Lone Sailor Flag

Sailing History

Jon Sanders is celebrated for a two-consecutive non-stop (SV Perie Banou) and then a three consecutive non-stop (SV Parry Endeavour), unassisted circumnavigations of the planet by yacht. His yacht SV Parry Endeavour is on display at the Fremantle Maritime Museum where it has pride-of-place next to the America’s Cup, winning Australia II.

Jon Sanders has achieved numerous sailing records, including:

  • The longest DISTANCE ever sailed continuously by any vessel unassisted and solo, 71,023 nautical miles

First-time single-handed (solo) sailing records to Jon Sanders include:

  • 5 x non-stop circumnavigations (the first in 1981-82 and the last in 1986-1987);
  • 5 x Cape Horn roundings (one east-west & four west-east);
  • 5 x Cape Horn roundings during non-stop circumnavigations;
  • 4 x roundings of the five southernmost capes;
  • 1 x circumnavigation using the east-west route;
  • 4 x circumnavigations using the west-east route;
  • Circumnavigate non-stop via Cape Horn west-about and east-about;
  • Skipper of small yacht (less than 15.5m) to complete 5x circumnavigations, crewed or single-handed; and
  • Yachtsman to complete x5 circumnavigations via Cape Horn, crewed or single-handed.

Since the year 2000, Jon has skippered a 44ft sloop from Sydney to Europe via the Red Sea and Suez Canal; including his 11th crossing of the Indian Ocean and fourth transit of the Suez Canal.

  • Other voyages and transits include:
  • Indian Ocean (14 times)
  • Atlantic Ocean (11 times)
  • Pacific Ocean (12 times)
  • Australian seaboard, west-to-east and east-to-west (45 times)
  • Cape Horn (5 times)
  • Cape of Good Hope (11 times)
  • Panama Canal (6 times)
  • Suez Canal (x4)

Major yacht races include:

  • Sydney-to-Hobart Race (x7)
  • 1979 Parmelia Yacht Race, United Kingdom-to-Australia; and the
  • Cape-to-Rio de Janeiro (x3)