He has cycled and flown a small aircraft around the world, and now adventurer James Ketchell is set to embark on his third circumnavigation of the globe – by sailing solo a Class 40 yacht.

James, from Basingstoke, is preparing to embark on the mammoth mission which will see him take on a 30,000 nautical mile journey, starting in Gosport on Sunday, September 22 – weather permitting.

Aiming to complete the voyage in nine months, during his time James’ main mission is to take young people on a virtual journey around the world, inspiring them to try new things, believe in themselves and develop the right mindset.

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Speaking about his challenge, James, who is an ambassador for Scouts, said: “While I'm looking forward to the challenge of undertaking my third circumnavigation, I know that this will be a significant physical and mental challenge as there are many things that are out of my control and it is also very technical as I will need to be able to diagnose and fix problems on the boat as needed." 

The 42-year-old is using Starlink Internet on the boat and will be streaming live videos to classrooms around the world, making content available to schools via worksheets on his website as well as delivering talks in local schools in the ports he is visiting.

He continued: “Having struggled with low self-confidence and lack of ambition as a young person, I am extremely excited to share this journey with young people and in particular give children some inspiration for what they can achieve in life if they challenge themselves.

“I am extremely grateful to all my partners that have supported me over so many years and continue to do so for this challenge."

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The voyage is split into legs, stopping in Lanzarote, Cape Town, Melbourne, Punta Del Este in Uruguay, Antigua and New York, before arriving back into Gosport.

During his expedition, James will also be deploying an Argo float for The National Oceanography Centre (NOC) after his port of call in South Africa as part of his role as an NOC ambassador.

The team of Argo floats deployed will provide data to understand the status of the ocean environment and its resources today, and for years to come.

His challenge is also raising funds for two charities: Baton of Hope (suicide awareness and prevention) and Kindled Spirit (supporting victims of human trafficking).

In 2021 James was declared the Guinness World Record holder for circumnavigating the globe solo in a gyrocopter, but his achievements extend beyond global circumnavigations. He has scaled Mount Everest, rowed solo across the Atlantic Ocean, skied across Greenland, and most recently cycled across America raising funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital.

It was an inauspicious start for James; in 2008 he was recovering from a serious motorcycle accident that had left him with broken legs and a severely broken and dislocated ankle. The prognosis was that he would likely suffer a permanent walking impairment and would not be able to continue the active physical lifestyle he had so enjoyed.

James’ challenge is being sponsored by principal partners Barratt Developments and Rentokil Initial. 

To follow his journey, go to jamesketchell.net and to donate, visit jamesketchell.net/charity-links.