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Tenth Time Around Singlehanded

One of a kind, Jon Sanders.

Jon Sanders
©2017Latitude 38 Media, LLC

We’re not sure how Aussie Jon Sanders has managed to sail beneath Latitude 38’s radar for all these years, given what he’s accomplished. But he has. The 77-year-old former wool shearer, who has had open heart surgery, is currently on his ‘farewell sail’. It’s not an ordinary sail, but Sanders’ 10th solo circumnavigation. Yes, 10th!

To our knowledge, nobody has done more.

Sanders’ first major accomplishment was being the first man to circumnavigate Antarctica singlehanded. And he did it twice during 1981 and 1982 with the S&S 34 Perie Banou. He covered 48,000 miles in 479 days.

But he would easily top that starting in May 1986, when he took off on what has been the world’s only triple, nonstop, singlehanded circumnavigation. Before it was over, he would travel 71,000 miles over a period of 657 days with the 47-ft Phil Curran-designed Perry Endeavour.

Sanders’ motivation has always been simple. He likes being on the ocean.

You can follow Sanders’ latest solo circumnavigation at www.jonsanders.com.au/clientsat-predictwind-tracker. When we last checked, he was coming up the Atlantic and approaching the Eastern Caribbean.

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