Around the world in a 5-metre boat

Published on September 30th, 2023

Polish adventure-seeker Arek Pawelek will attempt to singlehandedly circumnavigate the globe, non-stop and unassisted in his 5-metre boat Elblag. Believed to be the smallest boat to attempt the feat, he departed September 28 from Plymouth, England. Pawelek’s expects the route around the capes of Africa, Australia, and South America will require 300 days to complete.

While no official record is maintained for the feat, the smallest yacht to previously circumnavigate the globe is understood to be Poland’s Szymon Kuczynski who completed the course in a 6.36-metre boat Atlantic Puffin in 2017.

Pawelek’s adventurous nature first attracted attention in 1998 when he participated in sailing across the Atlantic from Cadiz to Barbados on a 4.4-metre-long inflatable boat. He has been a treasure hunter and will produce a documentary about this voyage.

“People have asked why I want to sail such a small boat,” he said. “I was searching for a new adventure and considered sailing the world on my 2.7 metre long dinghy. My wife, unsurprisingly, was concerned about this and suggested I sail the world in Elblag instead.

“I like sailing on small boats. I feel more confident on small boats than on large sailing yachts. For years, I have been trying to show other sailors that sailing doesn’t have to be very expensive and can be made on a budget. I encourage others to buy or build small yachts and try to sail at sea.”

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