Panama Real Estate Blog

British teen youngest to sail world solo

A recent Guinness World Record for sailing around the globe was achieved by a seventeen year old from the United Kingdom. Although the records authority stated this attempt is classified as ‘assisted’, the feat is still seen as heroic by the youngster.

Mike Perham managed to sail around the world single handedly, despite a number of setbacks and challenging conditions, within a period of nine months. This remarkable achievement has earned him the record of the youngest person to sail around the world, albeit on an ‘assisted’ basis, which came about due to technical issues and damages that were sorted out and repaired in Portugal, Gran Canaria, Cape Town, Tasmania and Auckland.

Some of the challenges that Perham faced included a completely torn sail, as well as having to clear a spinnaker sail that got tangled under the yachts hull. Perham further had to navigate the Panama Canal in his Open 50 yacht due to the onset of the Southern hemisphere winter and inclement weather conditions, preventing him from sailing around the southern tip of South America.

Perham’s heroic feat broke the short lived record, previously held by American Zac Sunderland; however his record was not recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records. This new record may also succumb to the challenge of a 13 year old girl from the Netherlands, should the courts rule in her favor in allowing her to attempt the feat of circumnavigating the globe alone.

Everyone has lauded Mike for his efforts and achievements, calling him heroic, dedicated and an outstanding young man, who exhibited nothing short of bravery and commitment during his remarkable journey.

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