Dr. Paris: What Will Be Different This Time?
After abandoning his first attempt due to issues with his boat, septuagenarian sailor Dr. Stanley Paris will again attempt to become the oldest and fastest person to sail around the world, saying this time he “will be better prepared and so will the boat.”
The New Zealand native planned to travel around the world in his 63ft boat Kiwi Spirit, hoping to complete the circumnavigation in less than 150 days 1 hour and 6 minutes, which would break the previous record set by American sailor Dodge Morgan in 1985.
After leaving Bermuda’s waters on 7th December 2013, Dr. Paris made his way down the coast of South America, however he was forced to abandon the trip in January and head to land in South Africa.
Dr Paris’ boat pictured off St David’s, Bermuda on Dec 7th, 2013
In a blog post earlier this week, Dr. Paris said, “Much was learned on the first attempt. It was an adventure. An exciting, challenging adventure to be all alone at sea for an intended 150 days. But this time its “unfinished business.”
“I have taken a break from it these past three months, but starting last week, I was back on the boat to haul and clean its bottom for tomorrow we are sailing some 1,300 miles from Florida to Maine, where it’s back to the builders for some big changes.
“So, what is going to be different this time?” Some have asked this question and I shall briefly answer. First, I am different. Yes, I had 60,000 sea miles under my belt prior to attempting to solo circumnavigate. And, yes, I won two of the three ocean races that I had entered in – so I felt ready.
“But those fifty days alone, and with the experiences of handling the yacht in all conditions, as well as the managing of things that went wrong that should never have gone wrong – well – I learned a great deal and I am anxious to try again. I will be better prepared and so will the boat.
“As to the boat, we are making a number of changes as to how the boat will be sailed. Using poles for downwind sailing, changing the sail inventory, making the boat bullet proof in so many ways will all add to my confidence that the boat and I will not only survive, but that we will do well in all conditions.”
Dr Paris is the father of Alan Paris, who became the first Bermudian sailor to complete a circumnavigation of the globe in 2003.
