Solo Circumnavigation Records

Circumnavigation Record Holders

Fastest Solo Circumnavigation
57 days, 13 hours, 34 minutes
Joyon, Francis* /France / 2007-08 / 110-ft Irons-Cabaret-designed trimaran / IDEC 2

Fastest Crewed Circumnavigation
48 days, 7 hours, 44 minutes
Franck Cammas (and a crew of 9) /France / Jan-Mar, 2010 / 105-ft Maxi Trimaran / Groupama 3

First Circumnavigation
Magellan, Ferdinand /Portugal / 1519-1521 / 90-ft carrack / Victoria
Of the 240 crewmembers and five ships that set out with Magellan, only 18 men and one ship, the Victoria, survived to complete the circumnavigation. Magellan himself was not among them, having been killed by natives in the Philippines. The survivors were led by Spaniard Juan Sebastián Elcano, who assumed command of the expedition after Magellan’s death.

First Solo Circumnavigation
Slocum, Joshua / Nova Scotia / 1895-98 / 37-ft sloop / Spray
Slocum and Spray disappeared on a voyage to the Caribbean in 1909.

First Nonstop Solo Unassisted Circumnavigation
Moitessier, Bernard / 1968-1969 / 39-ft ketch / Joshua
(via the five great capes)

First Nonstop Solo Unassisted Circumnavigation by a Woman
Kay Cottee / 1987-88 / Cavalier 37 Sloop / Blackmores First Lady
A singlehand nonstop circumnavigation eastabout from/to Sydney, Australia, via St Paul’s Rocks in the North Atlantic and south of the five southernmost capes, west to east, commencing November 29, 1987, and finishing June 5, 1988. Total sailing time 189 days 0 hours 32 minutes, logging 22,100 miles at an average speed of 116.93 miles per day. The voyage was completed without touching land, and without any form of outside aid apart from radio contact.In June 1988, Kay Cottee became the first woman to sail solo, unassisted and nonstop around the world. In the course of her voyage she set seven world records.

First Nonstop Solo Unassisted Circumnavigation in a vessel less than 32ft.
Alessandro Di Benedetto / 2009-10 / 6.5m Mini / Findomestic Banca
The circumnavigation was a, single-handed, non stop, not assisted, by a sailing boat 6.5 mt long. The rules were the same used for the Golden Globe, A sailor, a sailing boat, the globe circumnavigation sailing past the 3 Capes at left (Agulhas, Leeuwin, Horn), without any landing and not assisted. Alessandro completed the voyage in 268d 19h 36' 12".

Fastest Nonstop Solo Unassisted Circumnavigation in a vessel less than 32ft.
Alessandro Di Benedetto / 2009-10 / 6.5m Mini / Findomestic Banca
The circumnavigation was a, single-handed, non stop, not assisted, by a sailing boat 6.5 mt long. The rules were the same used for the Golden Globe, A sailor, a sailing boat, the globe circumnavigation sailing past the 3 Capes at left (Agulhas, Leeuwin, Horn), without any landing and not assisted. Alessandro completed the voyage in 268d 19h 36' 12".

First Nonstop Solo Circumnavigation, Port-to-Port
Knox-Johnston, Robin / 1968-1969 / 32-ft ketch / Suhaili
(via the three great capes)

Longest Non-Stop / Non Resupply Voyage
Reid Stowe / April 12 2007 - June 17, 2010 (1152 days) / New York / 70ft. Schooner / Anne

Youngest Unassisted Nonstop Circumnavigator
Jessica Watson (16 yrs and 362 days) / Australia / 2009-10 / S&S 34 / Ella's Pink Lady

Youngest Circumnavigator
Mike Perham (age 17 yrs and 164 days) / Great Britan ./ 2008-2009 / Open 50 / Totallymoney.com

Oldest Nonstop Circumnavigator
Saito, Minoru (age 71) / Japan / 2004-05 / Adams 50 / Challenge 7 (ex-Shuten-Dohji)

Oldest Circumnavigator (with stops)
Heckel, Harry (age 89) / Jacksonville / 1995-2005 / Dreadnought 32 / Idle Queen

First Woman Circumnavigator (with stops)
Krystyna Chojnowska-Liskiewicz / Canary Islands / 1976-1978 / Conrad 32 / Mazurek

First West Coast Circumnavigator
Pidgeon, Harry / San Pedro / 1925 & 1937 / gaff yawl / Islander
Pidgeon was also the first sailor to complete two solo circumnavigations.

First West Coast Women Solo Circumnavigators
Henry, Pat / Mexico / 1989-97 / Southern Cross 31 / Southern Cross — via Panama.
Thorndike, Karen / Washington / 1996-98 / Rival 36 / Amelia — traditional circumnavigation route via the great capes.