Solo sail: Teen with MA ties crossing the Atlantic on his own

MARION, Mass. — A 16-year-old with ties to Massachusetts is on his way to accomplishing the remarkable goal of becoming the youngest person to sail solo across the Atlantic.

Cal Currier left Marion on June 27, headed for Portugal on a 30-foot sailboat purchased for $12,000 from a sailmaker in Mystic, Connecticut.

Solo sail: Teen with MA ties crossing the Atlantic on his own. Video of Cal Currier's departure on June 27 (Family video)

Currier’s family says Cal only recently learned how to sail, and got the idea to make the crossing in January.

His family says Currier took sailing lessons over the spring and fixed up the boat he had purchased at the same time. His family says the money used to buy the boat was earned through a camp Currier had started with his three brothers to teach kids physics, and by getting some sponsorships.

Currier is from Palo Alto, California, but his family spends their summers in Duxbury and Marion.

Currently, Currier is just east of the Azores. You can follow his journey here.

His family says that if Currier arrives on Aug 6, he will have completed the 3,500-mile journey in 37 days when he was 16 years and 249 days old.

The Guinness Book of Records indicates the youngest person to previously sail solo across the Atlantic was David Sandeman of the United Kingdom who accomplished his sail in 1976 at the age of 17.

Currier’s boat, the Argo, is a 30-foot Tartan monohull sailboat made in 1976.

Solo sail: Teen with MA ties crossing the Atlantic on his own (Family video)

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

©2022 Cox Media Group