Jorrit de Vries was born in 1972 in Leeuwarden in the Netherlands. His parents raised him under sails.

Born a sailor his first job was to be a trainer in a sailing school for six years. Afterwards he was in charge of coaching and advising young trainers.

Jorrit then studied Chemical Technology. But still he was mesmerized by sailing and the open sea: he went in for regattas as the renowned Fastnet Race, organised by the british Royal Ocean Racing Club.

For this Jorrit returned to his profession and passed his master’s certificatemat the Navigation School of Enkhuitz in the Netherlands. For the following eight years he sailed as a skipper with several ships. Jorrit is experienced with the Loth Loriën for he was her skipper for four years, before he changed to become an nautical insurance agent.

His new job served him well to pay his expenses for him and his young family – but still he felt love for good old Loth Loriën: in 2007 he again will be her skipper.