Michael Perham
Encyclopedia
Michael Perham 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 50 ft 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.
in the village of Brookmans Park
in Hertfordshire
.
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. His father crossed the Atlantic at the same time in a separate boat.
Perham took the Guinness World Record from Seb Clover
who crossed when he was 15 in 2003. Perham started sailing at the age of seven.
around the world from Gunwharf Quays 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. 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.
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
.
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. Perham and Sunderland met unexpectedly in Cape Town
, South Africa
, in February 2009, along with Minoru Saito
, a Japan
ese sailor who is the oldest person to circumnavigate the world solo.
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.
Perham has subsequently written a book about the journey, called Sailing the Dream, released 18 March 2010. It has ISBN 0-593-06598-0.
Perham's official homecoming reception and press conference was at Gunwharf Quays
in Portsmouth
on 29 August 2009, 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.
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.
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 meridian
s and not be less than 19,864 nm (equal in length to the Tropic of Cancer
).
Perham plans to take part in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
2011 as a crew member with Jessica Watson
as skipper.
Potters Bar
Potters Bar is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire, England, located north of Central London. In 2001 it had a population of 21,618....
who, at the age of 17 years and 164 days, became the youngest person to sail around the world solo in the 50 ft racing yacht totallymoney.com, completing his journey on 27 August 2009. Perham's record surpassed that of Zac Sunderland
Zac Sunderland
Zachary Tristan "Zac" Sunderland is an American sailor who was the first person under the age of 18 to sail solo around the world. Sunderland completed his trip after 13 months and 2 days at sea on July 16, 2009 at age 17...
, an older 17 year old American, set only six weeks earlier.
Education
Perham was educated at the state Chancellor's SchoolChancellor's School
Chancellor's School in Brookmans Park, Hertfordshire, is a secondary school . It has 1043 boys and girls aged 11-18. It is a foundation comprehensive school, specialising in maths and computing.-Headmaster:...
in the village of Brookmans Park
Brookmans Park
Brookmans Park is a village, located in the civil parish of North Mymms, in Hertfordshire, southeast England. It is well known for its varied and interesting local history, including an ancient historic estate that used to exist within its boundaries, its BBC transmitter station, and excellent...
in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
.
Life and career
Previously, Perham had crossed the Atlantic Ocean single-handedSingle-handed sailing
The sport of single-handed sailing or solo sailing is sailing with only one crewmember . The term is usually used with reference to ocean and long-distance sailing, and particularly competitive sailing....
when he helmed the 28 foot (8 metres) Cheeky Monkey between Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
and Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
with repair stops in the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
and Cape Verde
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
between 18 November 2006 and 3 January 2007. That voyage ended when he sailed into Nelson's Dockyard
Nelson's Dockyard
Nelson's Dockyard is a cultural heritage site and marina in English Harbour, Antigua. It is part of Nelson's Dockyard National Park, which also contains Clarence House and Shirley Heights...
in Antigua at 14:00 GMT after a 3500-mile voyage. His father crossed the Atlantic at the same time in a separate boat.
Perham took the Guinness World Record from Seb Clover
Seb Clover
Sebastian Clover, more commonly known as Seb Clover from East Cowes on the Isle of Wight, England, was the youngest person to sail across the Atlantic Ocean single-handed before Michael Perham took the record from him in 2007...
who crossed when he was 15 in 2003. Perham started sailing at the age of seven.
Global circumnavigation
On 15 November 2008, Perham began his solo non-stop circumnavigationCircumnavigation
Circumnavigation – literally, "navigation of a circumference" – refers to travelling all the way around an island, a continent, or the entire planet Earth.- Global circumnavigation :...
around the world from Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
, 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. 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
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
making him the youngest solo round-the-world sailor.
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
.
Money raised from the voyage was to be donated to Save the Children
Save the Children
Save the Children is an internationally active non-governmental organization that enforces children's rights, provides relief and helps support children in developing countries...
and the Tall Ships Youth Trust
Tall Ships Youth Trust
Tall Ships Youth Trust is a sail training organisation in the United Kingdom that currently owns and operates a two mast brig, the Stavros S Niarchos, and four 22m/72 ft Challenger class racing yachts....
.
Perham took the record from Zac Sunderland
Zac Sunderland
Zachary Tristan "Zac" Sunderland is an American sailor who was the first person under the age of 18 to sail solo around the world. Sunderland completed his trip after 13 months and 2 days at sea on July 16, 2009 at age 17...
, 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. Perham and Sunderland met unexpectedly in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, in February 2009, along with Minoru Saito
Minoru Saito
Minoru Saito is a Japanese solo yachtsman. He became the oldest person at age 71 to do a solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the globe. He has successfully made seven solo circumnavigations...
, a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese sailor who is the oldest person to circumnavigate the world solo.
The record has now been challenged by younger sailors. Jessica Watson
Jessica Watson
Jessica Watson is an Australian sailor. She resides in Buderim, Queensland. In May 2010, she unofficially became the youngest person to sail non-stop and unassisted around the world, although her route did not meet World Sailing Speed Record Council criteria for circumnavigation of the...
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
Abby Sunderland
Abigail Jillian "Abby" Sunderland is an American sailor who, in 2010, attempted to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world.-Early life:...
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
Laura Dekker
Laura Dekker is a Dutch solo sailor. In 2009, she announced her plan to become the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe single-handed. A Dutch court stepped in, due to the objections of the local authorities, and prevented Dekker from departing while under shared custody of both her parents...
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.
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 27 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.Perham's official homecoming reception and press conference was at Gunwharf Quays
Gunwharf Quays
Gunwharf Quays is an area of Portsmouth, Hampshire, now home to a large shopping centre.- History:The centre opened on 28 February 2001 and is located on the site of the former Royal Navy shore establishment HMS Vernon, renamed HMS Nelson on March 31, 1986...
in Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
on 29 August 2009, where he was met by friends, family and Vendee Globe
Vendée Globe
The Vendée Globe is a round-the-world single-handed yacht race, sailed non-stop and without assistance. The race was founded by Philippe Jeantot in 1989, and since 1992 has taken place every four years....
yachtsman Tony Bullimore
Tony Bullimore
Tony Bullimore is a British sailor from Bristol.He is most famous for being rescued during the 1996 Vendee Globe single handed around the world race. The race was marked by a number of incidents including the death of another contestant, Gerry Roufs...
. Shortly after landing back on shore, Perham was handed his framed Guinness World Record certificate.
Following challenges
Perham planned to take part in a challenge called the Bounty Boat Expedition, 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 BountyMutiny on the Bounty
The mutiny on the Bounty was a mutiny that occurred aboard the British Royal Navy ship HMS Bounty on 28 April 1789, and has been commemorated by several books, films, and popular songs, many of which take considerable liberties with the facts. The mutiny was led by Fletcher Christian against the...
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.
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
Diamond DA42
The Diamond DA42 Twin Star is a four seat, twin engine, propeller-driven airplane manufactured by Diamond Aircraft Industries. Its airframe is molded largely of composite materials.-Development:...
. The record must comply with Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale is the world governing body for air sports and aeronautics and astronautics world records. Its head office is in Lausanne, Switzerland. This includes man-carrying aerospace vehicles from balloons to spacecraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles...
rules. The flight must start and finish at the same aerodrome, crossing all meridian
Meridian (geography)
A meridian is an imaginary line on the Earth's surface from the North Pole to the South Pole that connects all locations along it with a given longitude. The position of a point along the meridian is given by its latitude. Each meridian is perpendicular to all circles of latitude...
s and not be less than 19,864 nm (equal in length to the Tropic of Cancer
Tropic of Cancer
The Tropic of Cancer, also referred to as the Northern tropic, is the circle of latitude on the Earth that marks the most northerly position at which the Sun may appear directly overhead at its zenith...
).
Perham plans to take part in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race is hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, starting in Sydney, Australia on Boxing Day and finishing in Hobart. The race distance is approximately...
2011 as a crew member with Jessica Watson
Jessica Watson
Jessica Watson is an Australian sailor. She resides in Buderim, Queensland. In May 2010, she unofficially became the youngest person to sail non-stop and unassisted around the world, although her route did not meet World Sailing Speed Record Council criteria for circumnavigation of the...
as skipper.
External links
- Bounty Boat Expedition 2010 official site
- Challengemike.com - Michael Perham's Official Website
- Around World Official Site - Michael Perham's Round The World Trip Official Website.
- http://www.challengemikelivingthedream.blogspot.com/ - Michael Perham's Blog.
- Guiness World Records Podcast interview with Craig Glenday (MP3), 25 September 2007. (accessed 17 November 2008)
- Michael's Transatlantic Crossing Route at POI66.com