Fifty years ago this year, nine sailors set off in the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race. Only one, Robin Knox-Johnston sailing his 32-foot Bermudan ketch Suhaili, finished the race, becoming the first person ever to sail single-handed non-stop around the globe. This June, the race is being recreated in the Golden Globe 2018. 

Unlike other single-handed round-the-world races, such as the Vendee Globe, which is sailed in modern Open 60 sailboats, including many featuring foiled hulls, the boats and the technologies used in the upcoming Golden Globe 2018 will harken back to 1968. From the GGR website: 

As a RETRO Race, for the Golden Globe, generally speaking only equipment that was available to Robin Knox Johnston on Suhaili in 1968 may be used. That means NO GPS, Chart plotters, electronic wind instruments, electric autopilots, electronic log, iPhone, satellite phones, digital cameras, computers, cd players, pocket calculators electronic clocks and watches, water makers, carbon fibre, Kevlar, spectra etc… so it is back to film cameras, cassette tapes, sextants, wind up clocks, trailing logs and Dacron sails, wind vanes and typewriters. 

Each boat will, however, be provided with a  standard Race Pack, including modern satellite communications, tracking devices and GPS in case of emergency.

The boats competing will be between 33 and 36 feet long, not including bowsprits and vanes. They will all be fiberglass with full-length keels with rudders attached to the trailing edge. They also must have a minimum displacement of 6,200 kg. 

To qualify, the solo skippers must have prior ocean sailing experience of at least 8,000 miles and another 2000 miles solo, in any boat, by 1st March 2018.  The number of entrants is limited to 30. Currently, there are 20 provisional skippers ranging in age from 28 to 72, representing 14 countries.