Tania Aebi facts for kids

Tania Aebi (born October 7, 1966) is an American sailor and writer. She became famous for sailing solo around the world. She completed this amazing journey in a 26-foot sailboat between the ages of 18 and 21. When she finished in 1987, she was the first American woman and, at that time, the youngest person to sail around the globe.

Her record was not fully recognized by Guinness World Records. This was because she sailed through the Panama Canal, which required help from others. She also sailed about eighty miles with a friend in the South Pacific. Even with these challenges, Tania achieved her big goal.

Tania's Big Journey

Tania Aebi did not have much sailing experience when she started her trip. In 1984, when Tania was sixteen, her father bought a boat in the United Kingdom. They sailed it together across the Atlantic Ocean to New York City.

During that year-long trip, Tania learned the basics of sailing. They visited places like Spain, Portugal, Morocco, the Canary Islands, and the Caribbean. They arrived back in New York in 1985.

In May 1985, just before her solo trip, Tania took a course. She learned about celestial navigation, which is how sailors find their way using the stars and sun.

Tania was only eighteen years old when she left on her journey on May 28, 1985. She had almost no sailing or navigation experience on her own. She didn't have a GPS device, because they weren't available for regular people back then. Instead, Tania used a sextant for celestial navigation. She also had a radio direction finder to help her navigate. Her first part of the trip, from New Jersey to Bermuda, was a test run for her boat.

What People Thought

When people heard about Tania's father offering her a trip around the world, some sailors were worried. They thought her father was not careful enough about her safety. Her father responded by saying it was safer to be on the ocean than in some other places.

Her Boat, Varuna

Tania Aebi sailed a Taylor 26 boat, named Varuna, on her solo trip around the world.

Tania started her trip in her sailboat, Varuna, on May 28, 1985. The boat was a Taylor 26, which is a Canadian version of the Contessa 26. It cost about $40,000. Her only other sailing experience was the six-month trip across the Atlantic with her father and siblings.

Varuna was named after a Vedic deity, a god linked to the sky, water, justice, and truth. When Tania arrived back in New York City on November 6, 1987, the news media celebrated her return. Even President Reagan sent her a message. He said she showed great energy and youth to conquer the seas.

Her Route Around the World

In May 1985, Tania sailed away from a New York City dock. She headed for Bermuda in her small boat. After three years of sailing, she returned to New York City in November 1987.

Sponsorship and Support

Tania's journey was partly supported by Cruising World magazine. She wrote articles for them during her trip. After Tania returned from her three-year voyage, Cruising World magazine praised her. They said her success was an example to everyone.

What Tania Did Later

Tania had a cat named Tarzoon who traveled with her for more than half the world. Tarzoon lived for over 20 years. The cat passed away peacefully just before Tania planned a new trip with her two teenage sons in 2008.

Tania and her sons sailed a new steel boat across the Caribbean and South Pacific in 2008. Tania met her ex-husband, Olivier Berner, in Papeete, Tahiti. Olivier and their sons continued the sailing trip from there.

Tania's Books

As an Author

Tania wrote a book about her solo trip called Maiden Voyage. It became a very popular book in the United States in 1989. The book tells a story of a teenager finding herself through adventure. Tania's story is special because she wasn't very prepared for her journey. But she succeeded by using common sense, learning new skills, and having strong determination.

Recent Work

In 2005, Tania published her second book, I've Been Around.

As an Editor

Tania also writes monthly articles for several sailing and cruising magazines.

See Also

• List of youth solo sailing circumnavigations
• List of female explorers and travelers