Sailing schoolboy Mike Perham, 17, whose boat Totallymoney.com is currently docked in Auckland awaiting a new rudder bearing, has told local TV crews he wants to fly round the world solo.

The youngster from Potters Bar, Herts, is attempting to become the youngest circumnavigator, but has been plagued with gear failure. He set out from Falmouth last November originally with the intention of making a non-stop circumnavigation.

He will set sail this week to continue his bid. See the latest issue of Yachting Monthly for an exclusive interview with his father, Peter, who denies he is a svengali-figure in his son’s life.

If Perham goes on to fly round the world solo he will be ‘doing a Chichester’ but in reverse.

Sir Francis Chichester’s bid to become the first man to fly round the world solo came to grief when he crashed after hitting powerlines in Japan. He was more successful with his sailing trip: solo and one-stop around the world in 1966 in Gipsy Moth IV.

Maybe Perham will have better luck in the air.