Japan's Horie, 88, sets sights on breaking own Pacific crossing record
KOBE (Kyodo) -- Japanese ocean adventurer Kenichi Horie, 88, said Tuesday he plans to sail solo and nonstop across the Pacific Ocean on a yacht next s
Kobe, Japan - In a bold endeavor to surpass his own record, 88-year-old Japanese adventurer Kenichi Horie announced plans to solo and nonstop sail across the Pacific Ocean next spring. Horie made this announcement during a press conference at a yacht harbor in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, Western Japan.
Expressing his determination, Horie remarked, "The magma within me, as a challenger who wants to set sail again at 88, has erupted." He aims to depart from San Francisco in March, heading westward, and return to Nishinomiya by late May, approximately two months after departure.
Horie's new medium-sized yacht, the Suntory Mermaid IV, measures 9.2 meters in length, nearly double the size of his previous vessel. This addition allows for enhanced living conditions, increased stability in waves, and improved sailing efficiency.
Reflecting on his decision, Horie, whose birthday coincided with the announcement, noted, "As I get older, I've become more conscious that time is limited. I never thought I'd be allowed to do this at 88. But I don't want to make this my last voyage." Born in Osaka Prefecture, Horie took up yacht sailing during his high school years.
In 1962, at age 23, he became the first individual to complete a solo, nonstop trans-Pacific journey in a yacht. More recently, in 2022, at the age of 83, he achieved the feat of being the oldest person to do so, a record recognized by Guinness World Records.
Written by urgent.news from The Mainichi's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
