Unassisted sailing
Unassisted sailing is mainly sailing alone without any physical help during the trip. Sailors on an unassisted voyage aren’t allowed to stop at ports, dock with other ships at sea, or be handed objects from passing ships or aircraft before finishing.
The rules most sailors follow come from World Sailing Speed Record Council rule 21e (with related 21h and 21i). These rules forbid direct physical help, but 21h and 21i allow a few exceptions. In practice, sailors can still receive money (sponsorship) and electronic guidance, which can lessen the need for hands-on help.
Some observers have noted that even famous solo voyages were not truly unassisted. For example, a team of advisors and experts often guided sailors like Jessica Watson behind the scenes.
The Vendée Globe is a well-known solo, non-stop race around the world from France, but it has stricter rules. Participants may get general weather forecasts, but not personalized weather or routing advice. They can get radio help for repairs and medical advice with some limits.
Safety has improved a lot with emergency locating beacons (EPIRBs). These devices let sailors summon help from far at sea. Tony Bullimore’s rescue after five days under a capsized boat showed how important EPIRBs can be.
Many legendary sailors—Kay Cottee, Francis Chichester, and Joshua Slocum—are respected for long, hard solo voyages. Under today’s rules, some of their journeys would be called assisted because of port stops during the trip.
Jessica Watson became the youngest person to sail solo, unassisted, around the world at age 16 on May 22, 2010.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 20:37 (CET).