Teen circumnavigators - where are they now?

9:14 PM Fri 12 Jun 2009 GMT

'Mike and Zac and their relative routes and current positions' .

17-year-old Zac Sunderland from California, and 17-year-old Mike Perham from Britain are both in the process of a solo circumnavigation of the world.

Both are now vying - albeit in the most friendly of ways - to be the youngest sailor to circumnavigate the world. (Mike is 108 days younger, so he has a bit of an edge.)

It wasn't always the case. Mike Perham, who had previously, at the age of 14, crossed the Atlantic, had set out to circumnavigate the world 'non-stop and unassisted', but autopilot problems, causing him to put into the Canary Islands soon after the commencement of his journey, soon put paid to that idea.

Mike sailing Totallymoney - .. .

Right now, both are sailing well. Mike, who called into Auckland for his last bout of repairs, has just passed his hundredth day. He is scooting along in variable breezes and the occasional storm with lightning, on his 50 foot open racing boat, Totallymoney, and is pretty well in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, avoiding coral reefs. However, in front of him is the Southern Ocean and Cape Horn, and he must get around this before making his way up the Atlantic Ocean and to Britain and home. This means he is likely to reach the Horn before the full summer weather in the Antarctic gives the best possible conditions for the rounding.

Zac on Intrepid - .. .

Zac is much closer to home. He has crossed all the oceans he needs to cross, and is now faced with the long beat up the western coast of North America. He is also encountering storms full of lightning, of which he is quite justifiably wary. Zac's boat is nothing like Mike's. His is a 36ft Islander, which he bought with his own savings.

He is almost certain to reach home first, thereby being able to claim the title of the youngest sailor to circumnavigate the world. However, he must get there 108 days, or more than three and a half months, prior to Mike's arrival, to keep that title for long.

Is he worried? Neither boy seems very concerned about titles these days. Out on the oceans these man-made achievements can seem pretty small beer. They both seem to be enjoying the ride, and what a ride it is!

Sail-World Cruising wishes them good speed and fair sailing.