A story could not begin more ingloriously. Young Willi Lenz is bored at school and tries to cover up his lack of preparation with a fever. When he is caught stealing, he is expelled from school. There are also problems in the family because the father is building a house on his own with the help of his sons' labor. While his friends spend the weekend at the disco, Willi is "allowed" to work on the building site. Eventually, the idea of attending a ship's boy's school matures in him. The theoretical training is followed by two years of practical training on the ship MS "Fryga". This is followed by exciting adventures on deck, but also many professional insights into seafaring and the so-called "economic miracle era".