VETERAN sailor Michael Richey plans to spend his 83rd birthday sailing the Atlantic single-handed.

He will sail into the record books, breaking his own record, as the oldest participant in the gruelling Europe One New Man Transatlantic Yacht Race's history when he sets sail from Plymouth tomorrow.

It will be his ninth time in the race and his 14th solo crossing.

But Mr Richey, of Lewes Crescent, Brighton, believes the journey will probably be his last in his famous junk-rigged boat, The Jester.

He said: "I am getting on in age and the race only takes place every four years so it will probably be my last race. But I hope to continue sailing because once you get a bit long in the tooth, when you give up you really give up.

"I'm still fit and healthy and to some extent fitness to do these things is in the mind."

Mr Richey's yacht, The Jester, was designed by transatlantic race founder Blondie Hasler. Today's vessel is an identical copy of the original, which sank in 1988.

Mr Richey is famous for being the slowest yachtsman, coming last in every transatlantic race he has competed in. He said: "I am not competing this year because The Jester is too short to qualify under new boat length rules.

"I am just an invited participant, which means even if I came in first I couldn't win. We usually come last because boats gain speed through size and we are always the smallest vessel.

"Originally I took part because I wanted to navigate but nowadays the modern equipment like GPS makes it so much easier that you don't need navigation skills any more. It's not such a challenge."

Mr Richey, who was born in Eastbourne to military parents, took up racing after leaving the Navy in 1947.

He went on to become president of the Royal Institute of Navigation and has been awarded the Institute's Gold Medal in recognition of his contribution to science. In 1970 he was made an MBE.

He says he never gets bored on the long journeys alone and has had a lot of adventures during his life on the waves.

He said: "I have been given a bottle of champagne to open on my

birthday but I will probably keep it until I am back on land. I am so used to celebrating my birthday at sea because it is in the middle of the sailing season.

"My happiest memory of my voyages so far is when I celebrated my 80th birthday in the Atlantic. The same gentleman who has given me champagne this time gave me a bottle then too.

"I didn't think I would drink it because it would be too warm or too fizzy, but my birthday was a beautiful day with perfect wind and I opened it and drank the health of my family and friends. I got a bit tipsy but it summed up everything that sailing means to me."

But not all his crossings have been so peaceful.

In 1986 he was rescued after getting caught in a storm.

He said: "The mast snapped, the boat was upturned and it was the most unpleasant experience of my life."

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