Jon Sanders aiming for 10th circumnavigation

On Sunday, October 16, 2016, Australian yachting legend Jon Sanders set sail in his indefatigable Sparkman & Stephens 39 yacht, SV Perie Banou II, for one last tilt at a sailing circumnavigation of the world.

If
successful, this will be yet
another record-breaking feat as the unsinkable Aussie sailor, now aged 77, completes his 10th
voyage around the globe.

Sanders and SV Perie Banou II are
certainly living legends of the international sailing community. The indefatigable 'shellback' holds a number of single-handed sailing
records and awards. He has circumnavigated the world nine times, five
solo, covering thousands of nautical miles.

TRIPLE CIRCUMNAVIGATION
A
WA yachtsman and long time member of the Royal Perth Yacht Club, Sanders is
best known for completing the first solo non-stop triple circumnavigation in 1988 on board the 14m SV Parry Endeavour.

Parry Endeavour was named after Sanders' boyhood idol, Captain James Cook's converted coal hulk, Endeavour, and in honour of his major sponsor Kevin Parry, who defended the America's Cup in 1987 at Fremantle with Kookaburra.

Parry purchased the sloop for Sanders which was then called Challenger. This vessel had been designed by distinguished Perth naval architect Phil Curran for Dr Jim Chute of Parry Corporation.

Sanders'
voyage was coordinated by Curtin University of Technology's Centre for
Marine Science and Technology. Major modifications to the hull were
undertaken by boat builder and accomplished yachtsman, Des Piesse, in
consultation with naval architects and engineers supervised by Kim Klaka
at Curtin University. Modifications to the rigging were done by veteran
yachtsman and sailmaker, Rolly Tasker.

This 71,000 nautical mile journey took 658 days to complete – the longest distance sailed continuously by any person or vessel. SV Parry Endeavour takes pride of place next to the 1983 America's Cup winning Australia II in the Fremantle Maritime Museum.

NEW VOYAGE PLANS
Sanders set sail on his 10th historic circumnavigation attempt from Fremantle, WA, on
October 16, 2016. He plans to return to Fremantle one year later after
circumnavigating the world. At last report, he was sailing off the WA coast in fine fettle and trim. You can follow Jon's trip on Facebook at Jon Sanders - 10th Circumnavigation.

This circumnavigation will include
two formal races: The Dirk Hartog Island Race, celebrating the 400th
anniversary of the landing by Dutch voyagers on Australian shores,
commencing in early October  2016; and the 2017 Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro
Race, a 3600 nautical mile race across the South Atlantic, starting
January 2017. A crew will be supporting Sanders in these two races, but he will
sail solo for the majority of the voyage.

Sanders received some great community and public help to fund this 10th circumnavigation of the world. The funds raised were used to help refit SV Perie Banou II so she could safely carry the sailor around the world, and to help cover costs associated with the voyage.

Born 1939 in Perth, WA, the now 77-year-old Sanders
had open heart surgery, but is reportedly back in good health and good spirits as his record-breaking voyage continues.

Jon Sanders' triple non-stop circumnavigation is recognised in the Guinness Book of Records through the following records:
>> The first single-handed sailor to remain continuously at sea twice around the world
>> First single-handed sailor to round the five southern most Capes twice on one voyage
>> First single-handed sailor to round the five southern most Capes twice
>> Longest distance continuously sailed by any yacht: 48,510 miles (78,070 km).
>> Longest period alone at sea during a continuous voyage: 419 days: 22 hours: 10 minutes

Follow Sanders on this historic journey via his website www.jonsanders.com.au.