William Croxford, from Kettering, England, has dreamed of sailing around the world since childhood, and after a difficult 2020 he has decided that now is the time to turn that dream into a reality.
Croxford is the 28th entry in the Global Solo Challenge (GSC).
Interview
Where does your passion for sailing come from?
I learnt to sail on the local lake during a summer activities camp and found an ever lasting passion for sailing spending my weekends and school holidays sailing dinghies. Watching and reading about Ellen MacArthur and Sir Robin Knox-Johnston made me always dream of sailing around the world solo.
When I went travelling at the age of 18, I sailed in both Australia and New Zealand on a number of different styles of yachts both cruisers and racers. This is where my offshore experience grew along with my experience.
What lessons have you learnt from sailing?
Nature and the ocean are always in charge and you have to work with them to succeed. If you try to work against them you will fail.
What brought you to like single-handed sailing?
The solitude and personal challenge. I haven’t sailed single handed yet and before we set of I have two stages of single handed I want to complete 1st Single handed around the UK and second single handed return of the Atlantic.
Tell us about your boat or the boat you would like to have.
I don’t currently have a boat but I am hopping to either buy a Rustler, Hallberg Rassey or Oyster to complete my challenge. My size range will be 35- 45 ft.
Do you intend to link this personal challenge with a social message?
I would like to raise awareness of the ongoing issues of plastic in the oceans and the over fishing of the oceans. But my main concentration will be on completing the challenge.
For the full story, see: https://globalsolochallenge.com/william-croxford-news/
