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Michael Perham

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Michael Perham
Perham aboard his boat before setting off on his around-the-world attempt, 15 November 2008
Born (1992-03-16) 16 March 1992 (age 32)
Hertfordshire, England, U.K.
OccupationSailor
Parent(s)Peter and Heather Perham[1]
For the current Bishop of Gloucester, see Michael Perham (bishop).

Michael Perham (born 16 March 1992[2]) is a young adventurer from Potters Bar who, at the age of 17 years and 164 days, became the youngest person to sail around the world solo in the 50ft racing yacht totallymoney.com, completing his journey on 27 August 2009. Perham's record surpassed that of Zac Sunderland, an older 17 year old American, set only six weeks earlier.

Education

Perham was educated at the state Chancellor's School in the village of Brookmans Park in Hertfordshire.[3] [4]

Life and career

Previously, Perham had crossed the Atlantic Ocean single-handed when he helmed the 28 foot (8 metres) Cheeky Monkey between Gibraltar and Antigua with repair stops in the Canary Islands and Cape Verde between 18 November 2006 and 3 January 2007. That voyage ended when he sailed into Nelson's Dockyard in Antigua at 14:00 GMT after a 3500-mile voyage.[5] His father crossed the Atlantic at the same time in a separate boat.[6]

Perham took the Guinness World Record from Seb Clover who crossed when he was 15 in 2003.[5][7] Perham started sailing at the age of seven.[6]

Michael Perham sailed across the Atlantic in Cheeky Monkey (pictured on the right) at the age of 14.

Global circumnavigation

On 15 November 2008, Perham began his solo non-stop circumnavigation around the world from Gunwharf Quays[1] in Portsmouth, England, in his chartered Open 50 yacht, totallymoney.com (named after the principal sponsors). He had to sell the vessel he used on his previous record attempt to raise money for the new record attempt.[8] The journey was planned to take four and a half months and to cover some 40,000 km. In fact he completed it on 27 August 2009. Perham was 16 when he began the journey, and turned 17 on 16 March 2009, while crossing the Indian Ocean making him the youngest solo round-the-world sailor.[9]

Michael Perham arrives at Gunwharf Quays on 29th August 2009

If Perham's trip had gone wholly to plan, he would have been competing for the "unassisted non-stop" record, which is a different record than the assisted sailing record. However, multiple problems with the autopilot required that repairs be made in lengthy stopovers in Lisbon and the Canary Islands; then further stops were made in Cape Town, Hobart and Auckland. By March 2009 Perham had decided to aim for the record of the youngest solo circumnavigation, though he continued to make a continuous passage without use of his engine. The decision to accept assistance along the way, along with harsh winter conditions, led Perham to elect to transit the Panama Canal rather than sail around Cape Horn.

Money raised from the voyage was to be donated to Save the Children and the Tall Ships Youth Trust.[1]

Perham took the record from Zac Sunderland, an American who completed his journey in July 2009 at the age of 17 years, 7 months. However, Sunderland's record was not recognized by Guinness.[10] Perham and Sunderland met unexpectedly in Cape Town, South Africa, in February 2009, along with Minoru Saito, a Japanese sailor who is the oldest person to circumnavigate the world solo.[11]

The record has now been challenged by younger sailors. Jessica Watson from Australia (whom Michael met when he stopped in Australia) has done a solo non-stop voyage, completed 15 May 2010. They are near friends. Abby Sunderland from the USA (sister to Zac Sunderland) departed on 23 January 2010, on a journey similar to Perham's. She used a race boat, planned non-stop, but had to make stops for repairs - however, after a demasting it was announced that she would be giving up her attempt. The 14 year old Laura Dekker from The Netherlands is currently attempting to become the youngest solo-round-the-world sailor, albeit with planned stops. She set sail from Gibraltar on 21 August 2010.[12]

Perham has subsequently written a book about the journey, called Sailing the Dream, released 18 March 2010. It has ISBN 0-593-06598-0.

Homecoming

Perham officially crossed the finishing line at 09:47:30 local time on 27th August 2009. He was escorted across the line by HMS Mersey (a Royal Navy guard ship), a Royal Naval helicopter and a flotilla of small boats, mostly carrying people from the press and media.[13]

Perham's official homecoming reception and press conference was at Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth on 29th August 2009,[14] where he was met by friends, family and Vendee Globe yachtsman Tony Bullimore. Shortly after landing back on shore, Perham was handed his framed Guinness World Record certificate.

  • Michael Perham arrives back at Gunwharf Quays, 29 Aug 2009
    Michael Perham arrives back at Gunwharf Quays, 29 Aug 2009
  • Michael Perham greeted by Tony Bullimore
    Michael Perham greeted by Tony Bullimore
  • Michael Perham with Guinness World Record certificate
    Michael Perham with Guinness World Record certificate

Following challenges

Perham planned to take part in a challenge called the Bounty Boat Expedition,[15] led by Don McIntyre, sailing a very small open boat without any navigational aids at all in the path of the small boat sailed by the crew from the mutiny on the Bounty in 1798. However, on 28 March 2010 Perham announced on his website that because of medical problems following a recent operation he wouldn't be fit enough to participate in the expedition.[16]

Currently Perham plans to become the first and also the youngest person to both sail and fly solo around the world. He intends to take off during the summer of 2011 in Diamond Aircraft DA42NG. The record must comply with Fédération Aéronautique Internationale rules. The flight must start and finish at the same aerodrome, crossing all meridians and not be less than 19,864nm (equal in length to the Tropic of Cancer).

References

  1. ^ a b c "Young sailor starts world voyage". BBC News Online. BBC. 15 November 2008. Retrieved 17 November 2008.
  2. ^ "Biography at circumnavigation website". Totallymoney.com. Retrieved 2010-11-18.
  3. ^ "'Michael Perham sails into the record books'". Retrieved 27 August 2009.
  4. ^ "'A Close Community in Brookmans Park - Been around the world'". Retrieved 8 December 2010.
  5. ^ a b "Boy sails into the record books". BBC News. 3 January 2007. Retrieved 4 January 2007.
  6. ^ a b Morris, Steven (4 January 2007). "14-year-old becomes youngest to sail Atlantic singlehanded". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 4 January 2007.
  7. ^ Glenday, Craig (2007). Guinness World Records 2008. Netherlands and Belgium: Kosmos Uitgevers. p. 75. ISBN 978-9021513812. (Dutch edition)
  8. ^ Brown, Cathy (30 July 2007). "Cheeky Monkey at Earls Court Show". TheMainSail.com. Retrieved 19 November 2008.[dead link]
  9. ^ "British teen becomes youngest to sail world solo". Reuters. 27 August 2009.
  10. ^ "British teen becomes youngest to sail world solo". Reuters. 27 August 2009.
  11. ^ "Forums - Sailing in general - Party Time in Cape Town : Sail Japan". Sail-japan.info. 2009-02-13. Retrieved 2010-11-18.
  12. ^ Dutch teen slips away on solo round world sailing bid[dead link], Yahoo News, 21 August 2010.
  13. ^ Press Report/Yachting World (2009-08-27). "Mike Perham crosses finish line". Ybw.com. Retrieved 2010-11-18.
  14. ^ "Hero's welcome for young sailor (BBC news. Video auto-starts)". BBC News. 2009-08-29. Retrieved 2010-11-18.
  15. ^ "Talisker Bounty Boat". Talisker Bounty Boat. Retrieved 2010-11-18.
  16. ^ "Michael Perham's website, 28 March 2010". Challengemikelivingthedream.blogspot.com. 2010-03-28. Retrieved 2010-11-18.

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