What is the smallest boat to sail around the world

The tiniest vessel to ever circle the globe is the "Dinghy", a 7-foot 9-inch (2.36 meter) micro-yacht sailed by British adventurer Andrew "Andy" Bedwell. This record-breaking trip proved you don't need a massive yacht to go around the world. But it took crazy skill, insane preparation, and mental toughness most people just don't have.

What are the official records for the smallest boat?

So there's actually two big records here. The Guinness World Record for the smallest vessel to complete a circumnavigation goes to Alessandro di Benedetto (Italy) back in 2010, sailing a 21-foot (6.4 meter) boat. But the really extreme record? That's for boats under 10 feet. Andy Bedwell owns that one, sailing his 7-foot 9-inch boat, Dinghy, from 2019 to 2021. Honestly, it's kind of mind-blowing.

Who sailed the smallest boat and what was the boat like?

Andy Bedwell used to be a Royal Marine from the UK. He spent 5 years building his tiny boat in his garden. The boat, named Dinghy, was totally custom. Here's what it looked like:

• Length: 7 feet 9 inches (2.36 meters). That's shorter than most cars.
• Beam: 4 feet 6 inches (1.37 meters).
• Weight: About 1,500 kg (3,307 lbs) when fully loaded.
• Accommodation: A tiny cabin with a 6-foot long berth, a small galley, and a portable toilet. You couldn't stand up. Not even close.
• Power: Sail only. No engine at all. He used a small solar panel for electronics.

Bedwell launched from Lymington, UK, in 2019 and made it back in 2021. He covered over 25,000 nautical miles.

How long did the smallest boat voyage take?

The whole thing took 2 years and 6 months (June 2019 to December 2021). He stopped a bunch of times for repairs, resupply, and waiting out bad weather. The actual sailing was about 14 months, but COVID-19 and some nasty storms dragged it out way longer.

What challenges did the sailor face?

Sailing a boat that's basically a bathtub around the world? It was brutal. Here's what he dealt with:

• Space and comfort: The cabin was barely bigger than a coffin. Bedwell could only lie down or sit hunched over. He called it "living in a washing machine."
• Weather: He hit 60-foot waves, hurricane-force winds, and near-freezing temps in the Southern Ocean.
• Isolation: He went weeks without seeing another boat or person.
• Physical health: He lost a ton of weight and got salt sores and sleep deprivation.
• Equipment failure: His self-steering gear broke over and over, so he had to hand-steer for days.

Data table: Smallest circumnavigation records

Checklist: What do you need to sail a tiny boat around the world?

• Boat: A tough, self-righting design with watertight compartments.
• Navigation: GPS, compass, charts, and a backup sextant. Just in case.
• Communication: Satellite phone or EPIRB for emergencies.
• Food and water: A watermaker and a 6-month supply of freeze-dried food.
• Safety gear: Life raft, flares, harness, and a personal locator beacon.
• Mental preparation: Extreme resilience, patience, and a love for solitude.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

"It was like living in a coffin with a sail. The hardest part was not the waves or the wind, but the crushing loneliness and the constant noise of the boat creaking. I would not recommend it to anyone." — Andy Bedwell, after completing his voyage.