Ant Steward : Sailing around the world alone in a tiny open boat

Ant Steward circumnavigated the world in 1992 on the tiny open boat called "Zulu Dawn"

but named "NCS Challenger" for the voyage.

In 1992 Anthony (Ant) Steward left Cape Town, SA amid warm farewells from hundreds of people. His goal: to be the first person to circumnavigate in an open boat.

The craft he selected was a Dudley Dix designed TLC 19 open cockpit day sailor.

Ant beefed it up with DIY structural upgrades, foam flotation, and rig and rudder modifications.

He had nowhere to build his boat and talked a friend into letting him do it inside his apartment.

Getting it into and out of the apartment must have been an interesting exercise.

Resin smells and woodwork noises in the early hours eventually led to an enforced removal to Royal Cape Yacht Club, where she spent the last couple of months before launching.

Many expected to never see him again and talked of his foolishness.

He said that if we thought that he was mad we should get to know his mother, then we would know where he got it from.

He had decided that he was sane and the rest of us were crazy for staying behind.

It would have been a crowded boat if we had not.
Tony Stewart lost his charts five days into the journey.
He figured that Columbus and others never had charts so he used a world map and a compass to complete the trip. 

For part of the voyage, Ant had a small video camera aboard.

This is his story...