After 90 days and 7,506 miles at sea, Craig Wood has completed his record-breaking voyage across the Pacific Ocean.

The 33-year-old former Army rifleman from Doncaster will potentially be earning two Guinness World Records titles:

• First solo ocean crossing by a triple amputee.
• First solo Pacific Ocean crossing by a triple amputee.

Wood, who set off from Puerto Vallarta in Mexico on 25 March at 1645 UK time aboard his 41ft Galileo catamaran, arrived at Hiroshima, Japan, yesterday (24 June) at 0100 (BST).

His average speed was 3.6 knots. After breaking his prosthetic arm during the three-month voyage, Wood had to sail one-handed.

“I’m exhausted – but so proud to complete an expedition that many thought impossible,” said Wood from the finishing line.

“It has tested me and my boat, Sirius II, almost to the limit, but I tried to stay in the moment, focus on my goal and the thought of seeing my wife and children at the end spurred me on.

“We are expecting our third child so I am so excited to get back to them all and start this new chapter together.

“It is incredible to think that I am the first triple amputee in history to sail solo and unsupported across the Pacific, but I’m incredibly proud and want to be an example to anyone else living as an amputee that you can achieve any goal you set out to – there are no limits.”

Craig at the finish of his Pacific Ocean voyage in Hiroshima, Japan aboard his 41ft Galileo catamaran. Credit: GD Media

Challenges on board

Wood battled unpredictable weather; sleep deprivation and isolation – all while managing the additional challenges associated with his injuries.

He also experienced several issues with his multihull, including one of his engines – which he planned to use to enter the port at the finish – seizing up; patching sails including the jib, gennaker and main sail; replumbing his shower and creating a homemade dipole half-wave AIS antenna, when his previous antenna failed.

Wood told PBO: “The boom came off the gooseneck but after a bit of a struggle, I got it back on and fixed.

“My only remaining engine – since the starboard one seized – also started to overheat so I had to change the faulty thermostat.”

Craig broke his prosthetic arm during the 90-day voyage, leaving him sailing one-handed. Credit: GD Media

Yet he still found time to mentor a friend who recently bought a boat; cultivated a tomato plant and made pies, pizza and bread for burgers, from scratch and one handed.

“It’s been anything but straight forward,” added Wood.

“Recently I broke my prosthetic arm leaving me one-handed which is nothing I haven’t had to deal with previously but it has made things a bit more difficult while sailing.

“However, I’ve actually found the whole thing to be a spiritual experience that has made me even more appreciative of the life I have been able to create for myself after everything that happened to me.

“It’s still my hope that by achieving this world record I can change the perception of disability, and show how sailing can transform the lives of those affected by trauma.

“It’s also been a chance for me to raise awareness and money for the two amazing charities who were there for me during my rehabilitation and recovery.

Craig Wood with his wife Renate and two young children – another is on the way!

Last week on his ‘Craig Wood Sails‘ Facebook page, Wood said he had also been preparing himself for the shock of not being isolated.

He said: “I’m bracing for a different kind of hurdle: getting used to being around people again.

“After 80-plus days completely by myself, the thought of constant interaction and having others in my space feels like it will be emotionally intense.

“Still, this entire endeavour was driven by a powerful mission: to change the narrative around disability and to raise vital funds and awareness for Blesma, The Limbless Veterans – https://givestar.io/gs/mexico–japan-solo-sail-world-record – and with that goal firmly in mind, I’m preparing myself for all that awaits.

“Above all, I’m thrilled at the prospect of finally being with my family and having my wife and kids back in my arms.”

What happened to Craig Wood?

Craig Wood lost both legs and his left hand during his first tour of Afghanistan as a rifleman in the British Army, when an improvised explosive device (IED) blast was triggered during a routine patrol. Credit: Craig Wood

Aged 18, Wood lost both legs and his left hand during a routine patrol with 2nd Battalion, The Rifles, in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, when an improvised explosive device (IED) blast was triggered on 30 July, 2009.

He also suffered two collapsed lungs, lost 27 pints of blood and his face was ravaged by shrapnel.

Wood said: “At 18, just months into my first Afghanistan tour, an IED changed everything. I lost both legs, my left hand, and almost my life.

“But my service didn’t end there. Recovery became my new, relentless mission.

“Years later, I found profound purpose back on the water, reigniting a passion for sailing my dad taught me. What began as rehab has become my way of life.”

Credit: Craig Wood Sails

It took eight months for Wood to learn to walk again and four-and-a-half years of rehabilitation work at the dedicated Headley Court facility in Surrey to improve his quality of life.

His recovery was long, slow and painful – with more than 20 operations over four years.

Sailing aided Wood’s rehabilitation, and now he and his wife Renate, son Amaru aged 3 and daughter Madeira, aged 2, live aboard Sirius II, and embrace the nomadic lifestyle for much of the year.

Fundraising target

Craig at the finish of his Pacific Ocean voyage in Hiroshima, Japan aboard his 41ft Galileo catamaran. Credit: GD Media

Credit: GD Media

Wood is the world’s first triple amputee to achieve Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Yachtmaster status.  His previous longest solo voyage was 1,200 miles and 10 days.

He described sighting land for the first time on day 75, when he spotted two islands 800 miles off the coast of Japan, as “amazing” and “just beautiful”.

Wood has so far raised more than £5,100 of a £50,000 fundraising target for limbless veterans charity Blesma and sail training charity Turn to Starboard, two charities close to his heart.

Supporting his history-making voyage are his partners Team Forces, Boxxe, Collins Aerospace, Ottobock and Palo Alto.

Major General Lamont Kirkland, chief executive officer for Team Forces, added: “Craig is a phenomenal person. His willpower, determination and ability to stay calm in a crisis make him an inspiration. It’s been a privilege to support him.”

Adam Millward, managing editor of Guinness World Records said: “Always keen to expand our roster of adaptive-adventure records, we were excited to hear about Craig’s unprecedented Pacific crossing last year and have been eagerly keeping tabs on his progress since.

“It’s a pleasure to see Craig make it safely to his final destination, and we look forward to reviewing the journey logs to officially confirm his entry into the record books.”

To support Wood’s efforts, visit his givestar fundraising page.

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