Go Around Again: The story of circumnavigator Rich Wilson. VIDEO
Sailing around the world in a 60-foot boat, alone, without stopping and without assistance. That’s the Vendee Globe, a yacht race that begins and finishes in Les Sables-d’Olonne, France. In 2008, Rich Wilson competed in this race along with 29 other skippers. The only American in the fleet and the oldest, he placed ninth out of the 11 who finished. It was a tough experience — one characterized by injury, extreme fatigue, and a weird, 18-hour hallucination.
In this one-on-one conversation, Rich Wilson recounts his experiences during this voyage and previous voyages (including a harrowing rescue from a capsized boat off Cape Horn) and discusses his plan to race in the next Vendee Globe. He also talks about the motivation for his voyages, which is to create online learning adventures for middle-school students around the world. Rich’s boat, Great American IV, is managed and fitted out by Brian Harris and his team at Maine Yacht Center in Portland, Maine.
“Go Around Again” is directed by Rick Groleau, a Boston-based multimedia producer from Livermore Falls, Maine.
Rich Wilson achievements
- 1980: Newport-Bermuda, Holger Danske, Overall Winner.
- 1988: C-STAR, Curtana – Class V Multihulls – 1st.
- 1990: San Francisco-Boston, Great American capsizes off Cape Horn.
- 1993: World Record: San Francisco-Boston, Great American II vs. Clipper Northern Light, 69 days.
- 2001 World Record: New York-Melbourne, Great American II vs. Clipper Mandarin, with Bill Biewenga, 68 days.
- 2003: World Record: Hong Kong-New York, Great American II vs. Clipper Sea Witch, with Rich du Moulin, 72 days.
- 2004: The Transat: Plymouth-Boston, Great American II; Class 2 Multihulls, 2nd place, 15 days, solo.
- 2008–2009: Vendée Globe: Great American III; finished 9th of 30 starters, 121 days.
- 2016–2017: Vendée Globe: Great American IV; finished 13th of 24 starters, 107 days.