He Bought a boat in Trinidad and Sailed 4,000 Miles Home Alone after just one hour of test sailing

Meet Gunnar Christensen, GGR 2026 skipper and lifelong sailor, preparing to take on the ultimate solo sailing challenge aboard his Hans Christian 34. In this interview with Don McIntyre, Gunnar Christensen shares his extraordinary sailing life — growing up on the coast of Maine, working on classic yachts, skippering boats from a young age, running maritime operations in Haiti, and eventually buying his GGR boat in Trinidad before sailing it 4,000 miles solo across the Atlantic after just one hour of test sailing. Now based in the UK and supported by a strong RNLI-connected team, Gunnar is refitting his boat for the Golden Globe Race 2026, with a new mast, Hydrovane, hydrogenerator, and a campaign linked to seafarers’ mental health. This is a story of adventure, seamanship, risk, music, community, and rediscovering the love of sailing. #GGR2026 #GoldenGlobeRace #Gunnar #SoloSailing #HansChristian34 #OceanSailing #RNLI #SeafarersMentalHealth #SailingAdventure #DonMcIntyre