Adam Waugh from Northumberland spent two years building a 19ft sailing boat named ‘Little Wren’ from scratch without prior boat-building experience. He plans to sail the boat to Portugal in seven months before taking part in the Mini Globe Race, a global circumnavigation race for DIY sailors. The idea to build the boat and participate in the race came after learning about John Guzwell’s travels on a 21ft sailboat. People’s reactions to Adam’s project have been polarized, with some calling him crazy and others admiring his ambition. Despite the challenging construction process, he received help from an online community of boat builders and completed the boat, which he brought to Amble Marina for its first voyage.
Adam faced difficulties aligning the frames accurately at the start of the boat construction, knowing that any misalignment could affect the entire build. The process was filled with highs and lows, with some parts being rewarding and others time-consuming. Building the boat in a cold shed at home during winter posed additional challenges. However, with support from the online community, Adam managed to complete ‘Little Wren’, named after two wrens that lived in his shed during the project. The cost of the self-funded boat was around £40,000, and Adam is now preparing for the Mini Globe Race, with sea trials and a qualifying passage to Portugal in November.
The Mini Globe Race will begin in February 2025 from Antigua, with sailors heading to Panama, Fiji, Tahiti, Tonga, Cape Town, Mauritius, Durban, St Helena, Recife, and finally back to Antigua. Adam is raising funds to secure his spot in the race and is looking forward to the challenge. Although he hasn’t sailed long distances before, he is excited about the opportunity and the unknown experiences that lie ahead. Through relentless effort and dedication, Adam has transformed his dream of sailing around the world into a reality by building his boat from scratch. Despite the lack of previous experience in boat construction, Adam’s determination and passion have led him to embark on a remarkable adventure that will test his sailing skills and endurance. The journey ahead promises to be filled with challenges and triumphs as he navigates the globe on his self-built vessel, ‘Little Wren’.
