The Sailor Brian Gray
It started at sixteen, with a small boat,
a lot of repairs and a Midwest lake.
From dinghies to bigger yachts, from thousands of solo miles on a Mini 6.50 to more than 30,000 miles in total. Now, at 66, the dream I've had since reading about the solo pioneers in the 1970s is finally on the horizon.
Follow my journey here
Get To KNOW ME
Honestly? A motorcycle. At sixteen I had a fast Suzuki and the brain of a sixteen-year-old boy. After dumping it on gravel for the third time, I figured I'd better quit if I ever wanted to be a dentist with working hands. So I sold it, had some money burning a hole in my pocket, and on the drive home spotted an old 16-foot Snipe sitting in a buddy's driveway with flat tires. It needed a new home. So did my money. Nobody I knew had ever sailed, so I bought every book I could find and taught myself. That's a story in itself!
Where does my love for sailing come from?
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At sixteen I read Dove, about a kid my age who sailed around the world and taught himself to sail, just like me. That was it. I committed to doing it someday. I didn't know why, but I knew I had to. My parents knew, and my wife heard about it back in dental school, as soon as things got serious. Kind of an early prenup! Life, family and work came first, and I even looked at 2017 for a while. Then I followed the 2023 Global Solo Challenge and realized: this is a race for sailors like me, not just the pros.
Why sail around the world, and why alone?
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No podium, no trophy. After a storm, anchored in Admiralty Bay in Bequia, playing Pirate's Dice with my wife and our three kids. That one beats every finish line.
What's my favorite sailing memory?
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What has sailing taught me?
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Preparation, humility, patience, and how to laugh at myself, which comes in handy a lot. Out there you solve problems one step at a time, not with emotions. And you're fully present. Squalls, broken gear, no wind, no visibility: the boat doesn't care what's on your phone. In a world this distracted, I love that.
About my boat Kawan.
My first plan was to race my Pogo 44, but the changes it needed were just too much. So I found Kawan, a Pogo 40S built in France. She's done this before: fifth place in the last Global Solo Challenge. Tough, proven and ready for a second lap. After a refit in Kiel she'll cross the Atlantic, race in the Caribbean, get her final prep in Annapolis and then head back across to Vigo for the start.
What will be the hardest part?
Keeping my focus and sticking to a routine, day after day, alone. And being away from my family, friends and colleagues for months. That one's going to be tough. But hey, if it were easy, everybody would do it.
