14 Boating New Zealand
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Why be
ordinary
when I
can be
original?A
78-year old Australian sailor has completed a record 10th
circumnavigation – and like many of the other voyages, this
one was mostly single-handed.
Jon Sanders returned to Carnarvon in Western
Australia aboard Perie Banou II, a S&S 39, late last year. It appears the
extraordinary sailor – who underwent open heart surgery in 2015 –
lives by an unusual mantra: “Why be ordinary when I can be original?”
A native of Fremantle and schooled in Perth, Jon began his sailing
career at a young age. He started breaking records and became the
darling of the Australian press when he completed a solo triple non-
stop circumnavigation in 1988 aboard Parry Endeavour, a 71,000nm
journey that took 658 days. Parry Endeavour now takes pride of place
next to the 1983 America’s Cup winner Australia II in the Fremantle
Maritime Museum.
Says Anne Hammick, Commodore of the Ocean Cruising Club:
“Jon epitomizes the spirit of the club, with his low-key approach and
his love of being at sea. Things have not always gone smoothly for
him, but he never gives up and he never shouts ‘unfair!’ He remains an
inspiration to us all, and a role model for the many who aspire to cross
an ocean in their own yacht.”AMONG MANY OTHERS, JON’S WEBSITE RECORDS THE
FOLLOWING ACHIEVEMENTS:
1970 First solo circumnavigation trip east to west mostly sailing
through tropics.
1981/2 Double non-stop solo circumnavigation west to east via
Southern Ocean.
1988 March 13th returned from 658 days 21 hours and 18 minutes at
sea, completing three non-stop solo circumnavigations. The Guinness
Book of Records says it’s longest distance ever sailed continuously by
any vessel (71,023nm).
More information is available at Jon’s blog:
http://www.jonsanders.com.au/A
Zodiac Pro 550 won the coveted
2017 Innovation Award at the
2017 Nautic Paris Boat Show in
recognition of it being the first RIB in
the world to be equipped with foils.
The award was presented to Lorient-
based SEAir. The company has been working
on the foil development for two years.
SEAir founder Richard Forest says the
company is finalising the configuration of the
flying RIB and it will soon go to market.
For more information visit: https://seair.fr
Photo: Sébastien VéronèseFOILING
RIB WINS
INNOVATION
AWARD
AUSSIE’S 10TH
CIRCUMNAVIGATION