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The Man Who Sailed Around the World in an 18-Foot Boat
August 23, 2026 · 14 min · 43K views · Wells-next-the-Sea
What this video covers
Shane Acton completed a solo circumnavigation between 1972 and 1980 aboard *Shrimpy*, an 18-foot 4-inch Caprice Mark I plywood sloop.1:53 Purchased for 400 pounds, the boat featured twin bilge keels, a 1-foot 8-inch draft, and minimal equipment, including a plastic sextant and a self-taught celestial navigation method.2:20 Acton, a former Royal Marines member and bus conductor, sailed approximately 30,000 miles across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, often relying on a budget of 20 to 30 pounds.5:01 He navigated the Atlantic by sailing south until reaching the trade winds, a strategy he summarized as sailing until the butter melted.4:31 During the voyage, he performed underwater hull repairs, survived a reef strike, and managed medical emergencies, including extracting his own tooth.5:15 After returning to Cambridge, he authored two books, *Shrimpy: A Record Round-the-World Voyage in an 18-Foot Yacht* and *Shrimpy Sails Again*.8:04 The voyage proved that ocean circumnavigation requires determination and seamanship rather than expensive gear or large vessels.
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