John Ridgway (sailor)
Encyclopedia
John Ridgway, MBE, is a British yacht
sman and rower.
. In 1966, whilst a Captain in the Parachute Regiment, Ridgway, together with Chay Blyth
, rowed across the North Atlantic in a 20 ft open dory
called English Rose III. They successfully completed this in 92 days. John Ridgway and Chay Blyth saw a 35-foot sea animal around midnight on 25 July 1966, during their journey across the North Atlantic in the English Rose III rowboat. The creature dived and passed underneath their boat, surfacing on the other side.
He entered the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race
in 1968, in an attempt to become the first person to sail single-handed non-stop around the world, but retired from the race in Recife
, Brazil
.
In 1969 he founded the John Ridgway School of Adventure at Ardmore, Sutherland, Scotland
. It is now managed by his daughter, Rebecca.
In 1977-78 he raced the school's 57-foot ketch
, English Rose VI, in the Whitbread Round the World Race.
In 1983/4 Ridgway and Andy Briggs sailed English Rose VI in a non-stop passage round the world, setting (what was then) a 203 day record.
In 2003/4 Ridgway circumnavigated the globe in English Rose VI, in a campaign to highlight the plight of albatrosses.
He served with the Special Air Service
(SAS).
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
sman and rower.
Biography
Ridgway was educated at Pangbourne Nautical College and Royal Military Academy SandhurstRoyal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
. In 1966, whilst a Captain in the Parachute Regiment, Ridgway, together with Chay Blyth
Chay Blyth
Sir Charles Blyth, CBE, BEM , known as Chay Blyth, is a Scottish yachtsman and rower. He was the first person to sail non-stop westwards around the world , on a 59-foot boat called British Steel.- Early life:...
, rowed across the North Atlantic in a 20 ft open dory
Dory
The dory is a small, shallow-draft boat, about long. It is a lightweight and versatile boat with high sides, a flat bottom and sharp bows. They are easy to build because of their simple lines. For centuries, dories have been used as traditional fishing boats, both in coastal waters and in the...
called English Rose III. They successfully completed this in 92 days. John Ridgway and Chay Blyth saw a 35-foot sea animal around midnight on 25 July 1966, during their journey across the North Atlantic in the English Rose III rowboat. The creature dived and passed underneath their boat, surfacing on the other side.
He entered the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race
Sunday Times Golden Globe Race
The Sunday Times Golden Globe Race was a non-stop, single-handed, round-the-world yacht race, held in 1968–1969, and was the first round-the-world yacht race...
in 1968, in an attempt to become the first person to sail single-handed non-stop around the world, but retired from the race in Recife
Recife
Recife is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in Brazil with 4,136,506 inhabitants, the largest metropolitan area of the North/Northeast Regions, the 5th-largest metropolitan influence area in Brazil, and the capital and largest city of the state of Pernambuco. The population of the city proper...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
In 1969 he founded the John Ridgway School of Adventure at Ardmore, Sutherland, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It is now managed by his daughter, Rebecca.
In 1977-78 he raced the school's 57-foot ketch
Ketch
A ketch is a sailing craft with two masts: a main mast, and a shorter mizzen mast abaft of the main mast, but forward of the rudder post. Both masts are rigged mainly fore-and-aft. From one to three jibs may be carried forward of the main mast when going to windward...
, English Rose VI, in the Whitbread Round the World Race.
In 1983/4 Ridgway and Andy Briggs sailed English Rose VI in a non-stop passage round the world, setting (what was then) a 203 day record.
In 2003/4 Ridgway circumnavigated the globe in English Rose VI, in a campaign to highlight the plight of albatrosses.
He served with the Special Air Service
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
(SAS).