Last year, the sailor circumnavigated the planet in 130 solitary days—part of her effort to draw more women and young people to a sometimes stuffy sport.

He said sailing played an essential part in his recovery both physically and mentally. “When I got injured at 18 I went from being the healthiest I had ever been to being bed bound,” he said.

It will be his first voyage since he sailed solo on a wave-powered boat from Hawaii to Kii Channel in ... In 2005, he completed the same trek sailing east when he was 66 years old.