Minoru Saito has completed the “Everest Leg” of his 8th record solo circumnavigation. This leg, which included 1) the perilous run-up to Cape Horn (1,000 nm), 2) the wreck-strewn Horn itself (300 nm), and 3) the rocky, storm-lashed Chilean coast up to the 39th parallel (1,000 nm), is now in his wake. In the world of single-handed sailing, those treacherous 2,300 miles are the equivalent of a solo climb up Mount Everest. Only a small number of single-handed navigators have ever tried it, fewer still have succeeded, and not one has been even near his age of 76.

He is now in the 20th month of Saito Challenge 8, finally headed north and west in the deep Pacific Ocean on the 26,000 nm around-the-world route to his Yokohama starting point.

April 12, 2009, on Day 192, Saito came within hours of losing Nicole BMW Shuten-dohji III off the coast of Chile at Cape Horn, the stormy final resting spot of hundreds of ships over the centuries. A three-day, 400-nm tow followed a dramatic rescue after the then 75-year-old skipper steadfastly refused to allow his yacht to be set adrift and scuttled on orders of the Chilean Navy. An attempt to leave again in April ended when he lost the use of his headsails and engine after rounding Cape Horn for yet a second time.

Nine months later, on Day 486 following repairs in a small Chilean fishing harbor in Punta Arenas, he resumed his westward “wrong way” route that has been attempted by just a small number of solo sailors. His record of eight solo circumnavigations remains the chief goal of the voyage, along with the “oldest around-alone” world record when he finishes in early to mid August. He will be 76 years and eight months old.

See the Daily Logbook for updates as we track his progress on the rest of his historic voyage.

Click to read Boating New Zealand’s article on Saito-san and Nicole BMW Shuten-dohji III.

NEWS FLASH!

Today’s Position Report

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More than 200 attend Gala Fundraising Party...

We extend our gratitude and appreciation to everyone who supported the event. The party-cum-fundraising event was a rousing success, thanks to everyone’s combined efforts to get out the word, and the actual enthusiastic support provided. The Bayside Yokohama venue was absolutely perfect for our Gala Party!

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Saito Gains Guinness World Record as Oldest Solo Non-stop Circumnavigator

We received official word from Guinness World Records that Saito-san was included in the 2007 Guinness World Records book. It came as a welcome surprise, since we had never received the notification. This recognition joins the Blue Water Medal and Single-handed Sailing Hall of Fame honors he received in 2006.

Click here for the official Guinness World Records entry

Saito 8 Booths a Big Hit
at Japan Boat Shows

More than 20 volunteers help tell the Saito Challenge 8 story to visitors during annual 4-day marine event in Yokohama... Click for details

Our volunteers did it again... at the 3-day Yokohama “Floating Boat Show”... Click for photos

Minoru Saito's incredible life story is featured in Classic Yacht online magazine, in a two-part series.

Part 1 (begins p38) • Part 2 (begins p74)

Classic Yacht’s update on Saito’s “repositioning voyage” of Nicole BMW Shuten-dohji.

Current Issue:

See the movie trailer of the US-made TV series These Amazing People featuring Saito: A "7-episode series about the most outrageous, funny, inspirational people around the world." Thanks to TPI Ltd. for this tremendous tribute!

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Minoru Saito wins the Cruising Club of America’s Blue Water Medal, the highest international accolade for adventure sailors. Click to read more.