The Digester

Northumberland sailor completes solo circumnavigation in self-built 19ft yacht

Mar 14th 2026

Adam Waugh of Angerton completed a solo global voyage in Little Wren, a 19ft yacht he built himself, finishing in Antigua after roughly 28,000 nautical miles and 250 days at sea while raising £60,000 for the Ella Dawson Foundation.

  • Adam Waugh, 61, finished the inaugural Mini Globe Race in Antigua after 250 days at sea.
  • He sailed about 28,000 nautical miles in Little Wren, a 19ft yacht he built in his garden shed.
  • Waugh had limited international sailing experience before the race but completed the voyage solo.
  • He launched Little Wren in March 2024 after building the boat from early 2022 and completed qualifying passages to Lanzarote and Antigua.
  • During the campaign he broke several ribs and lost a spinnaker pole but continued to the finish.
  • He raised £60,000 for the Ella Dawson Foundation, a UK charity supporting young people affected by cancer.