Crossing the Atlantic is a challenge in itself, but to do it aboard a sailboat less than 2 meters long can be sheer madness. Yet in 1993, at the age of 61, American Hugo Vihlen achieved this feat, proving that a determined sailor doesn't need a big boat to tackle the immensity of the ocean.
From aviator to solo sailor
Before becoming a legend of extreme crossings, Hugo Vihlen led a more conventional life. Born in Florida in 1931, he became a co-pilot with Delta Airlines. Yet the call of the ocean was stronger than the call of the clouds. Inspired by the tales of solo sailors, he set out to cross the Atlantic in the smallest sailboat ever used for such a crossing. He began a series of experiments to design a minimalist boat capable of withstanding the rigors of the Atlantic, while remaining small enough to make history.
1968: April Fool, a heroic first crossing
On March 29, 1968, Vihlen left Casablanca aboard the April Fool a tiny 1.80 m sailboat. For 84 days, he battles capricious winds and absolute solitude, while coping with a lack of food and fresh water. As he approached Miami, all hell broke loose: ocean winds and Gulf Stream currents pushed him out to sea, preventing him from reaching the coast. His worried family alerted the coastguard, who spotted him just 9.7 km from shore. Despite his exhaustion and the Dantean conditions, he refused all assistance to complete his challenge on his own. Eventually, he was rescued from the sea and reunited with his family. The story makes headlines in the United States: a lone man, lost on a canoe barely larger than a kayak, has just crossed the Atlantic. His feat earned him immediate recognition in the sailing world.
1993: Revenge with Father's Day
35 years later, at the age of 61, Hugo Vihlen took up the challenge again. This time, he decided to sail from the United States to England in an even smaller boat. He built Father's Day the boat is 1.68 m long, and he can neither lie down nor really protect himself from the elements. Just as he was about to set off, a British competitor, Tom McNally, entered the race with a boat 3.8 cm shorter. The rivalry is friendly, but Vihlen wants to make sure he keeps the record. His choice is radical: he cuts 5 centimetres off his own boat, reducing the length of his boat Father's Day at 1.63 m. After several failed attempts, he finally left Newfoundland and set course for Falmouth. For 115 days, he endured storms, damage and deprivation in an extremely confined space. By dint of patience and obstinacy, he finally reached England, setting a new record for the smallest boat ever to cross the Atlantic. To this day, the record remains unbeaten.
In his books, April Fool and The Stormy Voyage of Father's Day with a sometimes wry sense of humor, he describes the difficulties of these voyages. He recounts the endless nights, the hunger, the fear, but also the beauty of the ocean and the satisfaction of overcoming the impossible.
At 93 years of age in 2025, he remains an emblematic figure in the nautical world. While some dream of greatness, Hugo Vihlen chose excess... in miniature.
