GOING SOLO : ‘A World Of My Own’

25 February 2008 No Comment

“Like so many yachtsmen, I started this adventure with the least possible amount of money and the highest possible set of goals.”
Robin Knox-Johnston retells the story of his solo (non-stop) circumnavigation of the world in his book ‘A World Of My Own’.
For any newly hatching yachtsmen, and all people who take up sailing, it is so inspiring to read about people like Robin Knox-Johnston. It is not by chance that he was awarded the British knighthood in 1995.

We feel proud to present Sir Robin Knox Johnston and his legendary yacht ‘Suhaili’ in our finest of posts.
Born in London in 1939, he served in the Merchant Navy and in the Royal Queen’s Navy. He built himself a yacht – a sloop from the Colin-Archer design named Swahili. He “christened” the yacht with a cruise from Bombay to England – from 1965 to 1967.

Johnston won the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race. He started on 14.06.1968 at Falmouth, rounded the Cape Horn on 17.01 the following year and on 22.04.1969 returned to Falmouth thus completing one of the greatest challenges to sailors. He also holds another world record – he and mate Peter Blake (co-skipper) gained the Jules Verne Trophy for the fastest ever circumnavigation of the world – the year was 1994; the length: 74 days, 22 hours, 18 minutes, and 22 seconds

The ‘Suhaili’ was the 32-foot ketch in which Knox-Johnston completed the first single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the globe in 1969. Suhaili, the name of this legendary yacht, means ’southern wind’ in Arabic. He built it with the help of his brother in Bombay. These are its technical parameters: Ketch. L/B/D: 32 × 11.1 × 5 (9.8m × 3.4m × 1.5m). Tons: 14 TM. Hull: wood. Comp.: 1-5. Mach.: aux. Des.: Production Promotions, Ltd. Built: Colaba Workshop Ltd., Bombay, India; 1964. (it is a teak-hulled ketch)

During most of the trip (first half) Suhaili sailed third, but then Knox-Johnson decided to go through the Bass Strait rather than through the south of Tasmania, and that’s when it came first, but it suffered great damage.
Suhaili is maintained in sailing condition at St. Katherine Dock, London.

You should definitely read his book – “A World of My Own” - we recommend it strongly because it is not only a diary, a guidebook with many helpful tips and advice, it is also a blend between fictional and autobiographical work of great quality.