Nigel Tetley was the first man to sail non-stop round the world in a trimaran. He received very little acclaim for an astonishing voyage made in what was, almost certainly, a vessel not built well enough for such an undertaking.
That ‘Victress’ nearly made it back to Plymouth too, well passed her outward mark, says volumes for Nigel’s outstanding seamanship in nursing his vessel through the Southern Ocean, Cape Horn and to within 1,100 nm of a triumphant return to Plymouth before she finally broke up and sank. His achievement was every bit as great as Robin Knox Johnson’s voyage aboard ‘Suhali’ in the same race. Yet sadly few hear mention of the name Tetley……..
Tetley wrote –
‘Seamanship has been aptly described as applied common sense; but the variables encountered are often so great that any attempt at generalisation may be not only nonsense but lead the unwary into a dangerously fixed attitude of mind. However, the seaman through experience, trial and error and much thought must somehow come to terms with his media.’
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