Around the World in a Ten Foot Sailboat?

Hardly a week goes by without the announcement of another around the world yacht race, or attempt at a new sailing record. So, what makes the "around in ten" race so different? The sailors are attempting to beat the world record set in 1987 by Serge Testa in his 11 foot 10 inch boat “Acrohc Australis”, by sailing around the world in ten foot sailboats!

Most of the racers are also designing and building their own 3 meter boats, set to take off from the Bahamas in early 2009. The planned route will avoid most of the 5 great capes by sailing through the Panama Canal, and is set-up to be completed in four legs, with scheduled stops to include Darwin, Australia and Cape Town, South Africa. Rules are yet to be set, and there are only a few entrants so far.

So what do you say? Crazy enough to sail around the world in a tiny sailboat?

Photo: Serge Testa on Acrohc Austrailis

Bottom Photo: One of the Around in Ten Sailboats