" I took 268 days 19 hours and a few minutes... I attacked a world first. It's the smallest boat in the world to have circumnavigated the globe single-handed, non-stop and without assistance. This opened up a new category, as I had no records to beat. I've created one with a world first. It becomes a reference time for those who want to set a record on my time. I'm not interested in the time. I'm very proud and very happy. "These were Alessandro Di Benedetto's first words on the arrival of his first circumnavigation. Alessandro Di Benedetto set off from Les Sables-d'Olonne in France on October 26, 2009, and arrived in the same port on July 22, 2010. He has just completed a non-stop, single-handed circumnavigation of the globe on a yacht measuring... 6,50 m !
A mini around the world
The yacht is a Mini class boat built from plywood to Rolland designs. It is the former Hakuna Matata, which raced in the 1997 and 2005 Mini Transat races. For this particular record, the boat was given the name Findomestic. The Italian sailor modified it by adding a protected living area at the rear of the cockpit, which is used for steering when the weather doesn't allow staying outside. This space also helps to right the yacht should it capsize.
Already some impressive achievements
Alessandro Di Benedetto is no novice when it comes to this round-the-world race. He has already crossed the Atlantic and Pacific oceans solo on a sports catamaran. These records speak volumes about the determination of the sailor, who is 38 years old at the time of departure.
Hard seas that make him pay for passage
Despite an overloaded boat - carrying 250 kg of freeze-dried food and 600 kg of emergency equipment - the descent of the Atlantic to the Cape of Good Hope went smoothly. The boat is not going too fast, averaging less than 5 knots.
In the south, he encountered strong winds and heavy storms, with several days above 50 knots when he had to take refuge inside his sailboat, braving the cold and damp.
The most memorable episode of this round-the-world trip was her dismasting in the Indian Ocean. Caught in a wave, the boat lay down and righted itself... without its mast. Following in the footsteps of Yves Parlier in the Vendée Globe, Alessandro Di Benedetto also cobbled together his mast step by laminating a new support to the deck, and succeeded in subduing his mast by making a goat with his boom. A feat that enabled him to get back on course and finish in Les Sables-d'Olonne without assistance.
He received a hero's welcome on his return to Les Sables-d'Olonne. A great feat that will enable him to take part in the 2012-13 Vendée Globe and finish in 11th place.
