How Many People Complete a Circumnavigation Each Year by Sail?

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

I for you don't want to circumnavigate. But I do want to see the various sights so that means I may have to.

I wonder how many people who "fail" are because their goal was to curcumnavigate and not to cruise/see the sights?

True confession time: We are planning a circ, and equipping for a circ.

Whether we complete a circ depends on so many circ-umstances beyond our capabilities and control remains to be seen.

Assuming we are prudent, relatively conservative sailors, there's pirates, family issues, catastrophic/expensive failures, rental property issues, health issues, the dollar tanking and plain ol' boredom (not likely, I hope) to contend with. Certainly the goal of seeing distant anchorages and hanging out for long stretches in pleasant places is far and away more important than doing the circ. Doing a circ is a byproduct of voyaging, in fact.

It's axiomatic of cruising that sometimes the experienced and the well-prepared do not get to do this sort of voyage and the newbie, relatively unprepared (or sub-par in terms of the more appropriate distance voyaging sailboat) somehow get around with few or any negative experiences, wind over 30 knots, or reduction to eating five-year-old tinned hash on albatross feathers.

So much depends on timing and sheer luck that all one's prep can only shift the odds so far in favour of a "successful" circ, which in my mind is one in which you return with an uncrippled boat and the same number of crew and fingers. You might as well enjoy the trip, because if you don't, a sailboat's a rather stupid way in which to travel around the globe...it takes AGES.

[sneuman]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

G'Day All,

Well, here's a report from a "failure"!

When Ann and I set out from SF in 1986 our goal was to cruise for a long time... as long as it was fun and we were having a good time of it. We thought that we might well circumnavigate in carrying out this highly specific plan, but it wasn't a goal in itself.

Fast forward a few years: we reach the South Pacific, and find that the sort of cruising afforded by this region was what we really liked. Pacific islands in the "cruising season", Australia or New Zealand in the cyclone season. We spoke to a number of folks who had finished their RTWs, and who said that they wished that they had stayed in the SP.

We still enjoy that gig. We're both in our 70's now, and realistically we are unlikely to finish a circumnavigation. Further, we have no desire to be back in California with a boat these days, so why bother? Do we feel that we have "failed"? Hell no! We have lived the life we wanted, and are still doing so.

Cheers,

[sneuman]

Originally Posted by S/V Alchemy

True confession time: We are planning a circ, and equipping for a circ.

Whether we complete a circ depends on so many circ-umstances beyond our capabilities and control remains to be seen.

Assuming we are prudent, relatively conservative sailors, there's pirates, family issues, catastrophic/expensive failures, rental property issues, health issues, the dollar tanking and plain ol' boredom (not likely, I hope) to contend with. Certainly the goal of seeing distant anchorages and hanging out for long stretches in pleasant places is far and away more important than doing the circ. Doing a circ is a byproduct of voyaging, in fact.

It's axiomatic of cruising that sometimes the experienced and the well-prepared do not get to do this sort of voyage and the newbie, relatively unprepared (or sub-par in terms of the more appropriate distance voyaging sailboat) somehow get around with few or any negative experiences, wind over 30 knots, or reduction to eating five-year-old tinned hash on albatross feathers.

So much depends on timing and sheer luck that all one's prep can only shift the odds so far in favour of a "successful" circ, which in my mind is one in which you return with an uncrippled boat and the same number of crew and fingers. You might as well enjoy the trip, because if you don't, a sailboat's a rather stupid way in which to travel around the globe...it takes AGES.

Nicely said. I have a plan to do it -- but like Jim Cate, I don't know what it will be. If all goes well and we decide we are enjoying ourselves, it might be a circumnavigation. I think, at a minimum, it will be back to Thailand, but you never know.

I feel like I am prepared now but not yet in a position for financial and family reasons. I have an elderly father and a teenage son. The boat will be ready in less than a year, but I probably won't be for four or five more. In the meantime, I plan to get my 6-pack and do Annapolis-Bermuda and possibly a run to the Carribean and back to add to my bluewater resume.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Do we feel that we have "failed"? Hell no! We have lived the life we wanted, and are still doing so.

Cheers,

Right there...and not in my view in crossing tracks on a map...is the essence of cruising.

If we discovered a place on some distant strand where we could be happy and useful, we have never discounted the possibility of, like Moitessier, "just continuing".

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by sneuman

the answer should not be "Just go for it, dude!"

I agree.
It gets a little difficult on the forum because we have to be nice to people. But isn't there some adage about a person not encouraged but still does it would have done it anyway, and a person who doesn't do it wouldn't have been able to?

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

I for you don't want to circumnavigate. But I do want to see the various sights so that means I may have to.

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

I wonder how many people who "fail" are because their goal was to circumnavigate and not to cruise/see the sights?

We went on an idea to do two circumnavigations, one fast one to see what there is and one slow one to explore the areas we found to be good.
Thats whats happening now I've finished the first. I don't know if I will do another but I will cruise for many years, hopefully, and when I want to do the Pacific better, then I may want to come back to the Atlantic, so I would do a second Circ anyway.

If we take the mystique away from it all its just doing long passages to get to favorite cruising areas worldwide.

Its not that far. Its not that difficult. The prize is not the circumnavigation in itself but, as many are saying, the prize is the great cruising destinations and lifestyle.

[Jaspell]

You start out sailing west and arrive at the same place from the east in one trip and I say you have done it. I dont care the time or whether you do the horn or the canal.I guess if you do the horn, you get "cum laude" but other than that....

[barnakiel]

My guesstimate is for fewer than 100 boats each year.

Having access to actual numbers at Panama, Suez and Durban would cast more realistic light on the issue. And then there are a couple of non-stops too.

I, personally, do not think it is such a great feat. You get going and then you keep on going or else you push on, in either case one day it is just done. But, as I said: personally. I know for some it is a great thing.

In any case, it is a big dream and a beautiful one too.

b.

[roger.waite]

Originally Posted by kirkalittle

From very casual observations over the past few years I would GUESS that AROUND 1-3% of the yachts making trans-ocean passages don't make it, or at least their captains, yes I mean they die.

Which, excluding single-handers, may not be that much higher than the age-specific mortality rate of us over 50s. Many probably just learn that a good destination is as worthwhile as an arbitrary goal of circumnavigation.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by roger.waite

Which, excluding single-handers, may not be that much higher than the age-specific mortality rate of us over 50s. Many probably just learn that a good destination is as worthwhile as an arbitrary goal of circumnavigation.

To me the most interesting thing about this chart is.........that there appears to be a lot of the 100,000 people who never die. How do I get into that group?