Remembering tiny sailing history.

[Boasun]

The catalina 27 question brought this one on....
Tinker-Belle may be one of the smallest sail boats to cross the Atlantic.
This boat was 13.5 feet in length. There might of been one or two others But I spent a lot of time at sea and didn't always hear others making Miny boat histories...

here are some more who did this.

Famous Small Boats

[GaryHLucas]

I saw Tinkerbelle and met the owner/builder at a sailing conference in Newark Delaware about 25 years ago. If you saw the boat you wouldn't have bet against him making it across the Atlantic. It was built about as solid as an ocean buoy!

Gary H. Lucas

[CrazyRu]

Here is my hero
Bill's Log: Tribute to Evgeny Gvozdev

Evgeny Gvozdev. Circumnavigated the globe twice. First time on 15 ft coastal cruiser, second time on 12 ft home built boat. Died while performing another circumnavigation. He was rushing with the third one. He felt he hadn't much time left. He was 74 y.o. when he left for his third round.

[jackdale]

If you are ever in Victoria BC, go to the Maritime Museum and check out Trekka.

I heard Guzzwell speak at Winter Harbour during the Van Isle 360 in 2007.

His book is also a must read. He was a friend of Beryl and Miles Smeeton.

[jgeissinger]

Tinkerbelle is a great read. I have the book and have read it more than once. Robert Manry had an interesting life. He completed that trip in 1965. He died too young in 1971 of a heart attack.

[billinmn]

I have to chime in for our very own Jerry Spiess (A teacher from White Bear Lake,MN ) in his Atlantic crossing in 1979 in the "Yankee Girl" a 10' home built. I read his book (Alone against the Atlantic) but at the time had no idea what all the technical stuff was about . I have re-read his book and what a story he tells.I thought it was a great read about building his boat in the garage with the help of the neighborhood kids and Running to White Bear Lake to test her out in tornados and foul weather.He also sailed the "Yankee Girl" to Australia. Go measure 10' once and look at what that is.This boat is on permanent display in a St. Paul museum and has all the supplies outside of it ,Getting all that food /fuel in a 10' boat is amazing by it's self.

[Minnewaska]

Tinkerbelle is a great book and inspriational. Still, there is no doubt there was a bit of luck involved, particularly when he fell overboard without a tether, IIRC.

You should google Robert Manry and read about his life after the trip. Its actually a very sad epitaph. His wife died unexpectedly a few years later, he remarried then died himself about 6 or 7 years later. His kids grew up with serious issues. Dad's fame messed with them, followed by no parents at all. Sad.

[centaursailor]

Originally Posted by Minnewaska

Tinkerbelle is a great book and inspriational. Still, there is no doubt there was a bit of luck involved, particularly when he fell overboard without a tether, IIRC.

You should google Robert Manry and read about his life after the trip. Its actually a very sad epitaph. His wife died unexpectedly a few years later, he remarried then died himself about 6 or 7 years later. His kids grew up with serious issues. Dad's fame messed with them, followed by no parents at all. Sad.

You could also check out the Jester Challange.
A small boat rally that still sets out to cross the Atlantic across every couple of years.

Welcome to the Jester Challenge forum - Yachting and Boating World Forums
Some day, when I lose the fear of big empty spacesI,ll visit all you fine folk on the Western side of our big pond.
Happy sailing

[Slayer]

Little tidbit from "Cruising World" in regard to the Jester Challenge:

George Pike, a former organizer of the Bermuda One/Two and the OSTAR events, tracked the finishers. He pointed out that “about 3,500 people have climbed Mount Everest, but less than 500 have singlehandedly sailed the Atlantic.”

I would have guessed a higher number.