History man

At the age of 80, Jimmy Cornell is once more preparing for another adventure – this time following Ferdinand Magellan’s route around the world. Here he explains to Sam Jefferson what makes his latest voyage so unique

- Jimmy Cornell

Serious blue water cruising has very little to do with logic. A rational human being would look at the pros and cons and stay at home. Yet adventure cruising is about far more than common sense, as anyone with the vaguest yearning for liberty understands. It does, however, mean that it is very easy to confound such as an adventurer. I discovered this when I posed the question to Jimmy Cornell as to why, at the age of 80, he was sinking hundreds of thousands of pounds into purpose building a catamaran with pioneering electric propulsion and setting sail around the world in the wake of Ferdinand Magellan.

Anyone who has met Jimmy will know he is rarely lost for words, yet after I posed the question, there is a pause, then he blurts out; “because I want to!” Fair enough. I was minded of George Mallory’s immortal quote regarding Everest “because it’s there!”

Of course, there is much more to it than that and once Jimmy has gathered his thoughts, he explains: “This voyage is about many things; I want to prove that you can sail around the world in a boat with zero carbon emissions, I want to mark the anniversary of the first circumnavigation and, on a personal level, I don’t want to end up regretting things I’ve not done.

“I also have a very understanding family! Besides,” he reflects, “they know that if I set my mind to something, I’m going to do it.”