Shane Acton
Shane Acton (* 1947 ; † February 25, 2002 in Cambridge ) was a British circumnavigator . In the 1970s he set the world record with his boat Shrimpy for circumnavigating the world in the smallest sailboat, which he held until the mid-1980s.
Life
Acton grew up in Coleridge, England.
Circumnavigation
Acton had no sailing experience. Although he had served in the Royal Navy, he only learned to drive on small motor boats there. He bought in the early 1970s for 400 pounds sterling a 18 foot 4 inch (about 5.60 meters) long Kimmkieler from plywood . The Caprice type boat was designed by Robert Tucker.
Acton named the sailing yacht Super Shrimp , but simply called her Shrimpy . In 1972, at the age of 22, he started a circumnavigation of the world from England, which he completed eight years later after long stops in the Caribbean , Polynesia and Australia.
Acton's boat was the smallest sailing boat that ever circumnavigated the world. 1984-86, Serge Testa circumnavigated the world in a 12 foot (3.60 meter) long boat and took the record from Acton.
On a part of the stage across the Pacific he was accompanied by the Swiss Iris Derungs, who became his comrade and ship's wife and who later also traveled the last section of the journey from the Mediterranean through the French canals. Iris Derungs lived in Switzerland and worked as a photographer. She passed away in February 2008.
Acton was known to his friends as a humble anti-materialist. His journey is characterized him as frugal people who every effort took upon himself and his little chine sailboat remained loyal, although he once had as the chance of his several years of travel more to exchange it for a larger yacht.
Shane Acton has a large following these days among small cabin sailboat owners.
Life after circumnavigation and death
After circumnavigating the world, he lived in Costa Rica , where he went deep-sea fishing with tourists . He also worked as a worker in a shipyard.
Shane Acton died of lung cancer in Cambridge at the age of 55 . He was a heavy smoker, the concern for enough tobacco accompanied his journey around the world, as he writes in his book. His family members asked for Cancer Research UK donations instead of flowers at the funeral.
literature
- Shane Acton: Shrimpy, circumnavigation in a small boat. Frankfurt / Main, Berlin: Ullstein, 1991. ISBN 3-548-22633-7
- Shane Acton: Shrimpy Sails Again, From Cambridge to the Caribbean in an Eighteen-foot Yacht P.Stephens, 1989. ISBN 978-1852602161
Web links
- The book by Shane Acton can be downloaded for free ( Memento from April 17, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 1.9 MB)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Urs Clavadetscher: Obituary Iris Derungs. In: Archaeological Service Graubünden Monument Preservation Graubünden Archaeological Service and Monument Preservation Graubünden Annual reports Annual reports. Archaeological Service Graubünden, 2009, accessed on April 23, 2018 .
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Acton, Shane |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | British circumnavigator |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1947 |
| DATE OF DEATH | February 25, 2002 |
| Place of death | Cambridge |