# How to circumnaviage, on a very meager budget



## TonyCross (Sep 24, 2017)

*How to circumnavigate, on a very meager budget*

Back in 2002 I met a chap called Evgeny Gvozev who came from Russia and spoke no English so communication was challenging to say the least, however if you ever needed inspiration to go sailing his determination and guts may well inspire you.

Evgeny lived in a tiny apartment in Moscow, where he would dream of sailing around the world, he only had two things holding him back, no money and no boat, the only place he could build a boat was suspended from ropes hanging outside his high apartment balcony. He told me it cost him under 10.000 Rubles to build (around 94 USD)

The yacht was small, very small (3.6 meters) when standing on the deck you could touch the top of the mast.

This incredible person went on to circumnavigate twice in a boat which frankly I would have been concerned about crossing a calm pond in.
He explained that some sharks he encountered were much bigger than his boat.

Here is a link to his Facebook page where you can see some images of his boat and adventures.

https://www.facebook.com/Evgeny-Gvozdev-Russian-Sailor-749081685226369/

When I met him he was navigating with a plastic sextant and paper charts he would trade with other yachties as he sailed around the world. A group of us started a fund which enabled us to buy him a new GPS and some extra safety gear. This fund was created by Darwin legend Peter Dermoudy who was the lock keeper at the time at Tipperary Waters Marina in Darwin, Australia.

The fiberglassing on his yacht had no fairing, just very rough matting.

Nothing was ever going to stop this extraordinary man following his dreams.

Sadly he lost his life in 2008 during his third way around the world at the age of 74.

If anyone else here has any further information on his travels I would love to hear more.

*RIP Master Mariner Evgeny Gvozdev.*


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## CrispyCringle (Jul 30, 2017)

Thats interesting. Very serious determination.


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

Remember slocum was totally broke when he got spray out of a field where it was abandoned. His motivation was to feed his family. The age of sail had passed. He figured he could write a book and give lectures which would allow him to keep his family fed and housed. He wouldn't let steam overwhelm his love for sail even at the end of his career. 
You get everything from teenagers to white haired oldsters like this chap who have a dream they make into a reality. Thanks so much for posting this.


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## TonyCross (Sep 24, 2017)

Thanks for the comments.

The book by Joshua Slocum called "Sailing Alone Around the World" is a fantastic read I recommend it to anyone interested in the history of sailing small craft.

Arthur Ransome declared, "boys who do not like this book ought to be drowned at once."

One of my favorite tips he gives in the book is when he was in Tierra del Fuego in South America.
He was concerned about going to sleep with the risk of being boarded by someone, so he scattered tacks around the deck as an early warning device, neat, cost effective and reusable.
He also wrote another book called "Voyage of the Liberdade" I won't give any spoilers on this one, but the journey he takes is just as incredible as being the first person to sail alone around the world. 
Here is a link for a free download of the book at archive.org

https://archive.org/details/voyageliberdade00slocgoog

(He was forced in South Africa to say he was sailing across the world not around it!)


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## Platinum Sails (Aug 17, 2017)

Thanks for the post Tony. It's inspiring!


It also did remind me of Slocum when I read it as well. I remember Slocum saying "To young men contemplating a voyage I say go."


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## davidpm (Oct 22, 2007)

*Re: How to circumnavigate, on a very meager budget*

Looks like a great story.

You may like this story as well:

That


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

Oh my, I guess I have to buy another book. 

Gary


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

*Re: How to circumnavigate, on a very meager budget*



TonyCross said:


> Sadly he lost his life in 2008 during his third way around the world at the age of 74.


Good story.... But it shows you can't do it on such a budget or type/size of boat safely.

I am not doing this cruising stuff to die. I'm doing it to live.

And if I do die please don't patronize me by saying "he died doing what he loved". As death is from *F*-ups and don't like stuffing up at all let alone sufficient to kill myself.

Mark


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## TonyCross (Sep 24, 2017)

*Re: How to circumnavigate, on a very meager budget*



MarkofSeaLife said:


> Good story.... But it shows you can't do it on such a budget or type/size of boat safely.
> 
> I am not doing this cruising stuff to die. I'm doing it to live.
> 
> ...


If I sounded patronizing this was never my intention. sorry if this is what you took from the story.

To patronize is to have a apparent kindness which hides a feeling of superiority, I can assure you the only feelings I have for Evgeny are total respect and admiration, I simply wish to bring his amazing story to those who are prepared to respect a fellow sailor.

I never said "he died doing what he loved".

We don't know how he died he certainly didn't die at sea, from what little is known he was found on a beach with a head injury, strikes me the only one with a feeling of superiority is you.


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## TonyCross (Sep 24, 2017)

*Re: How to circumnavigate, on a very meager budget*



davidpm said:


> Looks like a great story.
> 
> You may like this story as well:
> 
> That


Thank you I will take a look


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

*Re: How to circumnavigate, on a very meager budget*



TonyCross said:


> If I sounded patronizing this was never my intention. sorry if this is what you took from the story.
> 
> To patronize is to have a apparent kindness which hides a feeling of superiority, I can assure you the only feelings I have for Evgeny are total respect and admiration, I simply wish to bring his amazing story to those who are prepared to respect a fellow sailor.
> 
> ...


Sorry, Tony, I wasn't having a crack at you at all. 
Sorry it appeared that way. ☺

My comments were to the reader at large, not directed at you. 
☺


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## TonyCross (Sep 24, 2017)

*Re: How to circumnavigate, on a very meager budget*



MarkofSeaLife said:


> Sorry, Tony, I wasn't having a crack at you at all.
> Sorry it appeared that way. ☺
> 
> My comments were to the reader at large, not directed at you.
> ☺


Thanks, I can see from your history you are a very competent, experienced sailor, who has much to share.

In a time where the worst traits in humans elect presidents, sailing is still one of the purest pursuits and brings out the very best qualities in people.

A case in point is a sailor who should perhaps be given credit not only for his outstanding sailing abilities but his compassion, his name is Pete Goss MBE.

In 1996 he was competing in the Single Handed Round the World race, the Vendee Globe, it was Christmas day, during a severe storm in the Southern Ocean, another competitor Raphael Dinelli had his boat sink beneath him, Pete abandoned his race and spent two days sailing into hurricane force winds to save his fellow sailor in distress, who had taken to a liferaft.

For this, the French awarded him their highest honor for bravery (the Legion d'Honneur) the british the MBE. His book called "*Close to the Wind*" describes how he also performed surgery on himself in the Southern Ocean.

Here is another cracking good book I would recommend for those rainy days in harbour.


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## Paul Captain (Sep 23, 2016)

*Re: How to circumnavigate, on a very meager budget*

The 3rd and failed circumnavigation was on a production boat unlike the previous two:

At the age of 74, in September, 2008, he started a third circumnavigation, this time aboard a 5.5 m production boat identical to that used for his first voyage. Unknown to him, he was to receive a fatal head injury while sailing in the Mediterranean Sea. He was found dead on a beach at Castelporzio in the South of Italy, not far from his yacht, which was stranded on the beach.

Evgeny was a resourceful, humble character who lived his dreams by overcoming obstacles that would put off most dreamers. He was a man, the likes of whom many would admire, yet few would equal or surpass his great achievements.

Source: bills-log.blogspot.ie/2009/11/tribute-to-evgeny-gvozdev.html

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## TonyCross (Sep 24, 2017)

It's great to see that the Slocum Society have recently added Evgeny to their exclusive list of solo circumnavigators.

Here is a link to that list:

LIST OF SOLO CIRCUMNAVIGATORS

For some reason I notice a name which should be on the list and seems to be missing that is the amazing Australian sailor Jon Sanders.

I doubt many would wish to try and break his records:

The first single-handed sailor to remain continuously at sea twice around the world
First single-handed sailor to round the five southern most Capes twice on one voyage
First single-handed sailor to round the five southern most Capes twice
Longest distance continuously sailed by any yacht: 48,510 miles (78,070 km).
Longest period alone at sea during a continuous voyage: 419 days: 22 hours: 10 minutes

If you are interested, here is a link to Jon's information:

About Jon Sanders' Triple Circumnavigation of the World

As an Aussie I am rather miffed he's not there and would like to ask them to consider adding his name to the exclusive list.

If anyone has a valid email address for "Joshua Slocum Society International" could they please share it, as the one on their web page seems to be invalid.


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## boatpoker (Jul 21, 2008)

*Re: How to circumnavigate, on a very meager budget*



davidpm said:


> Looks like a great story.
> 
> You may like this story as well:
> 
> That


Wow ! Thanks for posting that. I was mesmerized but it was way too short, I wanted more.
Do you know if he has written anything else ? I could not find anything on line.


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## davidpm (Oct 22, 2007)

*Re: How to circumnavigate, on a very meager budget*



boatpoker said:


> Wow ! Thanks for posting that. I was mesmerized but it was way too short, I wanted more.
> Do you know if he has written anything else ? I could not find anything on line.


Your welcome.

I found that story on a website years ago.

When I went back to look at it the site was gone but I knew the domain name.

I went into archive.org and pieced it together.

I think is it just the equivalent of a blog post before there were blogs.

The guy who runs the ASA school in Belize says he knows where the wreck is currently.


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