Eight bells for Japanese sailing legend Minoru Saito

Laura Hodgetts

Japanese sailor and eight-time solo circumnavigator Minoru Saito has died aged 91.

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Minoru Saito made history in 2011 when he became the oldest person, at age 77, to complete a solo circumnavigation of the globe.

The gruelling 1,080-day voyage marked his eighth solo sail around the world and he became known for the catchphrase “never give up”.

Golden Globe Race founder Don McIntyre paid tribute to his close friend.

Japanese sailing legend Minoru Saito and Golden Globe Race founder Don McIntyre

Don McIntyre and Minoru “changed each other’s lives – for the better”. Credit: Don McIntryre

McIntyre said: “Minoru was my close friend. He was an inspiration and not because he was a great sailor, but just because of who he was!

“It is fair to say I changed his life and he changed mine. We met in 1985 when Minoru, wearing a suit and tie was stood on a street corner in Kings Cross Sydney.

“He told me he wanted to buy a boat and take up solo sailing. I helped him buy a car, a boat, a place to stay and his sailing started.

“On Christmas Day 1989 he asked if I could build him a new boat for the 1990 BOC Challenge. I did, Shuten Doji II, a McIntyre 15.2.

“We raced each other in the 1990 BOC and he did two more BOC Challenges and four other solo circumnavigations in that boat, then one ‘the wrong way’ in a steel boat, a total of eight solo circumnavigations.

“We had too much fun together.

“He was a crazy fun guy with a huge heart that nearly gave up in Darwin, while racing in the 1988 two handed Goodman Fielder Bicentennial around Australia race, but he just kept going.

“His heart finally gave up on 8 June. He was 91.

“Sail on Minoru.”

Japanese sailor and eight-time solo circumnavigator Minoru Saito. Credit: Takashi Ichige

A “fondly remembered national hero,” Minoru Saito. Credit: Takashi Ichige

Minoru Saito “sang karaoke while on passage”

Fellow circumnavigator Jeanne Socrates, who became the oldest person to sail solo, nonstop and unassisted around the world via the Southern Ocean’s five Great Capes, said Minoru “will remain a fondly-remembered, national hero.”

She told PBO: “I was in regular contact, from March 2009 onward, with Minoru Saito-San’s team manager, Hunter Brumfield (who passed on my messages to Minoru), during his final, very difficult East to West circumnavigation over 2008-11.

“Minoru had to contend with major problems of all kinds and took a long time to complete as a result.

“When trying to motor westward around Cape Horn in March 2009 against big seas and strong winds, a sheet got wrapped around his prop, compounding a rudder problem he was already facing.

“Being unexpectedly towed a long way to Punta Arenas by a fishing boat, who then claimed salvage rights, resulted in a prolonged, unpleasant stay in wintry Chile, trying to repair his boat.

“When he eventually got away from South America, he was badly delayed by even more big problems (boat, weather and medical) but finally overcame them all to make a triumphant return back to Yokohama in 2011.”

Japanese sailor Minoru Saito's yacht Shuten Dohji III. Credit: Takashi Ichige

Minoru’s yacht Shuten Dohji III. Credit: Takashi Ichige

She added: “We very nearly saw each other face to face while he was visiting Hawaii in 2012 and I was on my way back north to Canada but it didn’t quite work out and my vivid recollection of him is that he much enjoyed singing along to karaoke while on passage, while existing mainly on plain rice with little variety.

“He will remain a fondly-remembered, national hero – eight solo circumnavigations, several in races and one of them nonstop, is quite a feat!”

Japanese sailor Minoru Saito aboard his yacht Shuten Dohji II. Credit: Takashi Ichige

Japanese sailor Minoru Saito aboard his yacht Shuten Dohji II. Credit: Takashi Ichige

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