The 45,000km (28,000-mile) ‘round-the-world race starts in Antigua on 23 February, and is expected to take a year to complete.

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Sailing solo and unsupported, the yachtsmen will pass through Panama heading towards Tahiti, continuing to Tonga, Fiji and Darwin before crossing the Indian Ocean to the Cocos Islands and Mauritius.

They then sail into the Southern Ocean around the Cape of Good Hope into Cape Town before making the Atlantic crossing to St Helena, Recife and back to Antigua in March 2026.

The race’s founding principle is an adventure in the spirit of renowned ocean sailor John Guzzwell who sailed around the world in “Trekka”.

Guzzwell’s book, “Trekka Round the World”, delivers his account of circumnavigating the globe aboard his 20ft 6in yawl, between 1955-1959.

“I read the late John Guzzwell’s book and found it very inspiring,” Eric told News Of The Area.

“To think he circumnavigated the globe in a small wooden boat that he built himself, over 60 years ago, with no GPS and all the tech things we have today, is simply astounding.”

Eric’s decision to sign up for the race was the result of following a fellow Aussie on social media who was building a wooden yacht.

“Watching the boat progress, I wanted to know more about it.

“The boat turned out to be the class Globe 5.80, the brainchild of Australian adventurer and sailor Don McIntyre.”

These small 5.80-meter yachts are home-built and designed to sail solo..

“When I found out McIntyre Adventures were planning to run a Single-Handed Mini Globe Race, starting on 23 February, I thought ‘this is for me’,”

He purchased his Globe 5.80 named “Sunbear” in the USA.

“This boat completed the 2023 Globe 580 Transit Race with the previous owner/builder, gaining a creditable second place.”

Eric is looking forward to, “being in touch with the many treats Mother Nature provides while sailing the vast oceans of the world; beautiful sunrises, sunsets, whales, dolphins and sea birds; and lots of new countries.”

On board, Eric anticipates being “busy sailing”.

“Checking weather systems, texting my boat positions to my wife/manager Brenda, chart work, sextant sights and generally keeping the boat sailing safe and fast.

“I’ll enjoy reading a good book, exercising, and also meditating in those quiet times I’m sure I will have.”

With only days to go before he flies out to Florida to finalise preparations with “Sunbear”, Eric is facing his fears.

“I’m afraid of heights, that’s about all,” he said.

“But I must admit we had one ocean race in 2012 where we were sailing double-handed, getting ready for the Melbourne to Osaka Race, and the fleet sailed into a very bad storm off the coast of Cape Otway – with winds reaching 65-70 knots and waves of around nine to eleven metres.

“That was scary.

“We said in the peak of the storm ‘that’s enough’ but we bounced back to sail to Osaka.”

Eric started sailing at the age of eighteen with his brother.

From small dinghies he moved on to several other types of vessels such as catamarans and “trailer sailers”.

Over the last fifteen years, his offshore sailing experience includes the Melbourne to Hobart as well as Sydney to Hobart races, the Melbourne to Vanuatu race in 2010 and the Osaka Cup double-handed yacht race in 2013.

By Andrea FERRARI