Dee Caffari
Encyclopedia
Denise "Dee" Caffari MBE
(born in 1973) is a British sailor
, and in 2006 became the first woman to sail single-handedly
and non-stop around the world
"the wrong way"; westward against the prevailing winds and currents. In February 2009, Caffari completed the Vendee Globe race and set a new record to become the first woman to sail solo, non-stop, around the world in both directions.
, Hertfordshire
and attended St. Clement Danes School
. Caffari studied at Leeds Metropolitan University and became a PE teacher for 5 years before beginning her sailing career.
Dee Caffari worked for Formula 1 Sailing, first as a skipper and then as the manager of their fleet of Farr 65s in the UK and the Caribbean
.
She then took part in the ten month Global Challenge
race, which departed on 3 October 2004. Held every four years, this race takes a fleet of one design (or matching) steel yachts, crewed by amateur sailors who have paid to take part, round Cape Horn
and through the Southern Ocean
where winds can exceed 70 knots. That race also takes the westabout route.
Caffari was the skipper of the yacht Imagine It. Done. One crewmember needed to be airlifted off in the Southern Ocean, creating the largest Southern Ocean Rescue of all time for the New Zealand Rescue Service. The race also saw the team develop from having to retire from the second leg of the race to finishing on the podium in leg six.
On 20 November 2005, she set off on her attempt to single-handedly circumnavigate the world against the prevailing winds and currents. She finished on 18 May 2006, at 17:55pm, after 178 days at sea. Her voyage was sponsored by Aviva
.
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
(born in 1973) is a British sailor
Sailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
, and in 2006 became the first woman to sail single-handedly
Single-handed sailing
The sport of single-handed sailing or solo sailing is sailing with only one crewmember . The term is usually used with reference to ocean and long-distance sailing, and particularly competitive sailing....
and non-stop around the world
Circumnavigation
Circumnavigation – literally, "navigation of a circumference" – refers to travelling all the way around an island, a continent, or the entire planet Earth.- Global circumnavigation :...
"the wrong way"; westward against the prevailing winds and currents. In February 2009, Caffari completed the Vendee Globe race and set a new record to become the first woman to sail solo, non-stop, around the world in both directions.
Early life
Descended from a Maltese sea captain http://www.yachtonline.it/people-en/samantha-davies-dee-caffari-eng, Caffari grew up in rickmansworthRickmansworth
Rickmansworth is a town in the Three Rivers district of Hertfordshire, England, 4¼ miles west of Watford.The town has a population of around 15,000 people and lies on the Grand Union Canal and the River Colne, at the northern end of the Colne Valley regional park.Rickmansworth is a small town in...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
and attended St. Clement Danes School
St. Clement Danes School
St. Clement Danes School is a mixed, voluntary-aided, comprehensive school in Chorleywood, Hertfordshire.-Admissions:It has specialist status for languages and science and takes students aged 11 through to 18 ....
. Caffari studied at Leeds Metropolitan University and became a PE teacher for 5 years before beginning her sailing career.
Sailing career
Caffari completed a range of training courses at UKSA (based in Cowes, Isle of Wight) completing her Yachtmaster course and range of ocean qualifications.Dee Caffari worked for Formula 1 Sailing, first as a skipper and then as the manager of their fleet of Farr 65s in the UK and the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
.
She then took part in the ten month Global Challenge
Global Challenge
The Global Challenge was a round the world yacht race run by Challenge Business, the company started by Sir Chay Blyth in 1989...
race, which departed on 3 October 2004. Held every four years, this race takes a fleet of one design (or matching) steel yachts, crewed by amateur sailors who have paid to take part, round Cape Horn
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
and through the Southern Ocean
Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60°S latitude and encircling Antarctica. It is usually regarded as the fourth-largest of the five principal oceanic divisions...
where winds can exceed 70 knots. That race also takes the westabout route.
Caffari was the skipper of the yacht Imagine It. Done. One crewmember needed to be airlifted off in the Southern Ocean, creating the largest Southern Ocean Rescue of all time for the New Zealand Rescue Service. The race also saw the team develop from having to retire from the second leg of the race to finishing on the podium in leg six.
On 20 November 2005, she set off on her attempt to single-handedly circumnavigate the world against the prevailing winds and currents. She finished on 18 May 2006, at 17:55pm, after 178 days at sea. Her voyage was sponsored by Aviva
Aviva
Aviva plc is a global insurance company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the sixth-largest insurance company in the world measured by net premium income and has 53 million customers in 28 countries...
.
On 2 December 2006, she was a runner up for BBC South Sports Personality of the Year. She did win the Tenon Yachtsperson of the Year award.
In January 2007 Caffari announced that she would be taking part in the Vendée Globe
Vendée Globe
The Vendée Globe is a round-the-world single-handed yacht race, sailed non-stop and without assistance. The race was founded by Philippe Jeantot in 1989, and since 1992 has taken place every four years....
2008/09 singlehanded round the world yacht race, again sponsored by Aviva. In March 2007 she announced a technical partnership with Mike Golding
Mike Golding
Mike Golding is an English yachtsman. He is one of the few yachtsmen to have raced round the world non stop in both directions...
to allow both the British entries in the Vendée Globe to work together.
In September 2007, Caffari's autobiography Against the Flow was published.
In December 2007 she had to be rescued by British Navy frigate HMS Northumberland after dismasting in severe weather off northwest Spain whilst competing singlehanded in the Transat Ecover B2B Race.
In May 2008 she competed in the Artemis Transat race across the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
from Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, against the prevailing winds.
In February 2009 Dee Caffari completed the Vendee Globe race and set a new record becoming the first woman to sail solo, non-stop, around the world in both directions.
In March 2009, Caffari's autobiography Against the Flow was published in paperback with an additional chapter charting the lead up to her Vendee Globe entry and subsequent world record achievement.
In June 2009 Dee Caffari set a new record for circumnavigating Britain and Ireland after crossing the Solent finish line on her Open 60 Aviva having beaten the existing record by 17 hours.