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Skipper
Henry Wootton
About Me
"I am a 35-year-old serving officer in The Rifles, currently commanding a Company in Edinburgh. My professional background is rooted in leadership and resilience, having commissioned from Sandhurst in 2013 and completed operational tours in Afghanistan and Iraq over a twelve-year career.
I grew up in South West England and studied history at the University of St Andrews, where I balanced my academic pursuits with rugby, flying light aircraft and spearfishing. Following my current posting, I hope to transition to the Army’s elite sports programme to represent the British Army competing in Golden Globe Race; aiming to bring the same discipline and grit required in the infantry to the challenges of the Southern Ocean."
My Sailing Story
My journey back to the sea began in 2019 after a twenty-year hiatus. What started as a self-taught return to day trips in Dorset quickly evolved into a 15,000nm odyssey to New Zealand aboard Hippolyta, a refitted 30ft Maxi 95. From surviving 60-knot depressions and knockdowns during a 4,700nm solo leg to Tahiti, to navigating the complexities of the Panama Canal, this voyage confirmed my affinity for the solitude and demands of offshore racing.
For the 2026 Golden Globe Race, I have chosen Privateer, a Cape George 36. After a gruelling 21-day transatlantic delivery, where we survived the remnants of Hurricane Ernesto, she is now undergoing an extensive refit to meet the rigorous safety standards of the race. I am meticulously stripping and strengthening every system—from the mast and rigging to the watertight bulkheads—to ensure that both boat and skipper are prepared for the ultimate test of old-fashioned seamanship.
Cruising my faithful old boat Hippolyta in French Polynesia during our epic voyage from Gosport to New Zealand.
Enjoying some rare good weather on board Privateer, the GGR race boat, during my turbulent passage from Massacheussets back to Scotland. 3200nm in 21 days.
Learning how to deal with being solo offshore, I quickly found that videography and photography were great ways to relieve the solitude and pressure of crossing oceans alone. See the link on the right for my Youtube channel, "Intrepid Hippo" after the name of my first boat Hippolyta. above are a couple of my most successful videos from my New Zealand and cross-Atlantic adventures. I hope to continue making these videos to chronicle my journey to the Golden Globe.
