Livewire Connections support Mike Perham, the Youngest Person to Sail Around World!

Mike Perham became the youngest person ever to sail round the world on Thursday 27th of August 2009 as he crossed the line between Lizard Point and Ushant in France at 09:47 UTC.

Livewire Connections provided full Inmarsat and Iridium satellite communications for Mike throughout his 9 month odyssey full of technical and navigational challenges. Mike stayed in touch with his father and supporters with stills and video blogs, as well as voice communication for remote technical assistance. Mike reported after returning to Portsmouth:

"Communications were vital to the success of this trip and my sanity. Livewire Connections did a really good job setting up all the comms and were always ready to help."

Repeated autopilot failures put Mike’s record attempt at risk, forcing him to stop for repairs in Portugal, Gran Canaria and Cape Town. After finally overcoming those problems, Mike crossed the Southern Indian Ocean in March, celebrating his 17th birthday enroute, but was forced to stop again in Tasmania and then Aukland after serious rudder problems emerged.

Horrendous weather in the Southern Ocean saw Mike surfing down 50 foot waves in 50 knot winds at speeds up to 28 knots. His vessel was knocked down and damaged forcing Mike to make emergency repairs up the mast and pushing him much farther North than he originally intended.

Mike’s next challenge is to recreate the incredible voyage of the bounty boat crew. This is a 4,000-mile re-enactment 221 years after Capt William Bligh and his supporting crew were forced into an open-boat by the mutineering crew on HMS Bounty and successfully sailed from Tonga to Timor in the Pacific. Livewire Connections looks forward to assisting Mike in the voyage with perhaps slightly more advanced satellite communication equipment than that of Captain Bligh.

For more information about Mike’s challenge visit http://www.totallymoney.com/sailmike/