Yachtsman Tony Gooch, 63, is just days away from Victoria, British Columbia and when he gets there he will have sailed into the record books.

He will be the first person to circumnavigate the world, non-stop and single-handed starting and finishing from the West Coast of North America.

Tony’s boat Taonui was built by Dubbel & Jesse in Norderney, the German Frisian Island in 1988.

She is a 13.3m pilothouse sloop. His previous cruises have included passages to the Antarctic and north to Spitzbergen. He is a member of the Ocean Cruising Club. Details on his boat and his life can be found on his website: www.taonui.com