Dan Turner set for Mini Solo Around the World Race
by Nikki Turner 13 Aug 2024 05:38 BST
Mini Solo Around the World Race © Nikki Turner
Aussie Adventurer, Veteran and Father Dan Turner follows in the footsteps of Australian legends to chase Solo Sailing dream in mind boggling home built mini boat.
Local South Australian man lines up to take on arguably the most difficult and longest offshore sailing race in the world - an offshore solo sailing around the world race in a boat barely bigger than a modern five seater sedan. The race; the Mini Globe 2025, is run by well known adventurer and Adelaide born sailor Don McIntyre, the man who mentored and provided Jessica Watson's around the world vessel.
Dan Turner, originally from Port Lincoln, now residing in Adelaide is currently gearing up to compete in a first of its kind solo around the world yacht race, in his 5.80metre boat he built himself in the family carport. The race, known as the Mini Globe Race, will be a mammoth 14-month journey around the world against 18 other competitors which sees all entrants in boats that are all the same design.
To date, a race around the world in boats this small has never been attempted and whilst there various stops across the world, there is no other race like it that will take this sort of timeframe to complete!
These days, races around the world generally cost millions of dollars so this race was created by founder Don McIntyre to allow opportunities for the everyday sailor who has a dream of sailing around the world an opportunity to achieve an extraordinary goal.
Going back to the roots of the 1950's famous first solo sailing adventurers, the boats will have limited onboard technology with very minimal solar power on board for navigational equipment, communications and GPS devices. Those competing are also required to be able to understand celestial navigation and utilise a wind powered vane to assist with steering around the world. The race itself is inspired by John Guzzwell's incredible journey around the world in a 21 foot yacht named Trekka in the 1960's that was one of the first in history to prove that sailing around the world in small yachts was possible.
The Mini Globe Race, due to start in early 2025 will be raced in yachts called Class Globe 580's, measuring just 19 foot long. They will have no internal engine or diesel onboard, and being powered by solar, will also be one of the most carbon neutral races on the planet also.
For Dan, even to get to this stage has been a massive journey to date as he has built the boat himself with no prior manual building skills aside from a stool, he made at year 8 Tech class! In speaking with Dan, not many people believed he would even finish the boat let alone compete around the world in a boat he built himself in the family carport.
Whilst this a huge undertaking, Dan isn't a stranger to adventure having previously competed in endurance races from multiple ultra-marathons including the Marathon Des Sables which is known as the world's toughest footrace through the Sahara Desert to the Melbourne to Osaka Yacht Race in 2018. He has even recently returned from Mongolia with his son several weeks ago where they crossed the country on a 50cc miniature motorcycle in an event called the Monkey Run.
After being raised in Port Lincoln by parents Phil and Deb, Dan joined the Army at 17 years of age as a Combat Engineer and combat fitness leader with the Australian Army and served in East Timor with the United Nations in 2004. Following the birth of his first daughter, Dan discharged from the services and moved back to Port Lincoln to work for his uncle Steve at Kemp Real Estate where he started his property career. Whilst he has remained in the property industry in Adelaide for nearly 20 years, he is now taking a two-year career 'intermission' to chase his biggest dream of sailing around the world.
Dan is one of several Australians' competing in the race however is the only South Australian, so he is excited to represent the state (and country) to the best of his ability.
Prior to this race, Dan intends to compete in a solo race across the North Atlantic which starts in Portugal on the 28th of December and is currently gearing up to ship his boat overseas from Adelaide leaving in the next few weeks.
The boat's name is 'Immortal Game' which Dan says was based on a famous chess game where a player sacrificed all his major pieces early to position himself to win the game. 'This is not unlike what the family and I have been through,' says Dan, 'we have already sold our major assets off to attempt this goal of racing around the world'. 'I definitely owe everything to my wife for allowing me to undertake this crazy dream and without her and the families support, this definitely would not be happening. I also want to inspire my children and hope they can watch their Dad with pride and realise that everything they want in life is possible if they put their mind to it'.
If you would like to follow or support the journey you can visit www.danturneradventure.com to see more details or visit his social media accounts. More details regarding the race can be found at www.minigloberace.com