as educational and cultural projects, documented for audiences and eventually developed into books, films, television programs, and public activities. In 1997, the family began the Magellan Global Adventure. Unlike the first voyage, this expedition focused on retracing the route associated with Ferdinand Magellan's fleet. Vilfredo and Heloisa were joined by David and the young Kat. The project lasted about thirty months, with the yacht eventually returning to Brazil. Its filmed reports were distributed internationally and were reported to have reached viewers in many countries, giving the family a substantial television profile beyond Brazil. The family's activities subsequently expanded into historical exploration. In 2011, it led an expedition to search for U-513, a German submarine sunk during the Second World War. The search followed nine years of research and two years of field operations. The wreck was located roughly 85 kilometers east of Florianópolis, and the discovery was announced internationally on June 17, 2011. The use of side-scan sonar and the production of visual evidence connected the family's sailing expertise with maritime archaeology and historical documentation. On September 21, 2014, the Schurmann Family began the Orient Expedition, its third circumnavigation. The project was built around a more explicitly sustainability-oriented concept, including a new sailboat, onboard technology, educational activities, documentary work, and ocean sampling. The expedition explored routes linked to controversial theories about Chinese sailors reaching or circumnavigating the world before Magellan, but the family presented the voyage primarily as a combination of exploration, learning, environmental awareness, and intercultural storytelling. A partnership with Estácio supported educational work, while National Geographic involvement supported television and documentary production. Samples collected during the voyage were used in biological-oceanography research concerning water quality and plankton. Different generations of the family took different roles in the project. Wilhelm served as skipper throughout the expedition, while Pierre and David participated in selected stages or supported the project from land. Emmanuel, the youngest generation represented in the expedition, accompanied his grandparents for part of the voyage. Kat, who died in 2006, remained symbolically connected to the project through the naming of the vessel. The family has maintained a substantial media and publishing presence. Its listed publications include 10 Anos No Mar, Momentos De uma Aventura, Um Mundo de Aventuras, Em Busca do Sonho, Ao Vento, and Pequeno Segredo. Its screen work includes Magellan Global Adventure, Schurmann Family 20 Years, Schurmann Family: Orient Expedition, and the 2007 feature documentary O Mundo em Duas Voltas. These works have converted the family's experiences into accounts of travel, parenting, risk, education, and family cohesion. The story Pequeno Segredo also became associated with a feature-film adaptation. In 2019, the Schurmann Family launched Voice of the Ocean. The initiative broadened the family's mission from adventure and historical discovery to ocean advocacy. It was designed to combine a sailing expedition, a television series, educational and experiential programming, an open-innovation search for start-ups, and the collection of information for scientific use. This phase presents the family as a long-running platform for public communication about marine issues, rather than only as a group of circumnavigators. Across its history, the family's distinctive model has remained the integration of family participation, ocean travel, media production, education, and environmental awareness.

• 2019

  Voice of the Ocean launched

  [1]Schurmann Familyen.wikipedia.org

  The family introduces a long-term ocean-awareness and innovation initiative involving sailing, media, education, start-ups, and scientific data.

• 2014

  Orient Expedition begins

  [1]Schurmann Familyen.wikipedia.org

  The family sets out on its third circumnavigation aboard a sailboat designed around sustainability, technology, education, and scientific observation.

• 2011

  U-513 located

  [1]Schurmann Familyen.wikipedia.org

  A Schurmann-led search locates the German submarine U-513 in Brazilian waters after extended research and maritime surveying.

• 2007

  O Mundo em Duas Voltas released

  [1]Schurmann Familyen.wikipedia.org

  The feature documentary O Mundo em Duas Voltas brings the family's ocean adventures to cinema audiences.

• 1997

  Magellan Global Adventure starts

  [1]Schurmann Familyen.wikipedia.org

  The family begins an expedition intended to retrace the route of Ferdinand Magellan's fleet, with David and Kat joining Vilfredo and Heloisa.

• 1994

  First circumnavigation completed

  [1]Schurmann Familyen.wikipedia.org

  The family completes its first world circumnavigation, establishing its public reputation as a Brazilian family of ocean sailors and explorers.

• 1984

  First family circumnavigation begins

  [1]Schurmann Familyen.wikipedia.org

  Vilfredo and Heloisa Schürmann and their children Pierre, David, and Wilhelm leave Florianópolis to begin a ten-year sailing voyage around the world.

A Brazilian family-led ocean exploration and storytelling platform combining sailing expeditions, historical and scientific research, education, entertainment, publishing, and marine-conservation advocacy.

• Adventure and exploration · 1984

  Ocean expeditions

  The family's core offering is a series of family-led sailing expeditions. These projects combine long-distance navigation with historical themes, environmental observation, education, and media production. The best-known voyages are the first circumnavigation begun in 1984, Magellan Global Adventure, and the Orient Expedition.

• Media · 1995

  Documentary films and television programs

  The Schurmann Family has converted its voyages into television and film properties, including Magellan Global Adventure, Schurmann Family 20 Years, Schurmann Family: Orient Expedition, and the feature documentary O Mundo em Duas Voltas. These productions communicate the family's experiences and expedition themes to Brazilian and international audiences.

• Publishing · 1995

  Books

  The family has published several first-person and family-oriented accounts of its voyages and experiences. Listed titles include 10 Anos No Mar, Momentos De uma Aventura, Um Mundo de Aventuras, Em Busca do Sonho, Ao Vento, and Pequeno Segredo. The books extend the family's storytelling beyond broadcast and cinema.

• Ocean advocacy and education · 2019

  Voice of the Ocean

  Voice of the Ocean is an initiative focused on ocean challenges. Its described components include a sailing expedition, television content, public experiences, educational work, an open-innovation search for start-ups, and data collection intended for scientific use. It represents the family's shift toward marine awareness and solutions-oriented advocacy.

• 2019Voice of the Ocean

  Brazil · International

  A multi-part ocean initiative designed to raise awareness and support solutions through a two-year sailing expedition, television programming, experiences, education, start-up discovery, and scientific data gathering.

  Outcome. The initiative broadened the family's positioning from adventure storytelling to ocean advocacy, innovation, and public education.

  Source
• 2014Orient Expedition

  Brazil · International

  A sustainability-oriented third circumnavigation combining sailing, technology, education, documentary production, and environmental observation. The project included an educational partnership with Estácio, National Geographic-related production, and the collection of ocean samples for biological research.

  Outcome. The expedition expanded the family's public profile as an education and environmental communication platform and generated material for media and scientific activities.

  Source

• 2019

  Launch of Voice of the OceanStrategy

  Background

  The family sought to address ocean challenges through a broader platform than individual voyages or media productions.

  Action taken

  It introduced Voice of the Ocean as a combined expedition, education, media, innovation, and scientific-data initiative.

  Aftermath

  The family's positioning expanded toward long-term ocean conservation communication and practical innovation.

  Source

• 2014

  Sustainability becomes a central expedition themeStrategy

  Background

  The family planned a third circumnavigation that combined exploration with technology, education, environmental concerns, and scientific observation.

  Action taken

  The family launched the Orient Expedition on a new sustainable sailboat and incorporated academic and media partnerships.

  Aftermath

  The family strengthened its association with environmental education and ocean research.

  Source

• 1997

  Expedition reframed around Magellan's routeStrategy

  Background

  After the first circumnavigation, the family developed a second major voyage with a specific historical and navigational theme.

  Action taken

  Vilfredo, Heloisa, David, and Kat undertook the Magellan Global Adventure and supported recurring filmed reports.

  Aftermath

  The project increased the family's international television reach and reinforced its expedition-content model.

  Source

• 1984

  Family adopts full-time ocean-expedition modelStrategy

  Background

  Vilfredo and Heloisa decided to leave home and work routines with their children in order to pursue a world circumnavigation by sailboat.

  Action taken

  The family began a ten-year voyage that became the foundation of its public identity and later media activities.

  Aftermath

  The voyage established the Schurmann Family as a Brazilian exploration and storytelling brand.

  Source

1. 1Schurmann Familyen.wikipedia.org