circumnavigation sailboat

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Best Sailboats For Circumnavigation

Circumnavigation is an undeniably enjoyable experience made even more fun with the right sailboats. Read on to find the best sailboats for circumnavigation!

October 17, 2023

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The best sailboats for circumnavigation include the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 54DS, Neel 51, and Island Packet 349. These boats offer passengers a thoroughly enjoyable sailing experience and the reliability, efficiency, and luxury they need from a long-haul sailing vessel.

Circumnavigation is all about navigating the world oceans on a dream sailing trip across the world. The best high-performing sailboats can help circumnavigate the world with ease. They have the most reliable and functional facilities onboard, are easy to maneuver, have been fitted with the finest equipment, and have organized, spaced out deck and cabin areas for you to have a pleasant sailing experience.

Given the sheer volume of sailboats in the market, it’s not always easy to make the right decision for your sailing adventures. It’s why I have used my sailing expertise to create this list of the most reliable and high-performing sailboats ideal for sailing across the world!

Table of Contents

‍ 8 Best Sailboats for Circumnavigating the World

Here are eight of the finest sailboats for travelling around the world:

1. Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 54DS

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 54DS is easily one of the finest and luxurious sailboats for circumnavigation. It’s a spacious and visually stunning vessel with large, swooping curves that give it its unique shape. When this sailboat debuted in 2003, its superstructure, with its quality desk hardware, was instantly recognized as one of the finest in the world, and that remains true today as well. Plus, the interior of the boat is designed with elegance in mind.

Moreover, this sailboat has a premium-quality, powerful build, which ensures that the Odyssey 54DS delivers top-quality, smooth performance, allowing you to travel in it around the world with ease. The 54DS has many notable features, including its standard in-mast furling mainsail and deep-draft keel. The vessel also comes with an optional full battened main.

The sailboat has a fancy leather-bound wheel that works smoothly and five to ten luxurious berths. It features a harbor cachet that is more or less the same size as the cachet of a custom yacht. All of its distinctive and contemporary features are designed to offer maximum comfort and a smooth sailing experience to long-distance travelers. It’s why the price of the sailboat is certainly a bit on the higher end. But the sheer quality and prowess of the boat make up for the higher price tag.

Here are some pros of the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 54DS:

Sturdy construction
Reliable sailing experience
Luxurious interior for added comfort
Attractive design that makes it feel like a small superyacht

Here are some cons of the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 54DS:

Price is a bit steep

Neel 51 is a popular choice amongst sailboat lovers due to its wide deckhouse. Its double headsail rig is conveniently accessible from the helm and is controlled by Harken 52 winches. This blue water yacht was introduced after the success of Neel 45 and Neel 65.

This sailboat also houses two center-hull staterooms with functional showers below the deck. The trim of this popular yacht is made of alpi wood, and the flooring has a hard-wearing polyester substance construction. The sailboat enjoys an overall length of 51 feet and a width of 29 feet and 18 inches. The live-aboard space equals 90sqm, and the tender garage technical room covers 18 sqm.

With that said, the headsail hinders visibility from the helm, which is a common pain point with multihulls. With that said, you can enjoy an unobstructed view from the spacious and elegant lounge space adjacent to the helm for resting and relaxing. This boat is fitted with an impressive Volvo diesel inboard engine with an HP sail drive of 75.

This sailboat can also carry up to 600L of water and fuel. It offers exceptional directional prowess and is easy to drive. With this vessel, you can sail from 6-7 knits up to 10-11 knots. It’s the ideal boat for individuals who wish to experience the joys of circumnavigation in a comfortable sailboat.

Here are some pros of the Neel 51:

Sturdy, durable construction
Excellent functionality and a smooth ride
Incredible directional power
Comfortable, spacious, and luxurious

Here are some cons of the Neel 51:

Visibility is obstructed from the helm

3. Island Packet 349

The Island Packet 349 is widely regarded as the best midsize cruiser under 38 feet. Even in poor weather conditions, it offers its passengers a comfortable and safe long-haul sailing and cruising experience. From its harken furlers and winches to its fiberglass work, the build quality is brilliant. The vessel sails wonderfully well as well.

This vessel is designed as a two-cabin boat and features a separate shower compartment in a single head, a distinctive feature in a boat under 38 feet. It comes with a functional set of furniture and appliances, including an under-counter storage space for dry goods, refrigerators, a pull-out spice rack cabinet, various bulkhead mounted handholds and SS overhead spaces.

The saloon of the sailboat also contains an L-shaped built-in sofa/settee and a dining table that can be folded when not in use to make more space for the passengers. The Island Packet 349 has an overall length and water length of a little more than 38 feet and 31 feet, respectively. The draft is 4 feet, and the beamwidth is 12 feet and 6 inches long.

The vessel can carry up to 100 gallons of water and 55 gallons of fuel. It houses a strong engine of Yanmar diesel with 45 HP, which allows it to travel a distance of 500 miles at six knots cruising speed. The IP 349 offers a nominal hull speed of around 7.5 knots, thanks to its 32-foot waterline. This model is safe for sea travel due to its ballast-to-displacement ratio of 39% and full keel, 20,000lbs displacement.

Here are some pros of the Island Packet 349:

Durable fiberglass and harken construction
Excellent utilization of space despite the small size
Strong engine and traveling speed
Comfortable vessel for sailing across the globe

Here are some cons of the Island Packet 349:

It’s a bit on the small side compared to other sailboats on the list

4. Amel Super Maramu

Amel Super Maramu is a loved vessel designed by the Frenchman Henri Amel. He designed it with the vision of creating a high-performance circumnavigating sailboat, and it’s safe to say he succeeded. This sailboat provides exceptional performance in deeper sea waters and is all about functionality.

The sailboat has an undeniably traditional circumnavigating sailboat-like appearance. However, it has many modern features to offer. It’s designed to be operated by a small crew of two people to ensure increased efficiency. The ketch rig has a simple yet exceptionally effective design, and the sails are electrically controlled, making the boat super manageable.

With everything said, the Super Maramu is not designed for external modifications. It’s a 53-feet-long boat with an optimally functional exterior and interior. It has an overall width of a little over 41 feet and a beamwidth of 15 feet. The sailboat has a water capacity of 264 gallons and a fuel capacity of 158 gallons.

Here are some pros of the Amel Super Maramu:

Super-efficient design with maximum focus on functionality
It doesn’t require a huge crew; designed for a two-person crew
Explicitly designed for long-distance sailing
Safe, reliable, and powerful vessel

Here are some cons of the Amel Super Maramu:

Not as luxurious as some of the other options on the list
Best for an experienced crew due to the complexity of some features

5. Bavaria 42

Bavaria 42 is a mass-produced, popular boat designed for cross-ocean traveling. It’s a no-nonsense, comparatively priced, adaptable sailboat that offers great features for its affordable price. The deck features a fairly spacious sail area and a long waterline to ensure good performance. However, the vessel can be super heavy when the cruising essentials are stored onboard.

The cockpit of the boat is placed centrally to free up more space for the passengers. Below the deck, the interior is as functional and practical as needed. Depending on the model you choose, you will benefit from two to three comfortable seeping cabins that are functional. It’s a standard go-to cruiser for circumnavigation.

This sailboat offers an overall length of almost 43 feet and a beamwidth of 13 feet. Depending on the model you choose, you can avail a fuel capacity of 210L to 230L and a water capacity of 360L. You will also have six to eight functional berths. The engine has an HP of 55. All in all, it’s a well-built, practical vessel that will enable you to have a relaxing cruise around the world.

The forward visibility of the sailboat is excellent at the helm, and the wide cockpit offers an unmatched sense of security even when the boat is listing. Moreover, the Bavaria 42 responds exceptionally well to the touch of an experienced sailor.

Here are some pros of the Bavaria 42:

Responsive, functional sailboat
Practically built to offer excellent performance
Excellent front view
Sense of security due to the spacious cockpit

Here are some cons of the Bavaria 42:

Quite heavy when the cruising essentials are stored onboard

6. Beneteau 57

Beneteau 57 is easily one of the finest, most high-end sailboats for circumnavigation. It’s designed to be a stylish, high-performing, reliable vessel that you can take on a cruise around the world. It’s a luxury sailboat through and through!

The vessel’s hull has a monohull design and offers quick performance and a sleek appearance. The cockpit is also placed centrally to maximize the space on the deck and keep the vessel’s interior neatly organized under the deck. It is a powerful sloop rig with an impressively constructed cockpit.

The facilities below the deck are modern, comfortable, and wholly impressive. They are also quite spacious since the vessel’s overall length is more than 50 feet. The beamwidth of the vessel is a little over 16 feet, and the overall width is 56 feet. Moreover, its engine has an impressive 160 HP, and the fuel tanks have a capacity of 400L. The sailboat can carry 22,000 kgs of dry weight.

The synthetic glittering Glass blue countertops in the head and the brilliant stainless steel gallery appliances add a luxurious touch to the Beneteau 57. The boat has the most comprehensive list of features out of all the Beneteau boats. Considering the fantastic build-quality and luxurious experience that the Beneteau 57 offers to its passengers, its price is impressively competitive.

Here are some pros of the Beneteau 57:

High-end, luxurious vessel with a fantastic build quality
It offers an enjoyable cruising experience
Well-organized and functional deck and below deck spaces
Stainless steel appliances
Competitive price
Impressive dry weight capacity

Here are some cons of the Beneteau 57:

Not as efficient as some of the other options on the list

7. Hylas 54

Hylas 54 has a German Frers design that offers the vessel a brilliant balance between efficiency and performance. The vessel’s hull is built exceptionally well, ensuring the boat to be driven seamlessly. It’s so easy to sail the boat that achieving more than 200 miles per day is achievable. On the deck, the compact and efficient design is ideal for an experienced sailor.

One of the finest features of the Hylas 54 is its spaciousness below deck, which is ideal for long-haul sailing across the world. The flexible below deck interior allows you to customize the layout however you want. It also enables you to use the finish quality you want. It also comes with a raised saloon version, which adds to its flexibility.

Like other Hylas sailboats, the passengers are typically satisfied with this 54-feet-long vessel for cross-ocean sailing. It’s because this vessel is super easy to handle and makes a great all-rounder for circumnavigation. It offers you the freedom you need to traverse the world oceans in comfort and style.

Here are some pros of the Hylas 54:

Excellent customization options
Efficient, high-performing vessel
Easy to sail across the ocean, achieving maximum speed

Here are some cons of the Hylas 54:

A relatively smaller deck compared to other vessels on the list

8. Beneteau Oceanis 46.1

The Beneteau Oceanis 46.1 is one of the most popular Beneteau models. It features a stepped hull design and incorporates some of the most loved features of the previous models. It also offers increased performance, quality, and top-tier design.

Oceanis 46.1 has a deep lead-bulb keel and a tall mast, allowing the vessel to offer 28% more sail area than the previous Beneteau models. It also has a “first Line” edition that offers comfort and speed. This sailboat offers a functional and roomy cockpit and a spacious forward owner’s cabin. It enables you to sail luxuriously and comfortably.

The overall length and width of the vessel are 46 feet and 47 feet and 43 feet. The hull length is an impressive 45 feet. The sailboat features a Yanmar power engine with 57 HP. You can also go for the Yanmar diesel with 80 HP. This sailboat comes with five varied layouts – three cabins with two heads, three cabins with three heads, four cabins with two heads, four cabins with four heads, and five cabins with three heads.

This Beneteau model enables you to sail short-handed and empowers you to control the winches from aft. It also has a beautiful design; the below deck interior is covered with brushed light oak veneer. It also houses wide sunbeds with separate head and shower compartments. The vessel has large hull portholes that allow natural light into its saloon, making your experience more comfortable.

Here are some pros of the Beneteau Oceanis 46.1:

Beautiful and spacious below deck space
Multiple below deck options
Excellent performance and efficiency
Spacious vessel with a powerful engine

Here are some cons of the Beneteau Oceanis 46.1:

Not as roomy as some of the other sailboats on the list

Which Sailboat is the Best for Circumnavigation?

With today’s varied options, sailing worldwide is an exciting prospect. After all, there are many luxurious, well-performing sailboats that can help you have a grand time sailing across world oceans. However, only the best sailboats can offer you the most pleasing sailing experience that goes without a hitch.

The finest boats for circumnavigation offer lightweight speed and have a spacious hull and deck area that offers a grand view. They are also equipped with the finest, most functional and luxurious features for your comfort on your sojourn. That said, the best sailboat for you will also depend on the route you’re taking and your specific needs.

For instance, if someone is looking for a luxurious, competitively priced vessel for their circumnavigation trip, they will likely choose a Beneteau 57 for its luxurious interior and high-end performance. However, if you’re more inclined toward efficiently performing sailboats designed to offer optimal functionality, you will be drawn toward the Bavaria 42.

But if you need an incredible all-around performer in the world of sailboats ideal for circumnavigation, you will likely choose the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 54DS or the Island Packet 349. These sailboats offer exceptional functionality, luxury, and comfort. They are also reliable in poor weather conditions and offer you a smooth, quick, and efficient sailing experience.

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How To Sail Around The World (With Timeline and Examples)

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Every year 150 boats with crews complete a full circumnavigation of the globe, if(like me) you are in the process of planning the adventure of your life, or if you are just interested in how to sail around the world, then you have come to the perfect spot.

In this post, I will explain all of the aspects you need to consider before, during, and after a sailing adventure of this magnitude.

Firstly I will introduce you to 8 ways of sailing around the world; then, I will show how to plan and execute a circumnavigation .

There are 8 different ways to Sail around the world,

Join a research vessel
Get on a friend’s boat that is already out sailing.
Date the owner of a boat
Get paid to work as a; Mechanic, Chef, or General helper .
Use Your specialty skill to help the crew; online marketing, language teacher, musician, etc.
Work for free but instead receive free meals and a berth .
Take care of children on board.
Become a boat sitter .

Table of Contents

How to Sail Around The World in Your Boat

Choose the right boat.

I have written an entire series on this topic, and if you want the full in-depth detailings on how you can make sure you get the right boat for your needs, read this .

Some aspects that you need consider are, size, number of berths and hull shape etc.

What You Need To Know

How long is it going to take .

Circumnavigating the globe on a sailboat will take a considerable amount of time. There are some aspects that we need to consider before we can come up to a reasonable conclusion on how long it will take you!

To get some perspective on the matter here are some data;

The fastest boat to sail around the world is a trimaran, and the shortest time recorded is 40days.

If you are on a sailing cruiser, it will most likely take you somewhere between 1.5 to 5 years until you have reached a full circumnavigation.

If you join the A.R.C. world cruise, you will return in 1.5 years but will not have had much time to explore all the places you have passed through. Therefore, many people do half a circumnavigation with the A.R.C., stop and explore, and then continue on their own.

So if you’re interested in exploring the locations you sail through, then plan on returning home closer to the 5-year mark.

What Factors Impact Time?

The most significant factor in determining how long it will take for you to sail around the world is how much time you spend in each region.

Every region has a time window of when it is best to arrive and leave; these are often due to storm or other weather patterns that will impact your sailing safety and pleasure.

If you choose not to use your time window, you might have to stay another three months or so until the hurricane season is over.

A factor that is not very important in the long run is how fast your boat is, even though you have a faster boat and will reach the destination quicker, that time will quickly be eaten up by staying an extra day or two at a marina.

Here’s an example:

Crossing the Atlantic takes around three weeks, let’s say we double that speed(which is unrealistic but will hopefully make my point clear).

Now it only takes 1.5 weeks, and you have an additional 1.5 weeks that you can spend on sailing around or going to the next place.

1.5 weeks might sound much, but considering that this crossing is only one of around five major crossings, the amount of time you can save by going faster is small compared to how much time you will have in each region(months).

So if you want to get done with it quicker, then it is a better tactic to spend less time in each region than getting a faster boat.

There are, of course, benefits of having a faster boat, much of this is discussed in my article;

Or check out my youtube talk!

Possible Routes

The northern route means traveling through the arctic circle and around the North American continent instead of heading straight through the Panama canal. Taking this route means that you will have to pass through the northwest passage, more on that below.

Heading east or west?

Most boats travel to the west since this means that they are able to utilize the trade winds going downwind, something that is much more comfortable. Although this is more enjoyable, the speed records for going around the world are set by going east into the wind.

Southern Route Going West, 2.5 Year Circumnavigation Example

This is the most common route to take when sailing around the world, the most significant difference between the southern and northern route is the Northwest passage north of Alaska.

The reason why most opt for the southern route is due to the colder climate and a more strenuous trip when crossing the arctic circle.

Southern Route is faster since you will not have to sail around the North American continent, but instead, you will enter the Pacific Ocean through the Panama Canal and its giant locks( more on that here )

The Atlantic Ocean, 9 Months

July to March

If you plan to explore the Mediterranean, make sure you have plenty of time here during the summer since this is truly the best time. It also synchronizes well with the tropical hurricane seasons in The Caribbean, starting in June and ending on November 30th.

This means you can spend the entire summer and autumn on the European side and from November to December cross the Atlantic to The Caribbean side. This will give you three months in the Caribbean before it is time to sail through the Panama canal.

The Pacific Ocean, 8 Months (Total: 1 Year 3 Months)

March to September

Many say that spending only one season in The South Pacific is too short, so make sure you plan enough time to explore the many paradise islands that you probably never will return to again!

Most cruisers travel from Panama to Galapagos Islands and then head straight for Marquesas. I want you to know that there is an option here to head on a more southern route to include Easter Island on your trip, an Island that is well known for its hospitality but also those weird stones.

In this region, you will also have the opportunity to spend time in Fiji, Tonga, Bora Bora, and other magical places.

Your last big stop in this region is Australia, a land well worth exploring by car and a place to spend a lot of time exploring different animals and nature. Once you pass The Torres Strait, you will soon be in the next region.

The Indian Ocean, 6 Months (Total: 1 Year 9 Months)

October to April

Heading west after Australia, you can head towards The Suez canal via Thailand, Singapore, and the Maldives. Or you can stay south and reach the Atlantic through Cape Horn.

In this area, most people stop in Bali before continuing westward.

South Indian Ocean & South Atlantic Ocean, 9 Months (Total: 2 Years 6 Months

May to January

Due to the political situation around the horn of Africa and the Suez canal, most cruisers avoid that area and stay more south towards Madagascar and south Africa even though this has challenges of its own.

Rounding the southern tip of Africa is almost guaranteed to get you into some heavy weather, and you better prepare well.

Total Time to circumnavigate the world: 2 Years & 6 Months

Northwest passage .

July to August

This route will take you north of Canada and Alaska where you will have to find a way through the ice and snow that usually leaves an open path free from obstacles during late August.

The Northwest passage is around 782 Nautical miles, stretching from Canadian Baffin island in the east to the US Beaufort Sea in the west.

Sailing the Northwest passage at 7 knots will take 112 h or 4.5 days of continuous sailing.

This does not take into account navigating around icebergs or having to turn around since there might be no ice-free route.

The crossing can only be done in mid-august when enough ice has melted to create a way through.

Assuming that you leave the Caribbean when hurricane season starts at around June, this will get you in time to make the crossing in mid-august. If you make it, pop out on the other side in September, ready to head south and into warmer climates on the Pacific side.

Bottlenecks along the route

There are many variations of this route, but no matter what variation, you will end up going through one or more of these bottlenecks. (Unless you are competing in the Vendee Globe… but then you probably wouldn’t be reading this).

Panama Canal

Sailing across the Panama Canal is a story on its own, and I have dedicated an entire post to it ( read this ). The short version is that the canal will save you vast amounts of time since you won’t have to go around the cape horn, this is not as bad as the northwest passage, but it is still a cold and hard passage that will take its toll on boat and crew.

The Panama Canal is expensive; with all things covered, you will end up paying around USD 2500.

The Panama Canal will save you around 44 days and 8000 nautical miles!

Other than the security issues discussed above, the Suez canal is much cheaper than the Panama canal. The Suez canal is 5300 nm shorter than going around the cape of good hope.

Torres Strait

Torres Strait Is the water that separates Australia from Papua New Guinea and is the gateway between The South Pacific Ocean and The Indian sea.

How much time do you need to plan a circumnavigation

Actually, you dont need that much at all, once you find a boat suitable to your offshore needs you can get going. You dont have to have a perfect plan before you leave, if you are waiting for that, then you probably will never leave.

All you need is “enough preparations” to get you going, and once underway, many of the things can be sorted out.

A big one is to make sure you have an income or a big enough sum of money in the bank since this is one of the few things that can ruin your adventure.

You never want to be in the situation where you have to sell the boat, you might not have enough money to buy that fancy rigg or upgrade the rudder, but you will still have your home on the water, and with that, you can make money, one way or another!

If you don’t know anything about sailing, one or two years of planning and preparing is definitely enough time if you are dedicated to the mission.

12 Skills You Need to Sail Around The World

Here are some of the skills that we found very useful;

Glass fiber work

Planning your sail

Potential income.

B.O.A.T., Break out another thousand, you have probably heard that a boat is just a hole in the water where you throw all your money. I would argue that your boat can actually make you some money (Sign up for the email list to find out when the “how to make money off your boat” article is published).

There are a few ways to make some good dollars.

Putting a Berth out for rent on Airbnb could make some serious cash when you are in places that are well populated by tourists; this could earn you anywhere from USD 30 per night.

Take people out for snorkeling trips or a cruising weekend . You’re probably going to do this anyway so why not invite some new people, maybe you’ll end up being excellent friends! This has the potential of earning hundreds or even thousands of extra dollars for your trip.

Both of the examples mentioned earlier are good, but they require constant work involving customer interaction. I prefer a more stable passive income generated from either index funds or a low maintenance youtube channel.

Prepare Your Boat

Equipping the boat.

During your journey around the world, you will spend a lot of time on your boat doing stuff that you would also be doing in your nonfloating home onshore. Things like cooking, cleaning, and repairs should also be possible to undertake during a sail.

This means that your boat should be in perfect order to make sure you have the best experience possible.

The Galley should be configured to make food underway ; on a catamaran, This is less of an issue than on a monohull since it will not heel as much.

But your kitchen on water still should be able to operate during bad weather and therefore should have proper railings to hold on to, and many cruisers prefer a tight spaced galley instead of an open floor plan.

What sails do you need?

Getting the right sails is an entire article in itself, but I want to point out a few things here, firstly decide if you will travel in an easterly or westerly direction.

Most people go west(95%), especially sailors, with a catamaran since this means less upwind sailing.

Optimizing your boat for upwind performance requires another type of sails than it does for going eastbound and downwind.

The big difference between cruising your local archipelago and crossing big oceans is the number of different sails you will have to bring.

Since you will spend time in so many different weather patterns, you need sails that can work sufficiently in every condition, from storm to light winds.

Getting the right sail is very boat specific and differs widely, but there are a few key takeaways that I want to share.

Mainsail with a conventional single line reefing system with three reefs makes it possible for you to reef and raise the sail without leaving the cockpit. The system is also as basic as it gets and will most likely work when you need it the most.

Genoa is a sail that extends past the mast and is used to increase sail and is under low to moderate winds. These will come very handy during the low wind conditions mid-Atlantic or when coastal cruising. The Genoa is often combined with the spinnaker.

Asymmetrical Spinnaker resembles the Genoa sail but looks more like a balloon and is often called a kite or chute. The asymmetrical is easier to set and requires less crew to handle than the symmetrical spinnaker and is, therefore, the preferred option for long-distance cruising.

Storm Jib is a much smaller jib and is used to reduce the sail area to a minimum without losing too much speed rending the boat uncontrollable.

When picking out your sails, you should follow the O.S.R. Guidelines (Offshore Special Regulations).

Prepare Yourself and The Crew

What is it that you want to achieve on this trip?

Make sure everybody is on the same page regarding what you want to get out of this circumnavigation.

This dramatically reduces the risk for crew mutiny 😉 jokes aside, understanding each other is very important if wanting to avoid unnecessary conflicts.

To exemplify, consider the following; The most important thing to me is to complete the circumnavigation.

My friend’s most important thing is to get away from his lifestyle and enjoy some warm weather sailing.

These two missions might not seem very different at first sight, but when the time comes. You have to decide whether you want to leave for the Bahamas now, significantly increasing the crew’s workload, or staying another season(and enjoy the warm weather). The discussions will get emotional if you have not previously aired your goals for the trip.

Equipping The Crew

Ensure your crew has all the clothes they need for all the different weather types that you will encounter. Even though you might be sailing in the warmer parts of the world most of the time, once you get tired, wet, and the temperature drops, it will soon be freezing and hard on your crew.

Raingear is a must , even though it might be warm, a dry crew is a happy crew. Especially during night time in the Mediterranean, where it can be quite cold even in the summer.

Prepare for Emergencies

You need to consider two categories of threats, those that originate from natural causes, such as bad weather, and those initiated by a person, such as robberies.

Make sure you have an ongoing threat assessment and never allow yourself to get overly complacent.

Ensure you and your crew have sufficiently practiced drills such as Man overboard, M.O.B., Reefing, Storm tactics , etc.

The importance of these drills cannot be understated; you will learn so much from practicing; here’s an example.

Weeks before heading to The Bahamas, we went through the Miami river to practice M.O.B. drills in the bay’s somewhat choppy seas. Even though the conditions were almost perfect, we realized a few things. Firstly, if someone falls overboard without a harness, there is little to no chance to retrieve them during a storm. Secondly, if someone is attached to harness and tether, but it is too long, the only thing that will happen is that the M.O.B. will be pounded between the hull and the waves, not a good option.

The conclusion we reached? We must do everything in our powers to make sure nobody falls overboard, because if they do, we might not be able to save them. Shorter tethers and strict adherence to rules, and we felt comfortable to continue our journey.

These same principles also apply to reefing, make sure you understand precisely how it is done, and plan contingencies, what will you do when the mainsail jams? Cut it? There might be a time for such actions, but this means you no longer have a mainsail for the rest of the trip.

Plan and practice wisely, and when the time comes, you will handle stressful situations with ease.

Bringing a firearm or not?

Bringing a firearm might seem like an excellent idea at first, but there are a few things that you need to consider before bringing one onboard your boat.

Bringing a gun to another country isn’t something most countries take lightly, in many countries we visited they asked us if we had a weapon, we said no but asked what would happen if we did. They let us know that we would have to turn it in an get it back once we leave the country.

These rules mean that you won’t have access to the gun when you might need it, and that you need to exit from the same port that you entered.

This inhibits your freedom of movement in the country and just adds administration to your trip.

And even if you get to keep your gun, what are you going to do with it that you cant do with a flare gun that you already have on the boat(or at least should have)?

Yes, they still exist, no they dont have wooden legs or eyepatches, sorry 🙁

Pirating is still a significant safety concern; it is very uncommon in most parts of the world, but make sure you check out the I.C.C. website to assess the threat in your area.

Theft is something that will sooner or later happen to you, no big deal, you will get mad for a while, and then you let it go.

I only have one tip for you here, try not to take it out on the wrong people, not all the locals are horrible because somebody, who might not even be from there, stole your stuff.

Give the benefit of the doubt, and you will get plenty in return!

Health Emergencies

Bring all the medications that you need at home, and then assess what you will need in each region depending on the local situation.

Some basics include Malaria prophylactics, Imodium, and something for seasickness.

Ensure you get the right vaccines before leaving home.

Financial situations

Insurance can be costly , you dont need to have one, but I think that most cruisers are insured. Concerning offshore sailing around the world, there are many ifs and buts that they dont cover.

Two ordinary circumstances are; staying in hurricane territory during seasons and sailing through pirate-infested waters

Keep yourself updated, so if the accident strikes, you haven’t missed a loophole in the contract.

Make Sure You Bring The Right Paperwork

Every country has its own rules on what they consider necessary for you to enter the country.

Paperwork can be anything from yellow fever vaccine certificate to bank statements, keep yourself up to date on the local requirements. Here are some of the essential documents you will need for most countries.

VISA, Depending on where you are from, you might, or you might not need a visa to a particular country.

Usually, when entering a new country, the authorities want to make sure that you are the owner of the boat; make sure you bring an owner’s certificate in English.

If you carry a gun , bring the correct papers for that as well!

Before you enter a country’s territory, make sure you hoist the yellow quarantine flag and understand how you are supposed to clear customs.

Understanding and following the right procedures will significantly reduce unnecessary troubles when making your first port of entry.

Final preparations before you head out

A few more, easily missed, boxes we need to check to make sure you have the best adventure possible.

Prepay all your bills is an excellent idea since you dont know when and how good of a internet connection you will have, and you are also leaving the landlocked life behind so why not also leave the boring task of paying bills behind..

Ensuring that your bills are paid will give you more time to focus on the boat and reduces the risk of getting charged extra for being late on a payment.

If you have decided to keep your old home, whether it is a house or an apartment, it is good to prepare it for storage.

This includes getting someone to check up on it from time to time, set the temperature high enough that the house won’t freeze, and low enough that you don’t waste money on heating a place that you are not using. It is also good to make it look like it is still inhabited.

Share your float plan with someone you trust and make sure you update it as your plans change. The most important aspect of a float plan is, when should someone start looking for you, and where shall they look!

DOWNLOAD MY FLOAT PLAN FOR FREE

The importance of a going-away party should not be underestimated; this is the chance for all your friends and family to come together one last time before you leave.

These parties are always the best since the air is full of excitement and adventure!

During The Circumnavigation

So you are finally underway, this life-changing trip is off to a good start, but how do you keep the winds of luck blowing?

2 Things That You Always Need to Be Up to Date With

This will be as normal to you as checking your watch, understanding weather signs, and looking for changes is essential when sailing safely.

This includes understanding shifts in the tradewinds might be a sign of a cold front approaching, and heavy winds are on its way.

Understanding how the currents will impact your sailing, especially in places like the Bahamas where the sea bottom goes from 12 m to 2000m in a few minutes of sailing, is very important. This sudden drop in depth creates massive local currents that you just won’t be able to oppose unless you have a powerboat.

Seasonal changes are one of the most critical factors. We have briefly discussed hurricane seasons, but nature doesnt really use a calendar. She definitely doesnt wait for us humans to leave a place before it erupts into full blow storms.

Most cruisers will travel at the pace of the hurricane seasons and stay on the winter side of the equator.

It is also wise to keep in contact with cruisers in your area, for example, this might help you get the most recent update on the width of the doldrums (the area around the equator which usually have too little wind to sail)

2. The condition of your ship

Once the epic journey has begun, so will also the epic amounts of maintenance! One of the things we totally underestimated was the amount that we would have to spend on maintenance and repairs while underway.

Suppose you’re sailing a catamaran, and there is a need to do repairs under the waterline, then you can do something called beaching. Beaching is when you put your boat on a sand beach, and when the low tide flushes away the water, the ship will stand on its hulls, and you now have full access to the bottom of your boat.

There is always something that breaks or is underway to breaking.

And when you are not repairing, you are maintaining engines, hulls, electrical systems, or the dingy. Make sure you check every line and sail for chafing often, and when you are out on a long-distance sail, you want to check that every time you are on watch.

The same thing applies to the engines: they are running smoothly at the right water temperature and with the oil at the correct pressure. Adjust your RPM so you will get the maximum fuel efficiency!

After You Have Sailed Around The World

Coming back to a life on land can be hard if you haven’t prepared sufficiently, but with some thinking ahead before coming back home, the transition from a life at sea to a life at bay will be seamless.

Before you return home, you should have a solid plan for what you want to do and where you want to do it.

Do you want to keep or sell the boat? Then you want a good plan on where to sell it and when so you can maximize profit. If you decide to keep it, you also have the possibility to relive good memories by taking it out on weekend cruises.

Do you want to go back to your old life , or have you been accustomed to a different lifestyle? How will you earn your income?

Don’t expect everything to be the same way as when you left. Just as YOU have, the people back home will have carried on with their life, and you might not come back to what you left! For good and bad, of course, make sure you plan your future life on land according to the situation as it is right now!

Owner of CatamaranFreedom.com. A minimalist that has lived in a caravan in Sweden, 35ft Monohull in the Bahamas, and right now in his self-built Van. He just started the next adventure, to circumnavigate the world on a Catamaran!

Sailing Around The World – Planning For Global Circumnavigation

August 14, 2021 by Martin Parker Leave a Comment

various sailing gear for global circumnavigation

There’s something about sailing around the world that captures the imagination and inspires. For some, it’s the reason for learning to sail in the first place. Others only start to think about global circumnavigation as their skills and experience grow. Regardless of what motivates you to circumnavigate, one thing remains true. For most, it will be the challenge of a lifetime.

But how do you start the process? For someone new to sailing, the prospect of circumnavigation can be truly daunting. With so much to think about and plan for, many get overwhelmed and abandon their dreams before they begin.

This brief article aims to get you thinking about the task of circumnavigation and what it takes to practically and successfully navigate the process, from start to finish.

What Constitutes a Global Circumnavigation?

The definition of circumnavigation is a matter of debate, but there are some defined rules regarding a nautical, wind-powered trip where racing is concerned. A basic description would be to follow a route that forms a great circle. The passage must be at least 21,600 nautical miles for racing, and you must cross the equator, starting and finishing in the same port.

A cruising circumnavigation will often take a route that covers a much greater distance, with multiple diversions to visit places of interest. So long as you meet the essential criteria stated above, it can be classed as a circumnavigation.

If you are in a hurry, the current world record is held by Francois Gabart. He completed an official circumnavigation in just 42 days, 16 hours, and 40 minutes in December 2017.

No Substitute for Experience When Sailing Around the World

sailing around the world on a single hull sailboat

Some people spend a lifetime planning their trip, while others have just thrown the basics together and departed. In both cases, some have been successful, and some have not. We are trying to point out that while your planning is a necessary task, it does not guarantee success. Our best advice? Don’t keep putting off your departure because you haven’t planned everything 100%.

Start with the basic, most important tasks, and get ready to learn as you go. After all, thinking on your feet will be a big part of your circumnavigation journey.

Solo Circumnavigation, or Go With a Crew?

a man helps adjust the sails on a sailboat

Single-handed circumnavigation is perfectly possible. However, it’s a huge challenge that presents certain obstacles and dangers you could avoid with a crew. We highly recommend going with a crew for your first attempt, be it friends, family, or staff. The average time for cruising circumnavigation is around 18 months, although many people travel slowly over multiple years.

If none of your family and friends are keen, you can use websites like Ocean Crew Link to find crew. You could also consider joining another boat as part of a crew to complete your first journey.

How Long Will it Take to Circumnavigate the Globe?

This really is an open-ended question. How long you have might be a better question. If you’re in a hurry, the current world record is just under 43 days. For most of us, though, we’re circumnavigating to see more of the world at a leisurely pace.

On average, most complete their journey in approximately 18 months. Riley and Elayna from Sailing La Vagabonde started their trip in 2014 and are still going strong. They have even begun raising their young son on board during the journey. Theirs is a lifestyle choice that most won’t want, though. They even took a risky approach and started sailing around the world with little to no experience. It’s a route we wouldn’t recommend, but it shows that circumnavigation is possible – even for beginners.

In the end, your circumstances and endurance will determine how long you spend on your journey.

Is Sailing Around the World Dangerous?

The US Coast Guard practices an emergency rescue drill at sea

If anyone tries to tell you that it’s not slightly dangerous to circumnavigate the globe, don’t believe them. Sailing thousands of miles from land, passing through inclement weather, and relying on yourself and your crew presents many challenges and at least some level of risk. With proper knowledge, planning, and execution, though, you should be able to navigate your way through safely. By correctly preparing for your journey, you’ll have a better understanding of the risks, allowing you to reduce or even eliminate certain dangers.

A good starting point is learning your basic sailing skills. These skills include setting your sails and trim, boat handling, and basic navigation, to name a few. Practicing emergency procedures also helps to set yourself up to manage emergency scenarios if they arise. Man-overboard scenarios, how to make a mayday or pan-pan call, having sufficient rescue equipment, and having excellent navigation skills will all help prepare you to make the best of a bad situation. There is a wealth of information and training available both online and through professional organizations, and we strongly recommend taking several training courses until you feel adequately prepared.

Choosing a Boat for Global Circumnavigation

A sailboat sits on the horizon while sailing around the world

When you consider that people have successfully traversed the oceans in a myriad of craft – including small rowing boats – perhaps the type of boat you choose is not the most critical factor. It’s true that with help, you can cross oceans in almost anything, but the less suitable the boat, the more challenging, uncomfortable, and dangerous it will ultimately be.

The range of boats available may seem baffling, but the standard for making significant passages are the cruising bluewater style yachts. Our recent article on bluewater sailboats for under $100,000 offers insight into some well-known, competent, and affordable cruising yachts .

Vessel Considerations For Sailing Around the World

Size: Yacht size affects many different aspects of sailing. Since you’ll be spending a lot of time onboard, having the extra space of a 40-foot yacht or bigger will undoubtedly come in handy. In this yacht category, you’ll also get a good sail area to cater to the varying conditions you’ll encounter.
Weight: Although a heavy yacht won’t break any speed records, it will keep you steady when the sea conditions are challenging. Strong winds can become challenging in the open ocean, and having a heavy-displacement vessel will help you keep your course.
Keel Design: Fin keels are very popular, and they’re featured on many modern boat designs. However, carefully consider where you intend to go. A bilge keel, for example, gives you a lower draught so you can visit more shallow waterways and will allow you to moor in areas where the tide will leave you aground. Additional benefits include easier maintenance when aground and reduced roll for added comfort.
Sailing Winches: There are pros and cons to electric and manual winches, but hand winches make sense on circumnavigation passages from a practical point of view. Electric winches save you effort and help if you are sailing short-handed, but they need an efficient power source. Manual winches are more straightforward and less likely to cause you trouble.

What Gear Do You Need for Sailing Around the World?

Orange and yellow emergency life raft used for sailing around the world

There is some sailing gear that is essential for safely navigating a circumnavigation. While this list is far from exhaustive, your boat should be equipped with the following:

Life Jackets: This should go without saying, but it’s amazing how many don’t consider it essential. Ending up in the water thousands of miles from land is scary enough, but it could very well be a death sentence without a buoyancy device.
Lifeline: Prevention is better than a fix, so attaching yourself to the boat by a lifeline should be common sense when conditions call for it.
Ocean Liferaft: Inside should be an equipment and ration pack that will last longer than 24 hours.
Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB): An EPIRB is a device that automatically begins transmitting a rescue signal as soon as it’s submerged in water.
Battery Charging System: You will spend most of your time sailing during a circumnavigation. Running your engine to charge your batteries will not last long, and it’s also not advisable. Install at least one method, but preferably two or more, that can charge your batteries under sail. Solar panels, wind turbines, and towed impellors give you three different options for power, depending on the conditions.
SSB Radio: A Single Side Band (SSB) radio is a commonly used maritime communication system in the open ocean and remote parts of the world. Although AM radios are also widely used, SSB radios offer much better reliability and performance.
Pactor Modem: Connecting your SSB to a modem will allow you to send and receive emails nearly anywhere at sea.
Flare Pack: Flare packs are used to signal distress to other boats or rescue services, and having them on board could potentially save your life.

Other Items to Consider for Sailing Around the World:

AIS Transponder: Safe navigation at sea, particularly at night, requires at least one pair of eyes to monitor the sea for natural obstacles and other ships. While using an AIS transponder does not remove this requirement, it gives you additional information to avoid collisions at sea.
Satellite Phone: Keeping in contact with friends and family can be a lifeline that keeps you going in the most challenging times. A satellite phone will allow you to make direct calls from nearly anywhere on the ocean.

Natural Factors to Consider Before Global Circumnavigation

Your circumnavigation journey will cover more than 21,000 miles, and during that time, you will likely encounter everything mother nature can throw at you. Through good planning, though, you can choose to avoid the worst of the weather and take advantage of favorable winds and ocean currents.

Trade Winds

The trade winds blow continuously throughout the year, thanks to cold air at the poles and warm air at the equator. These temperature differences create westerly winds (from the west) at the poles and easterly winds around the equator.

Trade winds nearer the poles are much stronger than at the equator, and racers tend to take advantage of this – the passage will be colder and far less comfortable, though.

Cyclone and Hurricane Season

Cyclones and hurricanes occur mainly when the ocean water is warm. This happens between July and October in the northern hemisphere and between December and April in the southern hemisphere. Using this information, it’s a simple task to plan your passage, avoiding the main storm seasons. Of course, storms can still occur at any time in the year, so always be prepared for the unexpected.

Major Ocean Currents

In general, the ocean’s major currents follow the direction of the trade winds, but in some areas, such as South Africa, they can work against you. This makes following the trade winds even more appealing when sailing around the world.

Things To Do Before Sailing Around the World

White and green sailboat used for sailing around the world

Below, we outline some of the ways you should prepare before setting out on your first circumnavigation.

As we mentioned previously, some intrepid sailors have completed circumnavigations with no formal training and have learned while en route. While it is possible to do this, we wholeheartedly recommend you get some basic training before setting off.

Most sailing courses around the world offer certification that is acceptable in other countries. The Royal Yachting Association is the primary certification agency in the UK, and the US Sailing School is the leading agency in the US.

The most widely accepted certificate is the International Certificate of Competence for Operator of Pleasure Craft (ICC). Once you have your national license, you can apply for the ICC, which is accepted in virtually every country worldwide. Even if a country doesn’t accept the ICC, most charter companies will, allowing you to charter a yacht nearly anywhere.

A variety of insurance policies are available for sailors, but there will likely be clauses in the policy referring to piracy and storms. If you ignore the clauses and visit restricted areas, your insurance will not cover an incident.

Piracy refers to anything from abduction and murder to petty theft and assault. Depending on where you’re at in the world, you’ll need to be vigilant to combat potential downfalls.

The Philippines and the Suez Canal are two hotspots for more severe piracy, and your insurance likely will specify these areas as high risk.

Only you can assess the risk you are willing to take. Avoiding known problem areas can be beneficial, but incidents can still occur anywhere in the world.

Get the Right Sails For Your Route

Assuming you will follow a typical cruising circumnavigation route, you’ll spend most of your time downwind. Aside from the fact that many monohull sailors find continuous downwind sailing uncomfortable, you’ll need to kit out the sail locker appropriately. Spinnakers and screechers are the order of the day, along with standard genoa sizes or furling genoa.

Many countries require visas for transit through them, and depending on where you’re going, they could take weeks or even months to traverse. You need to plan carefully, as arriving in a country’s waters without the correct paperwork could prove troublesome.

Interested in joining a like-minded social circle? Get a conversation started on the new #BoatLife forum by leaving a question or comment today!

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Can a Novice Sail Around the World?

Last Updated by

Elizabeth O'Malley

June 15, 2022

Been bitten by the sailing bug? Wondering whether it is possible for a novice sailor to circumnavigate the globe? The answer? Yes, in a variety of situations!

Most novice sailors assume they’re on their own when considering circumnavigation, but that’s not the case. Different circumnavigation options exist for novice sailors – aside from the 100% DIY version – and these scenarios are worth exploring. If you’re committed to doing it on your own, that’s possible - and sometimes practical too.

If you’re new to sailing, it’s likely you’ve already considered what it would be like to sail around the world. From organized circumnavigation rallies to I-have-never-set-foot-on-a-boat participation in a grueling round-the-word race to getting familiar with some superstars of novice circumnavigation, this article takes a high-level overview of several options for round-the-world sailing and introduces you to some notable novice circumnavigators.

Like many sailors, I’ve always been fascinated by the thought of a round-the-world-cruise. While I’m not a novice sailor – for the purposes of doing a circumnavigation, I don’t consider myself remotely sea-worthy. But my continued curiosity on the subject has prompted me to read multiple books on circumnavigation, watch a variety of documentaries about it, and follow sailboat circumnavigators (seasoned and novice) on social media for the past decade. I’m happy to share some of what I’ve learned and observed – primarily that, yes, it is possible for a novice to sail around the world.

Table of contents

The Allure of Circumnavigating as a Novice Sailor

Oh, the beaches, the friendly faces, the sunsets, and the taste of hot coffee on the morning watch as the sun’s rays tickle the eastern horizon. The visions of the places you’ll visit and the amazing adventures you’ll have. Dolphins frolicking alongside. Peace and solitude unlike anything you’ve experienced before. Delicious fresh fish dinners and a refreshing glass of your favorite beer, wine, or iced tea. See the world – for a few dollars a day.

These are the romantic images easily conjured when, after a few weeks, months or even years of puttering around the lake or bay on a sailboat, novice sailors start thinking of bigger and bolder underway excursions. “Let’s get a sailboat and sail around the world!” I’ve heard it before – from my own father – and, while I personally have not circumnavigated, I fully understand the allure.

The Reality of Circumnavigating as a Novice Sailor

Broken electronics. Howling, terrifying winds. Treacherous icebergs. Moldy bread, instant coffee, fruit-fly infested bananas, ramen noodles eight days straight. Shipping lanes. Pirates. I’m not saying that these less-than-pleasant incidents are specific to novice sailors, rather these are the realities that must be paralleled to the alluring images for any level of sailor. While the seasoned sailor may be savvier in avoiding fruit-fly infestations and navigating icebergs and shipping lanes, all sailors ultimately will contend with mis-functioning or broken electronics, extreme winds, and natural and manmade hazards at sea.

In the words of Sir Robin Know-Johnston, creator of the Clipper Race, “You will never conquer or master the ocean, but you can endure it. Mother Nature is an unforgiving mistress, always with one last trick up her sleeve for you when you least expect it.” This quote always makes me think of the last few minutes of any horror flick – when after endless scary scenes, the movie is seemingly over. Peaceful, calm, relief. “We made it! We’re going to be okay!” And then, from the depths of the lake or from behind the door, one more terrifying act happens, and the viewer’s adrenaline rushes again, until the final credits roll.

To me, that’s a good analogy to sailing: Mother Nature is the ultimate Freddy Krueger. As such, I have a healthy respect for everything that could go wrong and give those possibilities more square footage in my brain than I probably should. That’s me though and you, well, you’re more determined -- and you want to stop pondering and begin planning to sail around the world, despite your lack of underway experience. Before you run out and buy your own boat or start provisioning the boat you have, there are a few other options to consider.

Chartering Captained Boats for Circumnavigation

Something that many people fail to consider is that sailing around the world does not have to be a start-to-finish, non-stop experience. Nor does sailing around the world have to be a solo experience or conducted with only a few friends or family members. In recent years, a spate of opportunities to sail around the world have emerged which allow a sailor – or someone who hopes to become a sailor – the chance to circumnavigate with a group of strangers.

Whether you locate a charter company with whom you can leapfrog the world from port to port on a variety of boats with a variety of captains to participating in something as unique and exciting as the Clipper Race (details below), there are a variety of ways to circumnavigate the globe without being on the same boat with the same people start to finish.

Participating in the Clipper Race as a Novice Sailor

The Clipper Race, in which people from all walks of life sign on to race 40,000 nautical miles on one of 11 identical 70’ ocean racing yachts, is now in its 12th year. Billing itself as “one of the biggest challenges of the natural world and an endurance test like no other,” this sailing adventure requires no prior sailing experience! Webinars are offered on a regular basis and cover what the Clipper Race seeks in their crew member applicants and provides details for the selection and training process. During these webinars, you’ll learn what to expect from the Clipper Race and have your questions answered during a live Q&A session.

Circumnavigation Rallies as an Option for Novice Sailors

Organizations like World ARC and the Oyster World Rally offer the opportunity to circumnavigate in your own boat with a group of like-minded cruisers. While there’s nothing that says you can’t jump in the deep end and start off with a full circumnavigation rally, novice sailors may want to consider doing smaller rallies like the North American Rally to the Caribbean, ARC Europe’s west-to-east Atlantic rally, or the Pacific Puddle Jump in conjunction with Latitude 38. Several circumnavigators that I’ve met over the years started as novices in the rally world going on a handful of lengthy rallies and quickly (in sail years) built up the competence and confidence to do their own self-administered circumnavigations. Engaging with an organizing group has numerous benefits for the novice sailor.

ARC World Rally

The rally team handles many of the details, including safety gear requirements, boat documents, communications, and itinerary. Depending on departure location, round-the-world rallies typically range from 15 to 24 months. World ARC’s minimum requirement for boat size is 27’.

Oyster World Rally

In 2013-2014, Oyster hosted their first circumnavigation rally. Covering 27,000 nautical miles and crossing three oceans in a 16-month timespan, the route covers mind-blowing destinations and takes world weather patterns into consideration for maximum safety and enjoyment. Oyster World Rally is specific to Oyster boats and, if you’re seriously considering buying a boat and doing a round-the-world sail, then Oyster certainly is a top-of-the-line option.

An excellent setup for novices – including the benefit of having an immediate network of peers and professionals – programs like this are often not on the radar of individuals who first think of sailing around the world. More and more boat brands are getting into the rally business – including circumnavigation options. When looking for this scenario, googling “circumnavigation rally” can be a great starting point.

Notable Novice Circumnavigators

When the question “Can a novice sail around the world?” is asked, the answer of course depends on what one’s definition of “novice” is. In my mind, at the mercy of Mother Nature, everyone who sets foot on a boat is a novice, but certainly that’s extreme thinking. The second -- less severe – thought that follows is my knowledge of two specific and somewhat unique “novice” circumnavigators – Laura Dekker and Ramon Carlin. Two very different people with very different backgrounds and very different circumnavigation tales.

Laura Dekker, the World’s Youngest Solo Circumnavigator

Some would argue that, having solo sailed since she was six-years old in an Opti accompanied by her father on a windsurfer, Laura was no novice sailor. But for me, the fact that at the age of 14 she began her two-year solo circumnavigation makes her a standout in the variety of round-the-world sailing sagas. Laura was born in New Zealand in 1995. At the age of 14, she announced her intention to become the world’s youngest solo circumnavigator, and a month before turning 15, she set sail on a 40’ two-masted ketch named Guppy. Approximately 500 days later, she concluded her successful round-the-world voyage. For sailors of any level of experience who have dreams of circumnavigation, you may want to watch Laura’s documentary, “Maidentrip” and read her book “One Girl, One Dream” that were released in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

Ramon Carlin, Winner of the First Whitbread Round the World Race

Ramon Carlin, a Mexican of humble birth and lacking any formal education, became a highly successful businessman in the washing-machine industry. A true “weekend sailor,” he spied an ad for the first Whitbread Round the World Race while visiting his son at boarding school in Ireland. Against logic and odds, he captained his 65’ Swan fiberglass sailboat, Sayula II, to victory over a seven-month period and across 27,000 nautical miles. His story is a fascinating one and the documentary of his life and the sail of a lifetime, “The Weekend Sailor,” can be viewed on Prime Video.

The ins and outs – and there are many – of a novice sailing around the world in the 100% do-it-yourself capacity differ vastly from the experience and considerations of rally circumnavigation and likely vary from the scenarios of Laura Dekker and Ramon Carlin that we’ve shared here. Future articles here on Life of Sailing will explore firsthand recommendations for steering a global course on your own boat, with your own itinerary and route, and with your own planning, provisioning, and plotting.

The allure of circumnavigation is undeniable – and maybe more so for a novice than a seasoned sailor. In my twenties, the thought of circumnavigation and how I might accomplish it was a consuming thought of mine. While I haven’t ruled it out, after all the reading and documentary-watching I’ve done, the realities of what a circumnavigation actually entails has given me pause. An adventurous, risk-tolerant person most of my life, now at 55, age has given me greater wisdom, respect, and humility for thoughts of “conquering” or “mastering the sea.” But just as I continue to have a romantic notion of cowboys (Giddyup!) and pirates (Arrrr!!!), the thought of a sailing circumnavigation will likely live in my heart forever.

Elizabeth has sailed Sunfish, Catalinas, Knarrs, and countless other boats. Forty years later, she finds herself back on the waters of Bogue Sound, where she lives and sails with her daughter, Morgan, and chocolate lab, Choco.

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Owners' advice: An insider's guide to world circumnavigation

It's all relative.

Image courtesy of Ainhoa Sanchez/Volvo Ocean Race

Yacht owners and racers who have done it already offer their advice to help you get the most out of your epic world circumnavigation...

It's all relative: Dee Caffari, record-breaking circumnavigator

“You go through a storm and it’s bad, but the next storm is a comparison to the last one – is it as bad or is it a little easier? And you grow in confidence as you go,” says Dee Caffari, who just finished her sixth circumnavigation, this time as skipper of the Volvo Ocean Race team Turn the Tide on Plastic.

Oddly enough, Caffari says she never set out to sail around the world. “It was an opportunity that presented itself,” says the ex-PE teacher of skippering a yacht crewed by amateurs in the Global Challenge race in 2004, “and from there it kind of evolved. Each time I push my boundaries that little bit further.” You could say the next time she pushed a lot further. Her second circumnavigation made history as she became the first woman to sail single-handed non-stop “the wrong way around”, against the prevailing winds and currents.

So why does she do it? “I love the environment you get to play in. No two days are ever the same; you’re constantly being challenged. The ocean is a pretty magical place and I think we’re lucky to have that as our office.”

“It’s not always going to be smooth sailing, but you will regret not going,” say the owners of Enso . They were inspired by “Sailing La Vagabonde” – YouTube videos of a couple with no previous sailing experience going around the world. “They got out and did it instead of 99 per cent of the world who just think about it,” says the husband.

Enso’s owners jumped into a circumnavigation with both feet, setting off immediately after taking delivery of their new 25 metre Oyster 825. You could say their shakedown cruise was the Oyster World Rally. For the wife, it was a jump into the deep end as her previous sailing experience amounted to a week in Sardinia .

The rewards have been innumerable for Enso’s owners: from freediving with manta rays in Bora Bora to the 300kg marlin they caught and released in the Tuamotus, they have enjoyed vibrant ecosystems off the beaten yachting path. Sharing these experiences with family and friends has made it even more special.

They do admit that leaving so quickly after delivery had a downside. It took time to build the tight-knit crew they’ve had for the past 11 months. And they underestimated the impact that maintenance and warranty work would have on their time. “A new boat is always going to have a lot of warranty work in the first 12 months until it gets into its own rhythm and the crew understand the boat. A year-old boat is actually a much better proposition,” they advise.

Get involved

The owners of 25 metre Southern Wind SW82 Feelin’ Good have been sailing around the world for nearly four years. “Not everyone is able to take the time to be this involved, which makes us appreciate this experience all the more,” they say.

“The long days spent sailing the open sea are the best in my opinion because it is the essence of the journey,” says the husband, who most enjoyed the stretch from Galápagos to Marquesas known as the Coconut Milk Run for its excellent sea conditions. “We sailed the entire passage on one tack! The night sky at sea is like no other, and at the midway point, the closest humans are passing overhead inside the International Space Station.”

The husband and wife both participate alongside their crew on board. “I take my watches along with everyone else, but my wife’s talent is in the galley; she can be down there cooking under any conditions,” says the husband.

Their advice for other owners is to be as involved as possible. “Be on board as much as you can and share the experience with your crew, because it will change your life.”

It's a big world

On Lenny Recanati’s office desk sits an antique globe and a model of his 27 metre Jongert Vivid , which says it all. “I have loved travelling all my life,” he says. “To do it by boat is the best way. On a boat you can go to the end of the world!” Indeed, if the world were flat, he would have fallen off. He spent 12 years travelling on Vivid and has two circumnavigations under his belt, one around the equator and one from pole to pole.

“I like the more remote places where not too many people have been.” The Antarctica expedition stands out, he says, “because of the ferocious sea. In the Drake Passage, the winds were 50mph and the seas were like mountains. The first half hour was a little scary but then the boat gets in a rhythm, you get used to it and relax.”

Enjoy the ride

Many people plan and plan and plan for a circumnavigation and still never actually do it. Eddie Jordan is the opposite. He says he has no real idea what made him want to sail around the world, but now that it’s over, he wants to do it again. Or at least some parts of it.

His was a rush to the starting line of the first Oyster World Rally in 2013 with his then new 27 metre 885 Lush (above). Not studying the cruising guides in advance had some benefits. “I like the surprise element,” he says. “For example, I had never heard of the San Blas islands – probably the last set of islands in the world where they don’t have a currency and operate on a barter system. Our watermakers were running full time to give them as much water as they needed and we got beads and vegetables. We fished off the back of the boat all the time. We had the most magnificent fresh tuna carpaccio with a big glass of rosé wine; that for me was just heaven.”

Some destinations that he had built up in his mind before the trip, such as Bora Bora, turned out to be a disappointment. But there are other places he’d like to return to, such as Rangiroa, the Tuamotus’ largest atoll, where he swam with 50 to 60 blacktip sharks that came close enough to nip at his nose. And he never got a chance to visit Vanuatu. He plans to remedy that, perhaps on his just-purchased 45 metre Perini Navi sailing yacht Blush .

“If you want to have a mixture between enjoying the sailing, cruising, a bit of a party, friends on board, I don’t think there’s any better

way to do that than a sailing boat,” says the man who owned Sunseeker motor yachts for three decades. “And I like to be closer to the sea,” he adds. “With this new Perini I’m able to go out the lazarette and just dive into the water.”

You must adore the sea

“Sailing long distances is not for everybody,” says the owner of the 56 metre Alloy Mondango 3 . “If one tends to motion sickness, definitely not. And even if not, one has to be happy with the quiet and tranquillity of being on the sea for days without the sight of land.”

He wasn’t so sure about himself at first. “Although I had always been a water person, I had never been to sea, as in a long crossing in my own vessel. My wife had only crossed the Atlantic on a large passenger liner. So we did an experimental crossing on Sea Cloud from the Canary Islands to Antigua. It was an easy crossing. However, there was very little wind. The one time the sails went up was very exciting and we were hooked. Since then, he and his wife have logged more than 200,000 nautical miles between their two Mondangos and they always do the crossings.

To other owners considering the same, he says you must adore the open sea and the peace and quiet that comes with it. He also warns that mistakes come with the territory. “Although I have been involved in water sports and sailing dinghies most of my life, this dream was fraught with mistakes,” he says. “You have to go through this no matter from whom you buy your boat. Constant vigilance. Constant spending. Constant adoring.”

What is circumnavigation?

Circumnavigation, in its simplest definition, refers to the act of traveling around the Earth's surface, typically by water. It entails sailing or navigating a vessel across the world's oceans, crossing various meridians and longitudes until the journey eventually returns to the starting point. This incredible feat of human endeavor involves sailing thousands of nautical miles, navigating through diverse weather conditions, and facing the challenges of open water.

Historical significance

Circumnavigation holds a special place in history as a testament to human exploration and the unquenchable thirst for knowledge. It was a concept that captivated the minds of early seafarers, as they sought to unravel the mysteries of the Earth's vast oceans and chart the unknown territories of distant lands.

Read our top notch articles on topics such as sailing, sailing tips and destinations in our Magazine .

Circumnavigation routes and expeditions

Throughout history, explorers embarked on various routes and expeditions in their pursuit of circumnavigation. The exploration of the Earth's oceans and the quest to find efficient trade routes played a pivotal role in driving these journeys. Notable routes included those taken by explorers like Ferdinand Magellan, who led the first expedition to circumnavigate the globe.

A stamp printed in Bulgaria shows Captain Ferdinand Magellan.

First circumnavigation of the globe

One of the most celebrated and iconic achievements in the history of circumnavigation is the first successful voyage around the world, led by Ferdinand Magellan. Magellan's expedition, which began in 1519 and concluded in 1522, marked a monumental milestone in human exploration.

Modern circumnavigation

In the modern era, circumnavigation is no longer limited to the realm of exploration. Adventurers and sailors from around the world undertake the challenge of sailing around the globe, using advanced navigation technology and modern sailing vessels. These modern-day explorers continue to embrace the spirit of discovery that defined the earliest circumnavigations.

Challenges and adventures

Circumnavigation presents a host of challenges, both historical and contemporary. Early explorers faced the perils of uncharted waters, unpredictable weather conditions, and the physical and mental demands of long sea voyages. Modern sailors, while benefiting from advanced navigation tools, still encounter rough seas, isolation, and the need to be self-sufficient during extended journeys.

Sailing around the world blogs

The digital age has brought a new dimension to circumnavigation through the proliferation of sailing around the world blogs. These online platforms provide a unique window into the lives of modern circumnavigators, sharing their experiences, challenges, and discoveries with a global audience. These blogs often offer insights into the practicalities of long-distance sailing, the beauty of remote landscapes, and the camaraderie of the sailing community.

In conclusion

Circumnavigation stands as a testament to human courage, curiosity, and the indomitable spirit of exploration. From the intrepid sailors of the past to the modern adventurers of today, circumnavigation continues to inspire awe and admiration. As technology evolves and the world grows smaller, the allure of circumnavigation remains undiminished—a constant reminder that the world's oceans still hold mysteries waiting to be explored.

So what are you waiting for? Take a look at our range of charter boats and head to some of our favourite sailing destinations .

FAQs about circumnavigation

Everything You Need to Sail Around the World (by an expert)

Wanting to sail around the world is a wonderful plan requires dozens of items and skills. For a clear overview, we have compiled a one-stop-shop article that will push you miles towards your goal. Here are the things necessary to successfully circle the globe on a sailboat - the tangible and the intangible ones.

What do you need to sail around the world? You will need a route, a bluewater sailboat, enough money, time, the necessary paperwork, and equipment (i.e. water maker, electricity generator, satellite phone, power-free autopilot). You'll also need proper safety training, mental and physical preparation, and you will need to be prepared to do plenty of research.

There are many items hidden under each of these categories, so let's have a closer look.

Everything you need to sail around the world:

A well-prepared route, a reliable bluewater sailboat, $500 - $1,000 per month per person, travel documents (passport and visas, boat registration, port clearance), cruising equipment recommended by other cruisers, the proper safety equipment, the appropriate safety training, proper preparation to prevent poor performance, time: between 1-3 years, the right mindset to handle mental demands, research of expected sailing situations.

This list is not detailed to the last windproof jacket and a high SPF cream. Such an article would be fifty times the length. Rather it is a wide, birdseye view of categories you need to think about and research so that you can build your checklist.

There are more ways to skin a cat, and there are more ways to sail around the world. Since each of those ways requires a different approach in terms of necessary skills, sailboat, equipment, provisions, time, and crew, the first step should be planning your route.

7 Best-Known Routes for Sailing Around the World (with Maps)

You don't need to be especially detailed, outlining every stop on a precisely defined route. I'm talking about a general idea of what you want from the journey because this will influence the items on the following list.

Are you looking to simply tick circumnavigation off your bucket list, wanting the most straightforward, fastest way? Is this more of a world traveler's dream, and you want to visit beautiful places along the way and don't mind making a few stops on the way, even if that extends the trip duration by months? Or do you perhaps have specific stops in mind?

Either way, you will want to know what your expected journey is. A quick look on a globe will instantly hint to many approaches. Various approaches will differ not only in the overall length, which impacts the time needed but also in the distance between the stops, impacting the provisioning system and how far from the warm equator you will be, which impacts the kind of clothing you will need.

The safest sailing route around the world uses the trade winds You want to stay as close to the equator as possible, but you also want to avoid the following 5 places if you can. We've listed the safest and fastest sailing routes for you. Also read: The Safest Sailing Routes Around the World (Which to Avoid)

Let's get this out of the way first - you don't need a large boat to circumnavigate the world. Larger boats are comfier and faster, but technically not necessary. The smallest sailboat to circle the globe had around 21 feet. We have written many times about small boats that are great liveaboards, so it is possible. Your comfort level, partially dependent on how many people will go with you, is individual.

If you are in a money-saving mode, it pays off to get a smaller boat, but one in good condition, instead of a larger one requiring more maintenance.

But as mentioned before, since your route's character influences your needs greatly, if speed is what you are looking for, as well as long crossings without stops, requiring more spare parts and provisions, a bigger boat is what you will need.

Either way, it needs to be a boat with offshore capabilities. Not a weekend cruiser.

Many people think sailboats are super expensive We did the research, and it turns out you can get a capable bluewater sailboat for just $3,000 . However, it isn't for everyone. Here's the cheapest bluewater sailboat

The short answer is - prepare to typically pay around $500 - $1,000 per person per month when sailing with the sky being the limit, of course.

Here's a breakdown that will apply to you if you are a cost-efficient person:

Breakdown of cruising costs per month:

Roughly 25 percent of your budget will be for food . Eating out is not included.

Around 20 percent will be spent on maintenance (though this varies depending on the state you got your boat in). This means sail and rigging maintenance, yearly haul out and antifouling, electrical and winch malfunctions, engine spares, water filters, and so on.

Approximately 15 percent will be spent on insurance - unless you are against that whole concept.

About 7 percent will be spent on cruising fees , such as permits, visas, and check-in fees. Panama canal costs north of $1,000, and so does entering Ecuador. New Zealand, on the other hand, will set you back merely tens of dollars.

Around 6 percent will be needed for mooring fees , though only if you anchor whenever possible.

A similar amount will be needed for a basic satellite phone plan for communication and weather reports and various sim cards to connect to the internet, when possible.

Fuel varies, but 5 percent is not an unreasonable amount to expect to spend on it.

The rest will be spent on a range of expenses - various clothing, eating out, flashlight batteries, sunglasses you keep drowning, and all that jazz.

The percentages will vary from person to person, but they are not the most important part of the above breakdown - rather, it is the expense list since these are the things and items you will have to pay for, and thus you should know about them beforehand.

Just as before, the kind of trip you have in mind will determine many of the costs. Antifouling might not be needed if you are going at it non stop and are done within months. That $1,000 for the Panama canal won't be necessary if you venture around South America and the infamous Cape Horn. And venturing through Suez, Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden will require extra security expenses.

And of course, if you are paying $1,000 monthly, the overall expenses will differ whether this is a three-year travel journey or you are doing a Vendée Globe style circumnavigation.

Sailboats are cheaper than you might think We've compared thousands of sailboat listing prices for four different budgets. There are a lot of costs involved with owning a sailboat. Learn everything there is to know about ownership costs with our comprehensive overview. Read all about sailboat ownership costs

Boring? Yes. Necessary? Also yes. Except for those of you who will make the trip non-stop without visiting any country, you may need your passport and sometimes valid visas.

Then there is your boat registration and port clearance. Boat insurance policy is a must in some places, where they won't let you in without third party liability or personal liability.

Sometimes you will need your MMSI number and proof you have AIS capability. Having a few copies of passport-sized photos of the crew helps too - as well as plenty of photocopies of all documents. You will save yourself some running around, trying to find a copy machine.

Here are the licenses you'll need for sailing the world You'll need lots of documents for some places, and none for others. William sailed the world for 8 years and made an overview of all documents you'll need and the documents you can leave at home. Read all about international sailing licenses

Your actual checklist will be a mile long, but here are several things worthy of extra mentioning. These items came from quite extensive research where numbers of circumnavigators, both racers, and cruisers, were asked to name items they found the most useful. Safe to say, they all named more or less the same set of things.

Now, unless you plan on staying so close to the shore most of the time that you might as well make the trip in a car, you will need plenty of water. Full tanks probably won't cut it. You will need to make your own, probably from seawater.

Electricity generator

The same applies to electricity. Whether you will choose a hydro generator, solar panels, or a wind turbine, you will quite probably need a way to generate some power.

Satellite Phone

Whether it is about safety concerns, or wanting to be able to stay in touch, this is a must. You shouldn't set sail without a reliable weather report. There are many options,, including satellite internet, thanks to which you will be able to be online wherever you are. If you are unsure where to start researching a solution for you, Iridium GO! is among popular choices.

And if Elon Musk's Starlink kicks off as promised, global satellite internet will be an affordable thing for anyone.

Good Bimini

If you are a holiday cruiser kind of person or if you usually sail in areas without much strong sunshine, this might not come to mind when compiling your checklist. But the ability to be in the shade while being on deck will prove crucial.

So make sure your bimini is solid, has a few good years ahead of it, and covers what it needs to, without the need for makeshift solutions consisting of hanging towels and clothes around you to protect you from the low, afternoon sun.

Downwind Sails

The value of good downwind sails that will propel you forward even in light winds is undeniable, though not always do they find themselves on a sailor's checklist. If you plan a long journey, you will appreciate them since conditions won't always be favorable.

Power-free Autopilot

Autopilots will save you lots of headaches when on long stretches, especially if you do things short-handed. But the classical ones use a lot of power. So look into solutions like Hydrovane, which will take a lot of work off your hands.

AIS Transponder

Not only is this a good thing to have for obvious reasons, but it is also mandatory in some areas and will save you money on certain insurance plans.

There are many sailboat cruising essentials There's lots more you'll need, and plenty you hadn't thought of if you're a first-time cruiser. We've listed them all for you. Read all about cruising essentials

A liferaft, enough lifejackets, and harnesses. As for the liferaft, preferably one that isn't out of date - yes, that is a mishap way more common than you'd think. As for the lifejackets, preferably ones with a crotch strap and a sprayhood, as well as a light, reflective element, and a whistle. And as for the harnesses, preferably a three-point one. A grab bag with an EPIRB, basic survival items, and some provisions should be at the ready as well.

A well-stocked medical kit is a good idea too. Even something as simple as a plaster goes a long way when there is no place to buy it for thousands of miles around.

If you are unsure about what belongs in a solid safety kit checklist, consult, for instance, the ARC's safety equipment requirements - this event is meant for cruisers, not super experienced racers, so it lists everything you might need without supposing you will MacGyver your way out of any tricky engineering situation.

U.S. Coast Guart recommends this safety equipment We've created a full of the safety equipment required by the U.S. Coast Guard, which is a great starting point for beginning cruisers. Read all about safety equipment

If there is a screw on the boat, have the tool to unscrew it, no matter the shape. A power drill, spares, wires, lines, patches, glue, pliers, a knife, a hammer… go wild. These items aren't particularly costly, so make sure there is a toolbox on the boat with anything you can dream of putting in it.

Get a head-start by using our recommended tools You just need a couple of basic tools to be properly prepared. Over the years, we've recommended products that are well-priced but reliable. Check out our favorite tools

Offshore Sail Repair Kit

This should be in the above category, I suppose, but let that one belong to the boat, while this one tends to the sails. Of course, you should have some spare sails, but incremental wear and tear is an inevitable part of long term sailing, so be prepared to mend here and there.

Fishing Gear

For obvious reasons. I'm not saying you will find yourself stranded in the middle of the Pacific, with no food left, reliant only on what you fish out of the ocean, but if you want to save on food, have it as fresh as it comes and have a backup plan just in case, a good bit of line with some hooks and baits will come in handy.

To leave the tangible category, here's something many overlook and never need. But if it all hits the fan, you will wish you wouldn't have. In other words, it pays off to rehearse various emergency situations, using the equipment you would, including fully inflating your liferaft.

It may sound a bit boring, and yes, perhaps you won't need it (let's hope), but much is at stake when you do.

You can learn most for free from home There are lots of free or cheap online courses that will teach you the fundamentals. Check out our course recommendations

If there is a time when you want to take advantage of the ultra-organized, obsessive part of your brain, it is before you depart.

In other words, have a detailed preparation plan. Have a detailed journey plan with all the distances and entry prices and necessary documents in it. This should be done to such details as general grocery prices in various areas. Many sailors, after crossing the Atlantic, arrived in the Caribbean, cursing themselves for not stocking up on groceries back in the Azores because food in the Caribbean is so bloody expensive.

Make no mistake; this isn't really about money. If you don't mind paying extra, that's fine. But this is mostly about the mindset of a person that prepares well for all the little eventualities and has two back up plans for if XYZ happens.

The kind of a mindset that will have spare parts for everything, two copies of maps on paper, and the will to power through the logistics of it all.

The Vendée globe racers do it in under three months, the world cruisers who are in a hurry in a bit over a year, but most take two years and up, to take advantage of good seasons and to get the most out of every location they visit.

You can sail the world in around 3.5 years How long it will take you depends on your goals. We've compared three sailing speeds to see how long it will take you . Find out how long it will take you

I'm not a fan of articles telling you how sailing is tough and why it probably isn't for you since only those belonging to the big boys club can enter. If circling the world on a sailboat is what you want, then circling the world on a sailboat is what you will get.

Nor do I like articles that speak of all the miseries you will have to endure, articles whose authors low key boast about how they don't have any issues enduring said agonies. They make sailing seem like something unattainable for the everyday man, an exclusive activity for those with warrior blood in their veins, which is just unnecessarily elitist.

That being said, know what you are getting into. Know what it means to sleep on a boat for months, know the limits (and perks) regarding comfort, using the bathroom, showering, preparing and eating food…

Also, know the physical and mental demands of operating a sailboat for months and know of its dangers.

Be aware of how you feel about spending lots and lots of time either alone or in the company of whomever you want to sail with.

How to get there? A regatta in 50 degrees Fahrenheit, high winds, and bad weather is a great start. Getting aboard a sailboat as a crew member, ideally not an island hopper, but one aiming for longer stretches, is a great continuation. Reading blogs and watching vlogs from various sailors helps too, as it virtually introduces you to situations and ideas you might not have thought of.

If I was to decide on a single way to get into the mindset you need, it would be joining an ARC fleet for an Atlantic crossing. Not just for the sailing experience, but because their events are fantastically structured, and you will understand what a long journey means logistically.

It is very much possible to go around the world in a sailboat. Yes, it takes preparation and an adventurous mind, but in the end, it is nothing but a set of specific tangible and intangible parts that, if you have under control, you will likely succeed.

And since there are not many greater adventures available on Earth, what better thing to spend time on preparing for than this?

Fair winds.

You may also like, the sailing seasons around the world (with map).

Knowing the sailing seasons around the world help you to plan your trip well. I've made a list of sailing conditions around the world, so you know where to go when.

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Digital Edition

Sailing around the world: Cruising couples’ top tips for a dream voyage

Helen Fretter
June 19, 2019

Is sailing around the world with your partner the ultimate bluewater dream? Helen Fretter meets World ARC couples who’ve done just that

sailing-around-the-world-couples-guide-credit-tor-johnson

Who would you pick as your round-the-world cruising companion? Photo: Tor Johnson

If you could choose anyone to go on a grand adventure with, would it be your life partner? For many couples that’s the ideal.

But what if you don’t have the same level of experience, or one of you isn’t confident to co-skipper? Perhaps you plan to take friends and family with you. But what happens if those plans change halfway round? I talked to World ARC crews near the finish of their circumnavigation to find out how different couples had answered those unknowns over their round the world voyage.

Over the 2017, 2018 and 2019 World ARC rallies (the round-the-world rally organised by World Cruising Club) around 20-30% of yachts set off double-handed. But by the time the fleet reached Tonga or Fiji that proportion had risen to about 50%.

sailing-around-the-world-couples-guide-blue-pearl-yacht-owners-ruud-laurie-bosman

Ruud and Laurie Bosman recruited crew from within the ARC rally after deciding to complete their world voyage

Grenada was a homecoming celebration for the World ARC fleet. While St Lucia marked the end of the 2018-19 rally, Grenada signalled the fleet’s return to the Caribbean. A full circumnavigation for most, 438 days sailing for those who’d completed it in a single World ARC loop.

Some 38 yachts started in St Lucia in January 2018, 16 were gathered in Grenada this March. Some had started in 2017 – or even earlier – but peeled off to linger in the Pacific or return to normal life for a while, then hooked into the 2018 rally on its way past. Others had diverted to explore New Zealand, Ascension Island, or another outpost, before rejoining their fleet.

No matter how they’d done it, all had sailed some 30,000 miles, crossed the Pacific , Indian and Atlantic Oceans, and lived at anchor for months on end.

With very few exceptions, most of the boats belonged to couples taking on their first trip sailing around the world. Some had sailed the entire voyage jointly, on others one partner had flown home for a stage or two. Some had taken crew from day one, others had switched between double-handing and sailing with more aboard. Several started with one plan, and finished with a very different set up indeed.

Article continues below…

How much does it cost to sail around the world? The real costs of liveaboard cruising

Two years ago my partner Nick and I set off from the UK to fulfill our dream of sailing around…

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Onboard creature comforts: Little luxuries for sailing around the world

Cruising sailors who also call their boat their home usually give plenty of consideration to making life on board as…

Personal space

One such couple was David and Wendy Tipton. A former farmer from Staffordshire, UK, David had built up a recycling business that he sold, enabling them to buy Mischief , a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 479, and sail around the world. There was only one problem: Wendy hated the water and considered herself an inexperienced sailor.

Before they set off on the 2017 ARC transatlantic, Wendy had to learn to swim before she could even do a sea survival course. “It was never my dream to circumnavigate, it was David’s. So I went along with it, but it was totally out of my comfort zone,” she recalls.

Wendy’s initial condition of agreeing to do the World ARC was that they would take a crew to sail Mischief with them. They sent a round robin email to friends and sailing contacts to see who wanted to join them, and garnered an enthusiastic response, with many signing up for different legs. One was a very experienced sailor who sailed with the Tiptons for the first six months, which Wendy says gave her a lot of confidence.

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David and Wendy Tipton began their World ARC with crew, but later switched to sailing two-up. Photo: James Mitchell

But 15 months is a long time to share your home, with up to six aboard at times, and Wendy admits having no personal space nearly drove her to breaking point. “I did have my bags packed to go home at one point. I was so fed up. It was nothing to do with the sailing, I was just sick of people.

“We were at the stage of needing down time on our own. It’s very intense – I didn’t appreciate how intense the whole trip would be. You wouldn’t have people living with you for six or seven months, and things that wouldn’t normally irritate you become irritating. For my own sanity I needed some time on our own.”

They decided instead to sail on double-handed from South Africa, and arrived in St Helena bowled over by how smoothly it had gone. “It was an absolute revelation,” David recalls. “The watches worked well, the boat worked well, and we were just asking ourselves why have we not done that before?”

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The World ARC can include stop-offs for shoreside adventures including a South African safari. Photo: Haley Haltom

Before switching to sailing double-handed Wendy had sought advice from other crews on the ARC, many of whom had become close friends. She particularly asked the women for honest opinions, and says that they were overwhelmingly positive – with the obvious caveat that it could be more tiring sharing the sailing between just two.

They began their first double-handed passage with David sleeping in the cockpit during his off watches, “just in case she needed me quickly,” he recalls. “But after a few days of that regime she said, ‘You might as well go down below, I’m fine.’”

But things didn’t go so well on one of the next stages, from Cabedelo, Brazil, to Devil’s Island, French Guiana. “It was a bit of a catalogue of events,” he explains. “Our radar stopped working, so we were not able to monitor squalls.

“We had another boat who was monitoring them for us, but one came through that went from 7 to 35 knots and we had a spinnaker up in the dark. It broke the spinnaker halyard, the spinnaker went round the keel, the helm wouldn’t come off autopilot so we broached, an outhaul and a batten in the main broke.”

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The Bay of Islands in Fiji’s Lau Group. Photo: Haley Haltom

Dealing with such a litany of problems between just the two of them was unknown territory, but Wendy says that while the situation did scare her, they were able to calmly work through and solve each issue.

“What the World ARC has given us – not just from the easy passages, but from the difficult passages – is the confidence that you could throw most stuff at us and we’d be OK,” David added. When they received the Division A 1st prize for the leg to Grenada, sailors across the fleet voiced their pride in Wendy for the progress she’d made.

Another couple that decided they were better off completing the rally two-up were Dan and Agnes Long from Florida on Smoke & Roses . Dan, a former firefighter, and Agnes, a former florist – hence the boat name – ran their Leopard 47 as a charter boat before the World ARC and were experienced sailing in home waters, both holding US Captain’s licences.

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Setting off on the Lagoon 47 Smoke & Roses

Like many, they began their World ARC with trusted friends, and were also joined by their adult daughter for stages. But they later took on an unknown crewmember who had been recommended to them.

“She way overstated her sailing experience,” Dan recalls. “She could not trim sails, and she’d argue with you about it.” The final straw for Dan was waking up to find them sailing 90° off course. When he challenged the crew on deck she replied: “Because it’s faster.”

Fearful that they would run aground or make some other catastrophic error, Dan found himself supervising every watch – defeating the point of having a third person aboard. “So instead of being up for my shift, I’m up for my shift and her shift. But with Agnes [on watch] I’ll sleep through the night because I trust her.”

Having sailed two-up for some of the shorter legs around the Society Islands, the Longs also decided to go double-handed from Cape Town and found themselves easily handling the longer distances, setting a spinnaker for three days straight and covering 200-plus miles a day.

Bringing in reserves

For other couples taking on crew turned out to be a positive switch. Peter and Anissa Pappas, from Wyoming, USA, had never sailed any overnight passages with just themselves aboard their Amel Super Maramu 2000 Callisto before signing up to the rally. Anissa describes herself as a very inexperienced sailor, but they sailed from Grenada to Cape Town double-handed.

Their Amel is set up for single-handed sailing, with push button controls from a protected centre cockpit. The duo sailed conservatively, never over-canvassed. “And we set radar guard zones and cross-track error in case our autopilot started wandering around,” explains Peter. But Anissa still found night watches hard.

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Night watches can be a long and lonely experience

“I was always worried if we were going to hit somebody. I never felt totally comfortable with that. I always felt that if something is going to happen, it’s going to happen on my watch.” She says she would frequently wake her husband for a second opinion.

But when one crewmember who had been sailing on another boat found himself without a berth for the leg from Cape Town, the Pappas’s made a snap decision to invite him to join them.

“We’d said no on countless occasions to taking other crew,” recalls Anissa. “It’s been hard [going two-up], especially hard on my husband because everything falls to him. But for us transitioning to crew has been easy, and our new crew has been the easiest person.”

With an extra hand they were soon able to carry more sail area, enjoying having the 52ft ketch flying along under four or five sails, including two spinnakers and a staysail.

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The start of the 2018 World ARC Leg 16 heading out of St Helena

“With hindsight, I think we should have started out with crew,” admits Anissa. “Peter and I had not really been on the boat together for enough time to really get all the sails up and learn what we needed to learn. And later maybe – or even maybe not – we would have downsized.

“Two was tough, but we did it. But for couples I would say keep an extremely open mind about bringing crew aboard.”

Roving crew

While the Pappas’s made a sudden decision to take a third hand along, the 2018-19 World ARC was characterised by an unusually high number of crew who joined to sail one boat, and ended up becoming such a fixture of the rally community that they extended their trip by joining others.

Several of the roving crew had sailed on three or four different yachts by the time they reached Grenada. Karen Slater, a former fire service worker from the UK, was a very popular member of the ARC family and was about to join her sixth boat for the final cruise to St Lucia.

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Freediving with whale sharks in Namibia. Photo Haley Haltom

Having a floating pool of experienced crew became an invaluable resource for some boats. American retirees Ruud and Laurie Bosman on the Hylas 54 Blue Pearl had originally only planned to sail the first half of the rally.

“But by the time we were in Australia Ruud felt very strongly that he wanted to complete the circumnavigation and do it all at once, and I felt very strongly that I did not want to cross the Indian Ocean,” recalls Laurie.

Both aged 71, the pair never wanted to sail double-handed and had organised crew for the Pacific legs, but no further. “Because we had never planned to do the whole circumnavigation we had made no plans beyond French Polynesia,” Ruud explains.

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The unspoilt beauty of the Marquesas. Photo: Haley Haltom

When Laurie returned home to spend a few weeks with family, they invited other ARC crew aboard, some staying for the entire second half of the circumnavigation.

“It’s been quite easy, you are relatively familiar with the people because they have been in the fleet. They have a bit of a reputation, and importantly you know why they’re leaving boats,” he adds.

There are still no guarantees that an experienced ARC crewmember will be a good fit. Flashpoints were usually over domestic niggles like food preferences (several couples commented on how provisioning was much simpler with just two aboard, reducing one area of work).

Another issue for the boat-hopping crews was where their ‘home’ base was during stopovers. Peter Pappas commented: “It’s great having crew when you’re underway, but really when you get to your destination you assume they will get off the boat after a couple of days, so you and your wife can have some privacy, and have your home back.”

Many of the World ARC crew strategically took themselves away during long stopovers: diving in Australia, going on land tours, or even climbing Kilimanjaro during the fleet’s visit to South Africa.

Sharing the load

For those who did sail as a couple, how they divided the roles often reflected home life. Peter and Wendy on Mischief , and Dan and Agnes on Smoke & Roses , had both worked together so were used to spending extended periods of time with each other. Other couples, where one had spent much of the marriage putting in long hours at the office, had a bigger adjustment to make.

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Mark and Helen Chatfield sailed Mad Monkey with their son Josh. Photo: James Mitchell

Some had chosen to time their world tour with natural breaks in their children’s education. Mark Chatfield on the Grand Soleil 56 Mad Monkey sailed with his wife Helen as well as his adult son Josh, timing it between Josh finishing school and starting university: “I worked as a sales director, with constant travel. So during the week, his schooling and upbringing, I didn’t see a lot of him – for me this trip was predominantly to get to know him better.”

The majority of boats divided roles along fairly traditional ‘pink and blue’ job lines when in port, with the women in charge of provisioning and domestics, the men in charge of repairs and systems. There were exceptions: on Misto British ex-pat Rosalind Cheetham skippered their Nautitech 443 and was hands-on with maintenance.

At sea the roles tended to shift slightly. Domestic jobs were more frequently shared underway, although the majority of ‘skippers in charge’ were the male partners.

Most couples ate an evening meal together before settling into some kind of night watch system, the most popular being a three or four hours on/off pattern, before reconvening for the 10am radio-net. Many adopted a much more fluid watch pattern during the day, each taking naps whenever needed. Several skippers took longer night watches than their partners, but would set alarms to allow 15-20 minute naps on open ocean legs.

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Photo: YachtEmily Morgan.com

On Smoke & Roses Dan and Agnes changed their running rigging so reefs could be taken in and out from the cockpit. “It’s made life a lot easier for me because I was getting up for sail changes no matter who was on watch, every single time. Even with three people on the boat I was getting tired,” explains Dan.

They also modified their safety rules. “We did have a rule about not going out of the cockpit at night, but I was in the Pacific just to move the barber-hauler on the genoa,” recalls Agnes.

Several boats started out with conventional spinnakers and ordered furling Code Zero or asymmetric kites to replace them en route as they became more confident in sailing double-handed.

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Suwarrow in the Cook Islands is one of the more remote destinations that the World ARC visited

A positive for many crews of joining a rally – and particularly reassuring for double-handed boats – was the option to ‘buddy boat’ for passages, particularly in areas of high traffic, where there were any concerns about piracy, or when one yacht had a technical issue. Even on the final ‘free cruising’ leg to St Lucia several yachts chose to sail in a loose flotilla to enjoy their friendships.

Experience of a lifetime

Every couple I spoke to emphasised that while the World ARC schedule was intense, and some stages had been very challenging, the rewards were hugely worth it.

“It’s been pretty incredible,” recalls Laurie Bosman from Blue Pearl . “Things like going through the Panama Canal, in your own boat – I get teary when I think about it. Those early mornings where you’ve got the sun rising and the moon setting, and nothing but you, water, sun and moon. You think you’ve died and gone to heaven.”

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Swimming with manta rays at Suwarrow in the Cook Islands. Photo: Haley Haltom

“It changes you as a person,” said Wendy Tipton. “You have to improvise, shop for what you can get. We went home for Christmas and I was looking at all my bits and pieces and realised you don’t need it. I’ve been quite humbled by how people actually do live and how happy they are with so little.”

Her husband David added: “If you have the opportunity to do it, you’d be mad not to.”

Getting ready: Things to take or prep before you go

Downwind sails.

Many boats ordered new sails in Darwin, Australia, or South Africa – several of which did not clear customs in time to reach the yachts before they set off on the stage they were ordered for. The most popular were furling downwind sails.

Instruments and electrical systems

Multiple boats had issues with faults on one system triggering an issue on the other – an update to the MFD, for example, causing a fault on the SSB radio.

Bones Black, who runs the Bowman 57 charter yacht Emily Morgan with his wife, Anna, was widely praised across the fleet for helping troubleshoot and fix problems on almost every yacht. He suggests splitting systems to avoid interference.

“On Emily Morgan , all the comms runs down one side of the boat and all the power supplies run down the other side of the boat,” explains Black.

Likewise he advises against installing AIS and VHF using splitter boxes to share the same antenna: “I would always advise separate antenna, then if you have a problem you can always transfer over.”

Google Maps and Open CPN

Many boats used Open CPN to overlay chart data with satellite images from Google Maps, particularly in areas where charts alone were not reliably accurate, such as Fiji and the San Blas Islands.

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Experienced bluewater cruisers Bones and Anna Black run charter yacht Emily Morgan and were a source of expertise for many rally participants

Anna Black, who skippers Emily Morgan , spent a lot of time preparing by looking at cruising blogs and other free resources, such as the Fiji Atlas for Mariners website and Noonsite. She also recommends Fastseas.com for affordable weather routeing.

Bones suggests taking digital and hard copies of the owner’s manual – and, if possible, an installation manual – for every system and piece of hardware on board.

Seagull water filter

Emily Morgan is set up with a double filter (coarse and carbon) of water going into the tanks, then drinking water is filtered a second time through the Seagull unit, so they can refill reusable drinking bottles from the taps.

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Finding a quiet spot on Emily Morgan

Several boats had to replace dinghies or outboards in far-flung locations such as Fiji, due to being lost or simply coming apart after weeks of extreme heat and UV. The cost could easily be five times the equivalent price at home.

Washing machine

This was the most recommended ‘luxury’ item, mainly because it avoided wasting precious time in stopovers finding a laundry and dealing with missing items. If you can’t fit a machine, it seems prudent to make friends with a yacht that has one…

Cash savings

Some crews felt the costs had been surprising. Marina fees were higher than many had anticipated, and the social aspect of the rally made a few feel under pressure to eat out more.

David Tipton commented: “You need to know what this is going to cost you. We have a repairs budget of £5,000 every three months, but you only have to start doing a few jobs and that gets eaten up.

“We had a boat that was pretty much under warranty for the whole trip, but a lot aren’t. If you suddenly have a big ticket item, like putting a new engine or gearbox in, you’ve got to have £20-30,000 that you can put your hand on.”

Halyard breakages were commonplace. Bones found undiscovered sharp edges in the rigging had contributed to some halyard failures: “We also have independent blocks for our spinnakers, so as the boat and spinnaker moves the block moves.”

Adding Kevlar reinforced outer covers to halyards and sheets worked well on some yachts, others added padded protection to stop the main chafing on spreaders.

World Sailing Circumnavigation Summary

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ OUR DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO.

Last Updated on September 3, 2020 by Amy

From almost the very first day that we talked about selling all of our things and living on a sailboat, we talked with the goal of circumnavigating in mind. It took us nearly ten years to get from starting to talk about sailing around the world to actually completing our goal.

To complete a circumnavigation, one must*:

start and end at the same port
cross all meridians of longitude
cross the equator
travel at least 21,600 nautical miles

On March 26th, 2020, we sailed into Antigua and crossed our wake, making us world circumnavigators!

*this is according to the World Sailing Speed Record Council

Table of Contents - Click to Jump

Circumnavigation Summary

Left Antigua December 30th, 2015
Arrived Antigua March 26th, 2020
34,140 nm sailing
22 nm/day on average
10 long passages (1,000+ nm)
93.5% of those miles we sailed double-handed
27 Countries & Territories
4 Equator Crossings
4 Ripped Sails
6 Haul Outs
7 Trips Home
1100 Engine Hours (each)
3390 Generator Hours

Our World Circumnavigation Path

There is a lot that goes into planning a world circumnavigation . Some people might think sailing around the world means you can have ultimate freedom; in reality, the route is very restricted as there are places that bottleneck or parts of the world to avoid for piracy reasons.

We believe we got to visit a good mix of places; six continents, 27 countries or territories, places that are tourist hot spots, and places hardly anyone ever goes to. We explored amazing food, ancient cultures, and saw some of the most impressive wildlife in the world.

Before Our Circumnavigation

Since a circumnavigation must start and end at the same port, we’re primarily discussing our adventures since we left Antigua, the island where we crossed our wake. Of course, at the time, we didn’t know that would be where we would finish our world circumnavigation.

Our life onboard Starry Horizons started in October 2014, when she was launched in La Rochelle and we moved aboard . We self-delivered our boat to Florida, where we outfitted her for world cruising. We left Florida June 18th, 2015, which we consider the start of our cruising life.

Because we took so long in Florida, we only sailed the Bahamas for three weeks and then shot up to spend hurricane season in Nova Scotia and Maine . We made our way back down to the Caribbean and spent three months sailing the Caribbean islands .

2016: Sailing the Caribbean and South Pacific

We started the year in Guadeloupe and hopped our way down to Grenada, we sailed to Panama, where we transited the Panama Canal and set off across the Pacific . We spent three months in French Polynesia before sailing to Niue , Tonga , and Fiji . We ended the year in New Zealand for the cyclone season.

2017: Back to the South Pacific

We started the year off with five weeks on a road trip around New Zealand . After cyclone season, we realized that we loved sailing the South Pacific , and wanted to get out there again, extending our circumnavigation for another year. So we did; we went back up to Tonga , returned to Fiji , and then sailed on to Vanuatu and New Caledonia before coming to Australia for cyclone season.

2018: Australia and Southeast Asia

After spending New Year’s Eve in Sydney , we started to work our way up, sailing the eastern coast of Australia . We didn’t leave the country until July, so that was over six months exploring, including six weeks flying around Australia .

After Australia, we joined the Wonderful Sail 2 Indonesia rally and spent 100 days cruising Indonesia. Then we stopped in Singapore and Malaysia (mostly Langkawi ) before finishing the year in Thailand .

2019: The Indian Ocean and Africa

We left Thailand to sail across the Indian Ocean . Our first stop was Sri Lanka , where we traveled for twelve days inside the country. Then we island-hopped through the Maldives , Chagos , and Seychelles . We got stuck in Seychelles – we didn’t mind – and arrived in Madagascar early October and then crossed the Mozambique Channel to South Africa . We made it to Cape Town by the end of the year.

2020: Sailing up the Atlantic

This was the year of long passages. We sailed twelve days from Cape Town to Saint Helena , twelve days to Recife, Brazil , and fifteen days to Antigua . That’s a lot of miles!

How Long Should a Circumnavigation Take?

Our circumnavigation took four years and three months. The World ARC does it in 18 months. We’ve known people who’ve done it in 15 years. I think our time frame was pretty perfect.

For people who are just starting their circumnavigation plans, I’d say start with the World ARC route and expand it. If you do some research and think about what part of the world you are most excited about, plan to spend an extra year there. I think three to five years is a great time frame.

We wanted to spend a moderate amount of time on our circumnavigation. We were worried if we took too long, there would be too many things about cruising we didn’t like and we would choose to stop. And that was a legitimate concern. Many people we know stopped cruising earlier than planned or worse, split up with their partners because it wasn’t working in such a high-stress environment.

Read more about planning a circumnavigation .

How Often Did We Sail?

Here is a breakdown of how we spent our nights:

This greatly depends on where you are in the world too.

We docked a lot more in 2019 than any other year. Here’s the breakdown of nights in a marina by year:

We went the entire 2017 cruising season without docking in a marina. We spent so many nights in marinas in 2019 because we opted to stay in Eden Island Marina for nearly two months in Seychelles and South Africa is not generally conducive to being at anchor.

Moorings are necessary in some places, though it can be difficult to trust them. For times when there was no room to anchor, or it was too deep, or we needed a place to leave the boat for cheap, we picked up a mooring ball.

In 2017 we left Starry Horizons on a mooring ball in Tonga while we worked a crewing position and were gone for six weeks.

Learn how to pick up a mooring ball .

We hauled out six times on the circumnavigation. Four of those times were short haul outs for projects. Two of those, we combined projects (usually a bottom job) with traveling; we were hauled out for six weeks in New Zealand and eight weeks in Australia, and both times we traveled around the country for a majority of the haul out.

We spent 199 nights underway on Starry Horizons during our world circumnavigation. That’s only 12.86% of our nights.

This is something to consider when thinking about the living space on your boat. Read our thoughts on bigger versus faster boats .

How fast does Starry Horizons sail? As a fully kitted-out cruising boat, we averaged 6.65 knots over our longest 25 passages.

Of our time at sea, ten passages were longer than 1,000 nautical miles. The longest passage on our circumnavigation was crossing the Pacific Ocean at 19 days and 3,142 nm.

Our fastest passage was sailing to Australia when we averaged 7.76 knots over 4.7 days. Starry Horizons’ optimum point of sail is about 90 degrees on the beam. Conditions were calm and the apparent wind speed was between 10-15 knots most of the way, perfect for our screecher.

And, no big surprise, almost half our nights were at anchor.

We’ve got a great trustworthy anchor and anchor system .

Cruising Costs

Our blog post about the costs of cruising around the world has recently been updated, comparing marina and formality costs all over the world. Please keep in mind that this is for a 44′ catamaran.

Favorite Places

Check out our post detailing the best of our travel life !

The Best Parts of Sailing Around the World

This short list is in additon to our post, One Year Cruising: The Perks .

In our previous post, I’d talked about how we get to visit such amazing exotic locations. I grew to realize that cruising doesn’t just get you to fabulous exotic hot spots like Bora Bora and Fiji, but you also get to visit places other people literally can not get to without arduous voyages, places of extreme isolation . Places like Beveridge Reef , with no land, or Chagos , with no airport outside of the military base, are places that cruisers get to enjoy, but the rest of the world would have difficulty getting to. Even some places we went to, like Fulaga in Fiji , only have a connection to the outside world via supply boats and satellite internet.

Cruising is very conducive to slow travel . While, like in the ARC, you can jet-set around the world, it’s much more likely that cruisers are traveling slow. We spent 100 days in Indonesia, 70 in South Africa, 56 in the Maldives. These allowed us to get a truly wide view of each country.

In the South Pacific, we’d found quite a few boats who were on a pretty similar schedule to us. They came and went from our lives, meeting up with us again and again. In Australia, we met two boats that would become our closest cruising friends : Mirniy Okean (Carlos & Linda) and Slow Flight (Kimi & Trevor). In the Indian Ocean, there are a lot fewer boats making the passage, and we got incredibly lucky to click so well with these two boats. Though we weren’t on the exact same path, we did the rally together, caught up in Thailand, spent weeks with Slow Flight in the Maldives, hung out with Mirniy Okean in Seychelles, saw both boats in Madagascar and South Africa. Having this friendship was amazing.

Cruisers are generally an interesting and very diverse group of people . Along the way we’ve met people younger than us (we’re 35 right now) who are out sailing on shoe-string budgets. We’ve met some of the biggest sailing vloggers on YouTube (or in China). We’ve met families homeschooling as they go, people who’ve started and sold tech companies, people who’ve retired with simple pensions.

Thanks to the breadth of travel we’ve done, I think we’ve become better world citizens by exposing ourselves to different cultures. We’ve seen what it’s like to live in some of the biggest cities (Sydney, Singapore , Cape Town ) but also what it’s like to live in incredibly rural parts of incredibly poor countries.

We know how big the world is now. Sailing all the way around it (take that, flat-earthers) was a huge accomplishment and gave us a better appreciation for the ability to travel so easily via other methods.

The Worst Parts of Sailing Around the World

This short list is in addition to our post, One Year Cruising: The Challenges .

We have an expression we like to use when we say goodbye to cruisers: “another day another bay” . Parting ways with our friends is doubly hard in the cruising life, because we truly have no idea when we might see them again. Plans change, and you can never count on reconnecting with your friends in person. Mirniy Okean, who we last saw in Madagascar? It’s very likely the two boats will never see each other again.

Even with over four years to sail around the world, some places we still felt rushed . A lot of that was weather constraints . At the start of every hurricane or cyclone season, there’s always the looming deadline of the next place you have to get to for a safe storm season.

While we were out sailing around the world, we missed so much time with our friends and family . Grandparents passed away, friends got married and had kids. While we returned to the states for funeral services of our grandparents, we missed other occasions that gathered friends and family for celebrations. That was tough.

While cruising is great for getting us out to see the world, there is definitely a social-economic bubble within cruising . Almost everyone is white and straight, most are native English speakers, older, and fairly affluent.

It seemed like the longer we cruised, the more difficult formalities became . In the Indian Ocean and Africa, we usually had to hire an agent (Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles) and it was expensive. In Madagascar and South Africa, we had to visit offices in every port we went to. Back in the Caribbean? David checked us into Guadeloupe using a computer in the back of a souvenir shop, and it was free.

The longer we go, the more boat projects pile up . Living full time on the boat, things break constantly, even on a brand new boat. We’ve had a few situations where something breaks and we have to urgently fix it – usually, we have no idea how to start.

The Indian Ocean and Africa were also difficult to get boat supplies . Thailand has East Marine Asia , the Caribbean has Budget Marine and Island Water World , but in between, there wasn’t really much. Even South Africa didn’t seem to have a big all-inclusive chandlery like West Marine , or maybe we just weren’t looking in the right places. Even in Antigua, where we have a Budget Marine ten minutes away, we might have to wait a few weeks to have a $10 part delivered to the island. It’s always been a general frustration that some companies, even marine companies, don’t understand that we are nomadic and will have to wait for their package to arrive, so when they mail us the wrong part, or “forget” to ship something, it takes a larger toll. Patience is key!

In some places like Indonesia, acquiring fuel is difficult – there are no fuel docks. Sometimes the fuel dock has huge black rubber fenders that leave marks all over the boat.

The lack of a schedule can sometimes get to us. When we are on the move a lot, like day hopping through islands or along a coast, it’s hard for us to have a routine down. Usually, David and I try to exercise every day around sunrise. But what if we need to leave in the early hours to move anchorages? Boat projects always take 3x longer than the 3x you calculated off of how long you thought it would take. Committing to doing anything at the same time of day or the same time every week is nearly impossible. Being in lockdown these past few weeks has shown us how truly lovely it is to be able to create our own schedule and stick with it every day.

Need to take a break from cruising? Here are my tips for how to break out of the cruising funk .

What About Pirates and Bad Weather?

Generally, we avoided the areas with the most violent piracy levels (the Philippines and the Horn of Africa). We were really fortunate that nothing was stolen off our boat the entire circumnavigation. We lock our boat up every night but have no security system. We put our dinghy up in the davits EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. The outboard is locked to the dinghy.

As far as bad weather, the worst weather we encountered usually lastest just a few hours. We had a storm hit us coming into Bermuda and our screecher started to unfurl and flap around. Coming into Seychelles, a storm blew directly from our destination. In both those situations, the wind wasn’t incredibly high, but it was coming from directly ahead of us, making the conditions very uncomfortable.

Sailing over the tip of Madagascar was a tough one. The current was so strong, and we were vacillating between 10 knots surfing down the waves and 1 knot getting sucked back up. Meanwhile, the wind was blowing strong and at a high wind angle (I think 50?). We turned our engines on and ran perpendicular to the current to get out of it as fast as possible.

Sailing the coast of South Africa , we saw high winds – up to 40 knots, but it was always dead downwind. I think that every time we arrived in port in South Africa, we did so with a little bit of the genoa unfurled and chugging along comfortably.

Well, your favorite Star Chasers are currently in Antigua, riding out this COVID-19 thing and waiting for the weather to clean up so we can head outside of the hurricane zone. We are planning to haul out June 1st at Cape Charles Yacht Center in Virgina.

Starry Horizons will spend hurricane season taking a rest. David and I will buy a car and drive to Texas and split our time between Houston and Dallas. We hope that we can hold parties in both cities to celebrate the end of our circumnavigation (especially since our party in the Caribbean was canceled!).

In October we will drive back to Starry Horizons and launch her for the 2020-2021 season. Our current plan is to sail down to Turks & Caicos and spend the season working our way downwind (no overnight sails! no upwind sailing!). We won’t have a particular goal in mind, which will be a relief for all of us (except for, you know, getting out of the hurricane zone again).

Beyond that….we don’t know yet!

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My wife and I have just finished your series and congratulations on completing a fantastic adventure that required an amazing amount of planning and learning and sharing that with everyone! Have you been able to execute your plan to leave for Virginia for June 1?

Hi Bob! No, we are still in Antigua, waiting for the weather to get better. It’s ok, everything is pretty great here!

Wow that’s absolutely amazing! What an incredible adventure and love all the stats you’re sharing!

Thank you! We have loved sharing our adventures!

This is beyond inspiring!! What a journey. You guys are awesome!!

Aw thank you!

Wow this is so cool. I want to learn sailing. I had no idea about circumnavigation until now. Thanks!

What??? First time that happened was 500 years ago.. better study some history…

The first world circumnavigation? Yes, you are correct. Nowhere do we say that we are the first to circumnavigate… that would be ridiculous!

Thank you! It’s easy to start small, at a local sailing club, or chartering a boat!

WOW! I have no other words! Such an adventure you lived guys! I am REALLY impressed!!! Congrats for completing the circumnavigation!

Such an excellent recap of your adventures! You continue to amaze me with the organization of your writing and the detail of the statistics you keep. I imagine being finished with the official circumnavigation brings both relief and sadness. Finishing your goal is tremendous, but for planners like you guys, maybe it puts you at loose ends a little? Then again, knowing you don’t have a set schedule must be freeing too! I’m terribly sorry you couldn’t have your celebration of the completion! But I bet you will have plenty of folks who will happily celebrate with you at the delayed parties. We are truly happy for you and proud of your accomplishments. And your detailed writing and summary will guide us as we travel, so thank you. Love from Mary Grace and Frank

Thanks so much yall! You’ve been an awesome part of our journey, and I hope we get to hug and celebrate in person sometime soon!

This trip sounds incredible! I’ve never thought about sailing but this sounds amazing.

Thank you! Sailing around the world has some amazing perks!

This is literally something I dream about doing, but I have no sailing knowledge! How does one get into this?? I’ll def be poking around more of your site!

Start small! I learned to sail on small boats called sunfish. There are a lot of small sailing boats out there, or classes, where you can learn the basics. Check in with a local yacht club if you can!

Wow what an incredible trip! So much knowledge, thank you for your insight. Would love to sail the world but have a very slight fear of the open ocean haha.

That would make it tough! 🙂

So impressed. It was great you could do it together.

Yet another great article Amy. So much valuable info in “power pack” format. Our global cruise might come sooner than I expected, COVID might just force our hand.

Glad you found it helpful! I hope whatever happens, its a good thing!

Brilliant Amy and David, thank you for sharing your amazing trip and being so open and honest with your wealth of knowledge. Lynda and I have applied numerous of your thoughts and suggestions aboard our Helia Itiki. Hopefully we will cross paths when we are in the Caribbean once we settle down into however the New World pans out.

I hope so too! Would be great to catch up!

Your writing, Amy, is truly excellent! I sense a spreadsheet or two behind all that data. What a wealth of information!

Lots of spreadsheets and help from a finance guy! 😉

Congratulations and THANKS! We have been following you for several years as we prepared and launched our circumnavigation on our Helia. Your content, attitude, and approach are truly inspirational and appreciated!! Jeff & Debby SV Making Memories

Aw thank you! We really appreciate the kind words!

So proud of you both. This was a great post, a very well written recap of the trip.

Thanks mom! 🙂

Lovely article Amy. Super well put together and, oh my, the details! It’s amazing you have all that information. Congratulations on the circumnavigation and glad to hear you’ll carry on cruising!!

Thanks Ryan! I hope we see each other out here someday!

5 best small sailboats for sailing around the world

By Author Fiona McGlynn

Posted on Last updated: April 19, 2023

A small sailboat can take you big places

Small sailboats are the ticket to going cruising NOW — not when you retire, save up enough money, or find the “perfect” bluewater cruising boat. In fact, it’s the first principle in Lin and Larry Pardey’s cruising philosophy: “Go small, go simple, go now.”

Small yachts can be affordable, simple, and seaworthy . However, you won’t see many of them in today’s cruising grounds. In three years and 13,000 nautical miles of bluewater cruising, I could count the number of under 30-foot sailboats I’ve seen on one hand (all of them were skippered by people in their 20s and 30s).

Today’s anchorages are full of 40, 50, and 60-foot-plus ocean sailboats, but that’s not to say you can’t sail the world in a small sailboat. Just look at Alessandro di Benedetto who in 2010 broke the record for the smallest boat to sail around the world non-stop in his 21-foot Mini 6.5 .

So long as you don’t mind forgoing a few comforts, you can sail around the world on a small budget .

What makes a good blue water sailboat

While you might not think a small sailboat is up to the task of going long distances, some of the best bluewater sailboats are under 40 feet.

However, if you’re thinking about buying a boat for offshore cruising, there are a few things to know about what makes a small boat offshore capable .

Smaller equals slower

Don’t expect to be sailing at high speeds in a pocket cruiser. Smaller displacement monohulls are always going to be slower than larger displacement monohulls (see the video below to learn why smaller boats are slower). Therefore a smaller cruiser is going to take longer on a given passage, making them more vulnerable to changes in weather.

A few feet can make a big difference over a week-long passage. On the last leg of our Pacific Ocean crossing, our 35-foot sailboat narrowly avoid a storm that our buddy boat, a 28-foot sailboat, couldn’t. Our friend was only a knot slower but it meant he had to heave to for a miserable three days.

Small but sturdy

If a pocket cruiser encounters bad weather, they will be less able to outrun or avoid it. For this reason, many of the blue water sailboats in this list are heavily built and designed to take a beating.

Yacht design has changed dramatically over the last 50 years. Today, new boats are designed to be light and fast. The small sailboats in our list are 30-plus year-old designs and were built in a time when weather forecasts were less accurate and harder to come by.

Back in the day, boat were constructed with thicker fiberglass hulls than you see in modern builds. Rigs, keels, rudders, hulls and decks – everything about these small cruising sailboats was designed to stand up to strong winds and big waves. Some of the boats in this post have skeg-hung rudders and most of them are full keel boats.

The pros and cons of pocket cruiser sailboats

Pocket cruiser sailboats present certain advantages and disadvantages.

More affordable

Their smaller size makes them affordable bluewater sailboats. You can often find great deals on pocket cruisers and sometimes you can even get them for free.

You’ll also save money on retrofits and repairs because small cruising sailboats need smaller boat parts (which cost a lot less) . For example, you can get away with smaller sails, ground tackle, winches, and lighter lines than on a bigger boat.

Moorage, haul-outs, and marine services are often billed by foot of boat length . A small sailboat makes traveling the world , far more affordable!

When something major breaks (like an engine) it will be less costly to repair or replace than it would be on a bigger boat.

Less time consuming

Smaller boats tend to have simpler systems which means you’ll spend less time fixing and paying to maintain those systems. For example, most small yachts don’t have showers, watermakers , hot water, and electric anchor windlasses.

On the flip side, you’ll spend more time collecting water (the low-tech way) . On a small sailboat, this means bucket baths, catching fresh water in your sails, and hand-bombing your anchor. Though less convenient, this simplicity can save you years of preparation and saving to go sailing.

Oh, and did I mention that you’ll become a complete water meiser? Conserving water aboard becomes pretty important when you have to blue-jug every drop of it from town back to your boat.

Easier to sail

Lastly, smaller boats can be physically easier to sail , just think of the difference between raising a sail on a 25-foot boat versus a 50-foot boat! You can more easily single-hand or short-hand a small sailboat. For that reason, some of the best solo blue water sailboats are quite petite.

As mentioned above small boats are slow boats and will arrive in port, sometimes days (and even weeks) behind their faster counterparts on long offshore crossings.

Consider this scenario: two boats crossed the Atlantic on a 4,000 nautical mile route. The small boat averaged four miles an hour, while the big boat averaged seven miles an hour. If both started at the same time, the small boat will have completed the crossing two weeks after the larger sailboat!

Less spacious

Living on a boat can be challenging — living on a small sailboat, even more so! Small cruising boats don’t provide much in the way of living space and creature comforts.

Not only will you have to downsize when you move onto a boat you’ll also have to get pretty creative when it comes to boat storage.

It also makes it more difficult to accommodate crew for long periods which means there are fewer people to share work and night shifts.

If you plan on sailing with your dog , it might put a small boat right out of the question (depending on the size of your four-legged crew member).

Less comfortable

It’s not just the living situation that is less comfortable, the sailing can be pretty uncomfortable too! Pocket cruisers tend to be a far less comfortable ride than larger boats as they are more easily tossed about in big ocean swell.

Here are our 5 favorite small blue water sailboats for sailing around the world

When we sailed across the Pacific these were some of the best small sailboats that we saw. Their owners loved them and we hope you will too!

The boats in this list are under 30 feet. If you’re looking for something slightly larger, you might want to check out our post on the best bluewater sailboats under 40 feet .

Note: Price ranges are based on SailboatListings.com and YachtWorld.com listings for Aug. 2018

Albin Vega 27($7-22K USD)

The Albin Vega has earned a reputation as a bluewater cruiser through adventurous sailors like Matt Rutherford, who in 2012 completed a 309-day solo nonstop circumnavigation of the Americas via Cape Horn and the Northwest Passage (see his story in the documentary Red Dot on the Ocean ).

Hull Type: Long fin keel
Hull Material: GRP (fibreglass)
Length Overall:27′ 1″ / 8.25m
Waterline Length:23′ 0″ / 7.01m
Beam:8′ 1″ / 2.46m
Draft:3′ 8″ / 1.12m
Rig Type: Masthead sloop rig
Displacement:5,070lb / 2,300kg
Designer:Per Brohall
Builder:Albin Marine AB (Swed.)
Year First Built:1965
Year Last Built:1979
Number Built:3,450

Cape Dory 28 ($10-32K USD)

This small cruising sailboat is cute and classic as she is rugged and roomy. With at least one known circumnavigation and plenty of shorter bluewater voyages, the Cape Dory 28 has proven herself offshore capable.

Hull Type: Full Keel
Length Overall:28′ 09″ / 8.56m
Waterline Length:22′ 50″ / 6.86m
Beam:8’ 11” / 2.72m
Draft:4’ 3” / 1.32m
Rig Type:Masthead Sloop
Displacement:9,300lb / 4,218kg
Sail Area/Displacement Ratio:52
Displacement/Length Ratio:49
Designer: Carl Alberg
Builder: Cape Dory Yachts (USA)
Year First Built:1974
Year Last Built:1988
Number Built: 388

Dufour 29 ($7-23K)

As small bluewater sailboats go, the Dufour 29 is a lot of boat for your buck. We know of at least one that sailed across the Pacific last year. Designed as a cruiser racer she’s both fun to sail and adventure-ready. Like many Dufour sailboats from this era, she comes equipped with fiberglass molded wine bottle holders. Leave it to the French to think of everything!

Hull Type: Fin with skeg-hung rudder
Length Overall:29′ 4″ / 8.94m
Waterline Length:25′ 1″ / 7.64m
Beam:9′ 8″ / 2.95m
Draft:5′ 3″ / 1.60m
Displacement:7,250lb / 3,289kg
Designer:Michael Dufour
Builder:Dufour (France)
Year First Built:1975
Year Last Built:1984

Vancouver 28 ($15-34K)

A sensible small boat with a “go-anywhere” attitude, this pocket cruiser was designed with ocean sailors in mind. One of the best cruising sailboats under 40 feet, the Vancouver 28 is great sailing in a small package.

Hull Type:Full keel with transom hung rudder
Length Overall: 28′ 0″ / 8.53m
Waterline Length:22’ 11” / 6.99m
Beam:8’ 8” / 2.64m
Draft:4’ 4” / 1.32m
Rig Type: Cutter rig
Displacement:8,960lb / 4,064 kg
Designer: Robert B Harris
Builder: Pheon Yachts Ltd. /Northshore Yachts Ltd.
Year First Built:1986
Last Year Built: 2007
Number Built: 67

Westsail 28 ($30-35K)

Described in the 1975 marketing as “a hearty little cruiser”, the Westsail 28 was designed for those who were ready to embrace the cruising life. Perfect for a solo sailor or a cozy cruising couple!

Hull Type: Full keel with transom hung rudder
Hull Material:GRP (fibreglass)
Length Overall:28′ 3” / 8.61m
Waterline Length:23’ 6” / 7.16m
Beam:9’ 7” / 2.92m
Displacement:13,500lb / 6,124kg
Designer: Herb David
Builder: Westsail Corp. (USA)
Number Built:78

Feeling inspired? Check out the “go small” philosophy of this 21-year-old who set sail in a CS 27.

Fiona McGlynn is an award-winning boating writer who created Waterborne as a place to learn about living aboard and traveling the world by sailboat. She has written for boating magazines including BoatUS, SAIL, Cruising World, and Good Old Boat. She’s also a contributing editor at Good Old Boat and BoatUS Magazine. In 2017, Fiona and her husband completed a 3-year, 13,000-mile voyage from Vancouver to Mexico to Australia on their 35-foot sailboat.

Saturday 1st of September 2018

Very useful list, but incomplete - as it would necessarily be, considering the number of seaworthy smaller boats that are around.

In particular, you missed/omitted the Westerly "Centaur" and its follow-on model, the "Griffon". 26 feet LOA, bilge-keelers, weighing something over 6000 pounds, usually fitted with a diesel inboard.

OK, these are British designs, and not that common in the US, but still they do exist, they're built like tanks, and it's rumored that at least one Centaur has circumnavigated.

Friday 31st of August 2018

This is a helpful list, thank you. I don't think most people would consider a 28' boat a pocket cruiser, though!

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Sail Around the World Route – Best Options Explained

Before you ponder your route to sail around the world, think about why you’re even thinking about such an undertaking.

There are countless sailing routes you can take to circumnavigate the globe, but each one is for a different sort of sailor. The two most common routes are the mid-latitudes “Milk Run” and the high-latitudes journey through the Southern Ocean or Northwest Passage.

Here’s a look at some of these very different trips and the types of sailors and vessels that accomplish each one every year.

Basic planning factors – winds, currents, and storms, the classic sail around the world route – the milk run, circumnavigating in the southern ocean, an alternate sail around the world route the northwest passage, which sailing routes would you pick for your circumnavigation, sailing routes around the world faqs.

The Basics of Sailing Routes Around the World

First, some lingo. Sailors refer to a sail around the world route as a “circumnavigation.”

Taking a boat around the world requires some gumption. So why do it at all? For some, it is the goal of having done it. For others, it’s a fun way to combine their passions of sailing and travel. Some folks compete in races to see who can do it fastest. And some folks think it would be a good lark and a neat way to see the world.

Whatever reason draws you to the idea of completing a circumnavigation, you aren’t alone. Every year there are rallies or races that you can join to meet up with like-minded people. And for as many people who compete in rallies, there are likely an equal number of people doing it on their own.

No matter how you cut it, a circumnavigation is made up of numerous legs. So if traveling and seeing the sights is your goal, then it only makes sense to take your time and visit as many places as you can along the way.

Folks with a limited time frame will inevitably miss something or rush through someplace they want to see.

For sightseers, the goal of a circumnavigation might be secondary to seeing the places they want to see. In other words, someone with their heart set on circumnavigating might set a schedule of two years to get it done, while another sailor who wants to complete loops in the Atlantic and Pacific might have a lot more time to visit more countries and ports of call.

Every sailor and every boat comes into this adventure with different goals. Therefore, it’s important to think about your motivations and the sort of circumnavigation that you’d like to have. What’s the most important part to you, and how much money and time can you dedicate to the endeavor?

Most pleasure boaters contemplating a circumnavigation are interested in the safest route to sail around the world. Part of the safety and enjoyment of the crew comes from planning the trip to follow the prevailing wind patterns around the globe.

When sitting on land, you might think of the wind as unpredictable and variable depending on the day and weather conditions. And while that is true all over the world, at sea prevailing weather patterns tend to be more steady.

That means by understanding the causes and patterns in the winds, you can use them to your advantage on a circumnavigation.

For example, let’s look at the North Atlantic circuit. If a yacht wants to depart Europe for North America, its best bet is to head south first and follow the area between 10 and 30 degrees north latitude westbound. Why? Because this is the area where the winds flow from the east almost constantly. Since ships used these winds to get to the Caribbean in the old days, they are still known as the Trade Winds.

What if you want to go the other way, back to Europe? In that case, your best bet is to head north and make your easterly course between 40 and 60 degrees north latitudes. There, the prevailing winds are westerly and will push you back to Europe.

While sailboats can sail into the wind, doing so is called “beating” for a reason. It’s rough on the boat and crew; it’s tiring and unpleasant. You’ll have to do it occasionally, but a successful and comfortable passage is usually the result of planning so you don’t have to sail to weather.

Similarly, you can use the world’s ocean currents to your advantage. If the Gulf Stream can give you a knot or two of an extra push toward Europe, you should take it! It makes a big difference when your normal speed is six knots. Trying to fight against it for any length of time could double your trip planning and make for a very nasty ride.

And then there is the risk of storms at sea. With good trip and weather planning, a boat can circumnavigate without ever experiencing a bad storm at sea.

That requires conservative planning to avoid areas and times of the year when the weather is bad. To do this means you must plan to be in the right places at the right times. Pilot charts are published for every ocean sector on Earth, showing the prevailing winds for any given month and the probability of encountering a severe storm in the area.

Using pilot charts and the historical prevalence of hurricanes or cyclones, sailors can plan to transit these areas only during quiet times. In other words, no one wants to be in the middle of the North Atlantic during peak hurricane season or during winter gales, but being in the middle of the North Atlantic in May is pretty optimal.

Likewise, you don’t want to be in the middle of the South Pacific during February when it is peak cyclone season, but June or July is good.

The classic route for circumnavigating is based on the path of least resistance, making it the safest route to sail around the world. These routes utilize the prevailing winds to make as many downwind, fair-weather passages as possible.

The goal of this route is not speed but comfort and safety. This is the route you take your family on. This is the route that around the world rallies, like the World ARC Rally , use for every trip.

Starting from the Caribbean, this route travels westbound and keeps close to the equator. Of course, you can start anywhere, but many yachts cross their wakes (begin and end their voyage) somewhere in the Lesser Antilles.

After crossing the Caribbean Sea, transit is arranged through the Panama Canal. Canal transits are expensive and time-consuming, and they usually involve a broker to arrange all the paperwork and scheduling.

Before the canal was constructed, the only way to make the journey was to travel south in the Atlantic and pass Cape Horn. There, you can follow Drakes Passage through Argentina’s islands and Patagonia’s wild lands. Many expedition yachts still choose this route to see this remote and beautiful part of the world.

After the Panama Canal, most yachts take familiar sailing routes across the Pacific . The first stop is the Galapagos Islands. This takes you mostly south along the coast of Central America and across the equator into the Southern Hemisphere.

From the Galapagos, the single longest passage lies ahead–roughly 3,200 nautical miles to the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia. This trip takes most sailboats about 14 days. An alternate route takes you farther south. It doesn’t shorten the trip but allows you to visit Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and Pitcairn Islands.

Once in French Polynesia, you can island hop your way through the South Pacific island nations, but with a weary eye on the weather. The point is to avoid the area during cyclone season, roughly the summer months (December through April or so).

At this point, many yachts find a hurricane hole where they can relax during storm season. Usually, it is time to haul out and complete some maintenance after so many sea miles. Some make it south and out of the cyclone belt to New Zealand or Australia. Others opt to stay in the islands but find a well-sheltered marina or boatyard where they can haul out.

Once cyclone season is winding down, the next big passage awaits. After passing through the Torres Straits, stops in Northwestern Australia and Indonesia welcome you to the Indian Ocean. There are only a few isolated stops after that. Many yachts make one long passage out of it, although many enjoy a few stops, like Cocos Keeling, Maldives, Diego Garcia, or Seychelles.

This is where the route branches in two directions. Traditionally, boats would transit on a northwest course and into the Gulf of Aden. From there, you follow the Red Sea to the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea. The Mediterranean is, of course, one of the most storied cruising grounds on the planet. You can cruise from Turkey and Greece to Italy, France, and Spain, with countless famous ports of call along the way.

Unfortunately, the route to get there, through the Gulf of Aden and around the Horn of Africa, is home to bands of pirates who have been known to prey on leisure yachts and commercial vessels alike. For this reason, this route has fallen out of favor in recent years.

Instead, boats head to South Africa. The country makes a good landfall point from which you can travel home or take land excursions to see the rest of Africa. Popular stops on the way are the islands of Reunion and Mauritius. Some folks also like to visit Madagascar.

After rounding the Cape of Good Hope, yachts are back in the Atlantic and can head northwest toward the Caribbean. You can make a few stops along the way, mostly isolated island nations like St. Helena and Ascension Islands. After that, it’s a straight shot back across the equator and to the Windward Islands of the Caribbean.

When coming from the Mediterranean, boats heat westbound through the Straights of Gibraltar. The next stop is the Canary Islands. How long does it take to sail across the Atlantic? It’s a roughly 17-day passage downwind to the Windward Islands.

sailing around the world on the milk run

Most people take two full years or longer to complete a circumnavigation as described above, but even that only allows a little time to see the sights. So a more realistic number would be four or five years.

This route isn’t for those looking to get it done in the shortest amount of time. Instead, the Southern Ocean Route is the favored path for those looking to trade a bit of safety for speed. This route, due to the prevailing winds along the route, is completed from west to east.

Races like the Clipper Around the World , Vendee Globe , and the Golden Globe Around the World Race use this path. It utilizes the open expanses of the Southern Ocean. Once you get into these high latitudes, there are no real landmasses in your way, and you can steer a course all the way around the world in record time.

Of course, the Southern Ocean is not for the faint of heart. High-latitude sailing involves biting cold weather and dangerous gales. You’ll be rounding Cape Horn through Drakes Passage, one of the dicest stretches of water on the planet.

It’s a punishing stretch of ocean, and boats are often beaten and bruised. Dismastings and equipment failures are common. In other words, a sailor who chooses this route must be ready for anything, capable of handling whatever the sea throws at them, and sailing an extremely well-founded bluewater vessel.

In recent years it has been in vogue to attempt a transit of the Northwest Passage, thereby making it possible to circumnavigate the high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Obviously, this is a summertime endeavor only, and even then, only during years when the ice pack has completely melted. This is happening more and more, so the route is gaining popularity.

The leg that makes this possible starts from the United Kingdom going west across the Atlantic to Greenland through the Labrador Sea. The Northwest Passage itself then bisects Canada’s northern territories. Finally, you end up on the northern coast of Alaska. Then, keeping the mainland of North America to port, you continue south into the Pacific Ocean.

From the Aleutian Islands, the most favorable course is to transit to the west coast of North America. After that, you can make your way south along the famous Inside Passage, a network of fjords in British Columbia that can link you to Puget Sound and the Seattle metro area.

Once in the US, your next steps are southbound transits to Baja, Mexico, or jumps like sailing to Hawaii from California . You can then join the normal routes across the South Pacific islands to Australia or Southeast Asia.

Both the Southern Ocean and the Northwest Passage routes are high-latitude routes that carry more risk than the Milk Run. High-latitude sailing involves dealing with more frequent severe weather systems, stronger winds, and greater variability in the weather in general. They’re also farther from services and more remote, so self-sufficiency is even more vital.

While you can do the Milk Run in nearly any of best bluewater cruising sailboats , these high-latitudes routes are more comfortable in a robust expedition-level vessel. These are the perfect places for that aluminum sailboat you’ve been dreaming about.

sailing around the world in the Northwest Passage

There is much to learn and think about if you want to circumnavigate. If you’re dreaming of sailing the world, consider starting your research by picking up a book or two written by someone who has done it. Here are three stories of circumnavigations, but there are countless others and blogs galore to be found on the internet.

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Jimmy Cornell is the master of how to sail around the world. His “World Cruising” series of guides includes everything you’d ever need to know, from weather systems and route planning to legal formalities. This book, 200,000 Miles , combines some of those technicalities with a biographical story of his journey.

Sailing Around the World Alone is Joshua Slocum’s story of his journey. It’s not a modern tale–Slocum set out in the late 1890s from Nova Scotia. But his adventure is the OG tale of sailing around the world and is worth a read.

Used Book in Good Condition

Lin and Larry Pardey circumnavigated several times (both eastbound and westbound), but if you totaled up the miles they sailed, it would be more like seven times. The difference, of course, is enjoying every port and stop along the way.

While they never wrote a book specifically about sailing around the world, their cruising tales live on in the various tales and how-to guides they produced over the years.

Capable Cruiser discusses techniques that will get you there, interwoven by the Pardey’s inimitable charm and wit. For more travel inspiration, check out their original series of books: Cruising in Seraffyn , Seraffyn’s European Adventure, Seraffyn’s Mediterranean Adventure, and Seraffyn’s Oriental Adventure.

What route do you take to sail around the world?

There are several ways to circumnavigate, but the most common is the “Milk Run.” This route goes from the Caribbean through the Panama Canal. From there, it heads south to the Galapagos Islands and into the South Pacific. After Tahiti, yachts head to Australia, across the Indian Ocean, and through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean Sea. Finally, leaving the Med, boats cross the Atlantic to the Caribbean to close the circle, or “cross their wake,” as they say.

How long does it take to sail around the world?

The WorldARC around the world sailing rally usually lasts 18 months, but you can do it quicker by selecting fewer stops or taking faster routes. For most sailors, however, the length of the trip around the world really depends on how much they stop along the way and for how long. If the purpose of the trip is to travel and see the world, it makes little sense to rush and do it in the shortest possible time. Many circumnavigations take five or more years.

How much does it cost per month to sail around the world?

Sailing has been described as the most expensive way to get somewhere for free. The cost to sail around the world is extremely variable–it is impossible to pin down any price. On the one hand, the type of boat makes a difference. The larger the boat, the larger the costs. The lifestyle you choose while sailing matters, too–lavish resort marinas cost more than anchoring away from town. Hiring professionals to do boat maintenance costs more than doing it all yourself. There are ways to do it lavishly and ways to be cheap about it. Comfortable cruising is somewhere in the middle, but where exactly that depends entirely on you.

How big of a sailboat do you need to sail around the world?

Many solo sailors and couples have circumnavigated in boats less than 30 feet long. Lin and Larry Pardy wrote many novels as they circled the globe on 22-foot-long Seraffyn , a Lyle Hess-designed cutter. The size of the boat has everything to do with your cruising style and budget. So long as the vessel is well-founded and designed to take the rigors of bluewater passages, size matters less than many people think.

Matt has been boating around Florida for over 25 years in everything from small powerboats to large cruising catamarans. He currently lives aboard a 38-foot Cabo Rico sailboat with his wife Lucy and adventure dog Chelsea. Together, they cruise between winters in The Bahamas and summers in the Chesapeake Bay.

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Sailboat Cruising and Lifestyle Magazine.

World Cruising Routes and Voyage Planner

Planning an ocean voyage on a sailboat requires careful preparation and research. You need to consider factors such as the route, the weather, the equipment, the crew, the budget, and the safety measures. Here are two resources you can’t go without.

World Cruising Routes

World Cruising Routes is the go-to guidebook for long-distance navigators, cruisers, and sailors. It contains over 1,000 routes to destinations all over the globe rich with essential weather information, waypoints, and advice for safe passage making.

“Some routes start as a dream and end as a nightmare.” The first sentence in World Cruising Routes sets the stage for the rest of the book – how to plan your routes for successful passages. The contents include:

Winds and currents of each major ocean and sea.
Routes in the Atlantic Ocean are divided into North Atlantic, transequatorial routes, and South Atlantic.
Routes in the Pacific Ocean are divided into North Pacific, far east, transequatorial, and South Pacific.
Routes of the Indian Ocean are divided into North Atlantic, transequatorial, and South Indian Ocean.
Routes in the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.

World Voyage Planner

This book is a comprehensive strategy and informational guide for planning a voyage. It takes the sailor from any port to wherever they’d like to go.

The contents of World Voyage Planner includes:

World Weather Patterns Month by Month, Ocean by Ocean
Planning an Ocean Voyage to the Caribbean from different continents
Routes to the Mediterranean Sea from All Major Ports in the World
Planning Voyages to North America and Northern Europe
How to Sail to South America and Antarctica
Voyage planning to South Africa
Circumnavigations of various Oceans and Sea
Pacific Routes to Fiji, Mexico, Asia, Australia, and Other Destinations
Route planning in the Indian Ocean
And an Entire Section on Global Circumnavigation

The book is designed to guide the sailor in planning large voyages. It’s meant to be a companion to the World Cruising Routes .

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COMMENTS

10 Best Sailboats For Circumnavigation
10 Best Sailboats for Circumnavigation. 1. Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 54DS. sunrise_sail. Starting off our list with one of the strongest contenders, the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 54DS certainly ticks the luxury box. What's impressive is just how visually striking and spacious the 54DS is.
World Circumnavigation Routes for Sailboats
Year 3: French Polynesia to Fiji, store in Fiji. Year 4: Fiji to Australia, store in Australia. Year 5: Australia to South Africa, store in SA. Year 6: SA to the Caribbean. Of course, you'd see a lot less than you would on a 6-year circumnavigation like ours, but you get it done in a fraction of the cost and less risk.
7 Best-Known Routes for Sailing Around the World (with Maps)
Route planning is among the most crucial bits of preparation, especially when it comes to circumnavigation. This article will give you seven of the most commonly used routes for sailing around the world. Some routes have been sailed many times by many people, others are obscure or even dangerous. The Fast Route - for the minimum time
Best Sailboats For Circumnavigation
Here are eight of the finest sailboats for travelling around the world: 1. Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 54DS. Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 54DS is easily one of the finest and luxurious sailboats for circumnavigation. It's a spacious and visually stunning vessel with large, swooping curves that give it its unique shape.
How To Sail Around The World (With Timeline and Examples)
There are 8 different ways to Sail around the world, Join a research vessel. Get on a friend's boat that is already out sailing. Date the owner of a boat. Get paid to work as a; Mechanic, Chef, or General helper. Use Your specialty skill to help the crew; online marketing, language teacher, musician, etc.
Single-Handed Sailing Circumnavigation: The Voyage of Fathom
From 2016 to 2020 I sailed single-handed around the world on 'Fathom', a Vancouver 28 pocket cruising boat after leaving my job, career and land life in my w...
Sailing Around The World
There's something about sailing around the world that captures the imagination and inspires. For some, it's the reason for learning to sail in the first place. Others only start to think about global circumnavigation as their skills and experience grow. Regardless of what motivates you to circumnavigate, one thing remains true.
Can a Novice Sail Around the World?
From organized circumnavigation rallies to I-have-never-set-foot-on-a-boat participation in a grueling round-the-word race to getting familiar with some superstars of novice circumnavigation, this article takes a high-level overview of several options for round-the-world sailing and introduces you to some notable novice circumnavigators.
Circumnavigations
A Nordhavn 40 holds the world record for the fastest circumnavigation by a production power boat of any size. N4318 "Kosmos" 1: N46 "Kanaloa" 3: N46 "Salvation II" 1: Salvation II is the first production power boat ever to circumnavigate the globe. N4651 "Othmani" 1: Ghanim al-Othman, on board Othmani was the first Arab to circumnavigate.
Best boats for circumnavigation: Your ultimate guide
Oyster 475: Oyster yachts are synonymous with quality, and the 475 is no exception, offering excellent performance and seaworthiness. Outbound 46: This American-built sailboat is designed for bluewater cruising, making it suitable for circumnavigation. Hylas 46: Hylas yachts are celebrated for their strength and beauty, making them a reliable ...
Owners' advice: Top tips for world circumnavigation
Enso's owners jumped into a circumnavigation with both feet, setting off immediately after taking delivery of their new 25 metre Oyster 825. You could say their shakedown cruise was the Oyster World Rally. For the wife, it was a jump into the deep end as her previous sailing experience amounted to a week in Sardinia.
Circumnavigation: Sailing the globe's endless horizon
Circumnavigation, in its simplest definition, refers to the act of traveling around the Earth's surface, typically by water. It entails sailing or navigating a vessel across the world's oceans, crossing various meridians and longitudes until the journey eventually returns to the starting point.
Everything You Need to Sail Around the World (by an expert)
Let's get this out of the way first - you don't need a large boat to circumnavigate the world. Larger boats are comfier and faster, but technically not necessary. The smallest sailboat to circle the globe had around 21 feet. We have written many times about small boats that are great liveaboards, so it is possible. Your comfort level, partially ...
Sailing around the world: Cruising couples' top tips for a dream voyage
A full circumnavigation for most, 438 days sailing for those who'd completed it in a single World ARC loop. Some 38 yachts started in St Lucia in January 2018, 16 were gathered in Grenada this ...
World Sailing Circumnvaigation Summary
The longest passage on our circumnavigation was crossing the Pacific Ocean at 19 days and 3,142 nm. Our fastest passage was sailing to Australia when we averaged 7.76 knots over 4.7 days. Starry Horizons' optimum point of sail is about 90 degrees on the beam.
Circumnavigation
The current circumnavigation record in a powered boat of 60 days 23 hours and 49 minutes was established by a voyage of the wave-piercing trimaran Earthrace which was completed on 27 June 2008. The voyage followed the North Atlantic Ocean, Panama Canal, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Suez Canal, Mediterranean Sea route in a westerly direction.
List of circumnavigations
Global Nautical 16th century. The 18 survivors, led by Juan Sebastián Elcano, of Ferdinand Magellan's Spanish expedition (which began with 5 ships and 270 men); 1519-1522; westward from Spain; in Victoria.After Magellan was killed by Lapulapu off the Philippines on 27 April 1521, the circumnavigation was completed under the command of the Basque Spanish seafarer Juan Sebastián Elcano who ...
5 best small sailboats for sailing around the world
Vancouver 28. Photo credit: YachtFathom.co.uk. A sensible small boat with a "go-anywhere" attitude, this pocket cruiser was designed with ocean sailors in mind. One of the best cruising sailboats under 40 feet, the Vancouver 28 is great sailing in a small package. Hull Type:Full keel with transom hung rudder.
Sail Around the World Route
Sailors refer to a sail around the world route as a "circumnavigation." You can take countless sailing routes to circumnavigate the globe, but each one is for a different sort of sailor. The two most common routes are the mid-latitudes "Milk Run" and the high-latitudes journey through the Southern Ocean or Northwest Passage.
Cruising: Solo Circumnavigators
A few months ago, 77-year-old Briton Jeanne Socrates became the oldest person to achieve the same feat of skill and endurance, sailing eastabout from North America. Now 81-year-old Australian Bill Hatfield is winding down yet another epic circumnavigation—westabout from Queensland, Australia, solo, nonstop and unassisted, against the ...
A Nonstop Solo Circumnavigation
The plan was simple, on paper at least: to circumnavigate solo, unsponsored, unassisted and nonstop via the five great capes—Cape Agulhas (Africa), Cape Leeuwin (Australia), South East Cape (Tasmania), South West Cape (New Zealand) and Cape Horn (Chile). On the day of departure, I remember being so exhausted from all the last-minute ...
Circumnavigation: Alone Around the World— part 1
Circumnavigation: Alone Around the World— part 1. On July 28, 1999, my wife, Debbie, and I cut the dock lines on our Bob Perry-designed Baba 40 ketch, Sailors Run, at the Long Branch Marina in Washington's South Puget Sound, and sailed away to explore the world under sail: an ambition I had nurtured since I first set foot on a sailboat ...
World Cruising Routes and Sailboat Voyage Planning
Planning an ocean voyage on a sailboat requires careful preparation and research. You need to consider factors such as the route, the weather, the equipment, the crew, the budget, and the safety measures. ... And an Entire Section on Global Circumnavigation; The book is designed to guide the sailor in planning large voyages.
Around the world sailing record
Around the world sailing record. IDEC 3, current outright record holder at 40 days, 23 hours, 30 minutes and 30 seconds. The first around the world sailing record for circumnavigation of the world can be attributed to the surviving crew of Ferdinand Magellan 's expedition, including the last captain Juan Sebastián Elcano who completed their ...