Images(5)

View looking along and up the deck of PARRY ENDEAVOUR with its dramatic display at WAMM

A mannequin of Jon Sanders on the foredeck of PARRY ENDEAVOUR

David Dicks and Jon Sanders rig PARRY ENDEAVOUR prior to WAMM opening.

Parry Endeavour

Vessel numberHV000615

Owner Western Australian Maritime Museum

Builder R Williams & J Chute Partnership

Designer Phil Curran

Date1979

DimensionsVessel Dimensions: 13.78 m x 4 m x 2.19 m, 12.2 tonnes (45.21 ft x 13.12 ft x 7.19 ft, 12 tons)

DescriptionPARRY ENDEAVOUR was originally called CHALLENGER and was designed for Dr Jim Chute by Perth naval architect Phil Curran in 1978 for the 1979 Plymouth UK to Fremantle ‘Parmelia’ race. It was built as a foam cored, fibreglass reinforced hull, 13.78m long, 4.00m beam and 2.19m draft. It displaced 12 tonnes. Chute formed a partnership with Bob Williams and hired shipwrights to build two sisterships, the other was called PARMELIA and raced by Williams.

Subsequently CHALLENGER raced in Western Australian waters until the mid-1980s when businessman Kevin Parry purchased the vessel for Perth born (1939) sailor John Sanders to undertake another solo voyage. Sanders was already very experienced and wanted to break his previous record of a double non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation he set when sailing PERI BANOU, an S&S 34 designed fibreglass sloop.

PARRY ENDEAVOUR was structurally redesigned by naval architect Kim Klaka, of the Centre of Marine Science and Technology at Curtain University of Technology, Perth, West Australia, and accomplished boat builder and yachtsman Des Piesse carried out the work. The vessel was structurally improved for the voyage with a number of modifications and additions. These included: a new heavier wider-sectioned keel and bigger diameter keel bolts, increased width and thickness of GRP keel stub, substantial alterations to the rudder and skeg, the rudder stock was altered for tiller steering and a Haslar self-steering gear system installed on the transom, new hull longitudinal stringers were added along with a strengthened under-mast girder and compression post, new under-deck longitudinal stringers and additional deck-beams were introduced, the main bulkhead thickness was increased and a forward watertight bulkhead was installed, and the rig was changed with a new stronger sectioned and shorter mast, stronger shroud plates and doubled-up rigging. The vessel was also fitted with specialised electronic equipment that allowed Sanders to monitor subterranean depths as well as sound equipment for the recording of whales and dolphins.

He departed Fremantle on 25 May 1986, sailing west across the Indian Ocean. During the voyage he passed north of the equator in the mid- Atlantic as far as St Peter and St Paul Islands, and while rounding Cape Horn against the prevailing wind and currents he experienced severe weather with 20 metre high waves and 110 kph winds. In the Pacific he charted the seabed with echo soundings revealing data about an unexplored area of the ocean floor. On Thursday 29th January he arrived back at Fremantle, and sailed over the America's Cup course two days before Parry's yacht KOOKABURRA III was due to begin its defence of the America's Cup.

Sanders then resumed his voyage, and set off for his second round the world passage heading westward, the conveniontal direction for round the world sailing. Further depth sounding confirmed a discovery of a seamount in the south Pacific, guided by directions from his supporter John Penrose. On May 4th 1987 the yacht collided with a squid trawler in the South Atlantic, damaging rigging and the pulpit, but Sanders was able to stablise the rig and continued sailing. On 16th July PARRY ENDEAVOUR was knockled down beyond 100 degrees, and later suffered multiple knowckdowns off the Cape of Good Hope in a storm lasting over three days.

The third passage began as he passed south of Cape Leeuwin on 14th September 1987. Near the Falklands the Argos tracking system malfunctioned and a gave a false alarm message that he was in trouble.A helicopter sent out to search soon found the yacht and reported that it was sailing and there was no cause for concern. However throughout the voyage there were problems with equipment, fuel and water that required fixing or alternate solutions to alleviate the situation. Some items eventually failed completely, but Sanders resilience and capability allowed him to work around these issues and continue sailing toward his goal.

The original plan for the final part of the voyage was for Sanders to complete the third passage off Albany, reprovision and sail to Sydney for the 1988 Bicentenary celebrations, but this was changed and on Sunday 13 March 1988 he completed the third of his consecutive round the world passages crossing the finish line off Fremantle with over 100,000 people at sea or onshore to see him finish.

During his 658 days at sea Sanders and PARRY ENDEAVOUR sailed continuously for over a distance of 131,535 kilometres and Sanders achieved 15 world records for endurance and unique achievements, many of which have not been surpassed in 2013. With his voyaging in both PERI PANOU and PARRY ENDEAVOUR Sanders rounded Cape Horn five times and established himself as one of the world’s greatest single-handed yachtsmen. He was the inspiration for David Dicks to attempt a solo unassisted circumnavigation in the 1990s.

Sanders was inducted into the Single-Handed Sailor's Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, USA in 1991 where his achievements are listed as:
• 1970 First solo circumnavigation trip east to west mostly sailing through tropics.
• 1981-82 Double nonstop solo circumnavigation west to east via Southern Ocean.
• Triple non-stop solo circumnavigation: 25 May 1986 left Fremantle headed east.
• 29 January 1987 Rendezvous off Fremantle to mark first circumnavigation.
• 13 March 1988 returned from 658 days 21 hours and 18 minutes at sea, completing three non-stop solo circumnavigations.

The Guinness World Book of Records cites this as longest distance ever sailed continuously by any vessel. (71,023 nautical miles). A road in Osborne Park, Western Australia bears his name in honour of his sailing accomplishments.

Jon Sanders was born on 12 August 1939 in Nedlands, WA. He started sailing at age 8 and by the age of 14 had his own boat.

After finishing school he worked in the WA outback operating sheep-shearing teams. For many years, Sanders would travel to sheep stations with a team of up to 18 men. The shearing season was over autumn and winter leaving spring and summer months for sailing.

Sanders bought the yacht PERIE BANOU with his younger brother, Colin in 1973. Sanders and PERIE BANOU became the first WA yacht to circumnavigate the world from 1975 to 1977, during which it competed in the Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro Race.
Sanders became the first person to sail single-handedly twice around the world, non-stop and unassisted, sailing the PERIE BANOU from Fremantle on 6 September 1981 then returning on 31 October 1982. The double passage broke records for the longest single-handed voyage at 48,510 miles, and the longest period alone on board a yacht at 419 days, 22 hours and 10 minutes. This voyage is discussed in Sanders' 1983 book ‘Lone Sailor'.

In recognition of this historic journey on the PERIE BANOU he was awarded an OBE for services to yachting in 1983. In Perth he was presented with an Epic Achievement Award during the Citizens of the Year Awards and an Advance Australia Award for 'special contribution to yachting'. In July 1983, he was awarded the Chichester Award by the Duke of Edinburgh. The Chichester Award is the world's most prestigious personal yachting trophy, and was first presented to Sir Francis Chichester for his solo circumnavigation of the world in 1967. Sanders was the ninth recipient of the award.

In 2013 PARRY ENDEAVOUR is on display at the Western Australian Maritime Museum in the exact configuration of its record breaking voyage.

Prepared from material supplied by Western Australian Maritime Museum and the John Curtin University website

SignificancePARRY ENDEAVOUR is an ocean-racing yacht built in Western Australia in 1979. It was used by renowned Australian solo-sailor Jon Sanders to undertake his record breaking solo, unassisted triple-circumnavigation from 1986 to 1988. John Sanders brought the world of single handed sailing into the homes of all Australians, and people that had no special interest in yachting were captivated by his achievements, ability and modesty.