He was born on a boat, lived the first six years of his life at sea and has sailed more than 100,000 miles by age 27. Now, Simbad Quiroga is gearing up for his Sydney to Hobart debut.
The Canary Islands native first came into Hobart calculations during this year's Transpacific Race, which he sailed on Rio100 alongside veteran New Zealand yachtsman Tony Mutter.
The Spaniard impressed so much on the epic 2,225 nautical mile journey from California to Hawaii that Mutter invited him to join the crew of supermaxi yacht LawConnect on Boxing Day.
It's no wonder sailing comes naturally to Quiroga.
"I was born on a boat so I lived my first six years of my life on board," he told AAP.
"I studied naval engineering but after that I decided to be a full-time sailor. The last six years, I didn't stop sailing, all the time."
Along with countryman Carlos Hernandez, Quiroga will work on the bow for LawConnect, one of four 100-footers likely to jostle for line honours.
Quiroga sailed with LawConnect as she took line honours in the Big Boat Challenge on Sydney Harbour earlier this month and before that, helped her push reigning Hobart champion Andoo Comanche in the Cabbage Tree Island Race.
But it was a gesture on dry land that confirmed to LawConnect's crew that Quiroga would slot in well come Boxing Day.
LawConnect crew members brought from out of state have been cohabiting while in Sydney, and went outside one day to find the young Quiroga had mowed their house's lawns unprompted.
"He's got a good work ethic," senior crew member Chris Nicholson told AAP.
"He's super sensible and smart, and really energetic. He's got all the skills, that's for sure. It's just nice sailing with those guys.
"And I think he's more than enjoying himself in the Australian summer."
Quiroga's globetrotting ways will continue in a matter of days, first with a flight home to Spain where he'll ring in the new year, and then with a surfing trip to Morocco.
Before that, Quiroga is intent on guiding LawConnect to her second Sydney to Hobart line-honours victory, the only way he knows how.
"The only way to grow up as a person is if you work hard in all aspects, so I try to push hard," he said.
"To win the race, it's the only way."
