Yachtsman aims to sail into history

Charity: Brian’svoyage roundBritain will include the ‘top part’ this time

A north-east man will become the second person in a decade to sail around Britain for the RNLI, and the first to do it in a yacht.

Brian Munro will be taking on the challenge in the Lauren Sophia, named after his two daughters, to raise money and to remember his close friend, George Peggy Senior.

The former fisherman, from Fife, had jested about Mr Munro’s previous attempt to navigate round Britain, saying he “missed out the top part” by avoiding Shetland and Orkney.

In 2017, he had attempted to sail around Britain for charity and travelled 2,300 miles – but missed out the Northern Isles.

When Mr Peggy died, Mr Munro couldn’t make his funeral due to work commitments – so now hopes to commemorate his friend and fulfil his goal of truly sailing around the UK.

The former Aberdeen harbour worker, who left his job in January to pursue a career in sailing, hopes to complete the task in less than six weeks.Mr Munro will follow in the wake of Will Hodshon, 42, and Rich Mitchel, 44, who last year completed the fastest UK mainland circumnavigation in an open sailing dinghy to raise funds for the RNLI and Surfers Against Sewage.

He said: “I hope to have fewer problems this time. Last time I went clockwise around Britain, but the engine completely broke and took a month to fix.

“I’m hoping for plain sailing this time – and it will be brilliant to go up around Shetland.

“Hopefully it would make George proud. He was a good friend and helpful when I was learning the ropes of sailing. He had more than 30 years at sea as a fisherman and joked I really hadn’t been around Britain as I had missed the islands. I feel I now have the chance to fulfil my goal properly.”

Mr Munro will start by launching from Aberdour and travelling to Eyemouth before working his way around the UK.

The Kinlochbervie to

Stromness and Stromness to Wick legs promise to be standouts, while his final leg will be from Montrose to the Forth Bridges.

He added: “I’ve learned a lot from the mistakes of last time. It will be difficult and

I don’t take the sea lightly, but my motivation will be George. I want to prove to myself I can do it and prove that to him.”

For more about the adventure or support the fundraising effort, visit sailingaroundbritain.co.uk

SOLO: Brian will be at the helm of the second circumnavigation of Britain for the RNLI, and the first to do it in a yacht