Clare Francis
She traded a corporate career for the open ocean, becoming the first woman to skipper a boat in the grueling Whitbread Round the World Race.
Born 1946 (age 80)·British sailor and novelist·Birthday: April 17·Baby Boomers
Biography
Clare Francis's life reads like two separate, thrilling novels. The first act saw her as a marketing executive in London, but the sea called. In her mid-twenties, she taught herself sailing and soon embarked on audacious solo voyages, including a transatlantic crossing that captured the public's imagination. Her sailing prowess was undeniable; in 1977, she became the first woman to skipper a yacht in the Whitbread Round the World Race, commanding the 38-foot 'ADC Accutrac' and finishing a respectable sixth in her class. This feat made her a household name in Britain. With characteristic verve, she then launched a second act as a novelist, channeling the tension and drama of the sea into bestselling thrillers. Whether navigating a gale or a plot twist, Francis built a legacy on sheer determination, proving that new horizons are always within reach, no matter where you start.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Clare was born in 1946, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Clare Was Born
The biggest hits of 1946
#1 Movie
The Best Years of Our Lives
Best Picture
The Best Years of Our Lives
Clare's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1946Born
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1951Started school
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1959Became a teenager
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Could drive
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1964Could vote
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Turned 21
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1976Turned 30
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 40
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 50
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 60
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 70
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 80
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the first woman to skipper a boat in the Whitbread Round the World Race (now The Ocean Race) in 1977-78.
- Sailed solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 1975, completing the journey in 37 days.
- Served as the first female President of the UK's Ocean Cruising Club.
- Authored multiple bestselling novels and non-fiction books after her sailing career.
Did You Know?
She presented the BBC's coverage of the Whitbread Round the World Race for several years.
Her first solo transatlantic crossing was filmed for a BBC documentary.
She was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to sailing and literature.
Before sailing, she worked in advertising and marketing.
“The ocean doesn't care about your plans; it only respects preparation and resolve.”
