The Teignmouth Electron

Donald Crowhurst and Teignmouth

Donald Crowhurst and Teignmouth are tied together by one date, 31 October 1968, when he sailed out of the harbour on the last day the race allowed.

This site was built by Local Boom, a web design business in nearby Kingsteignton.

Why Teignmouth

Crowhurst chose Teignmouth as his starting point, and named the boat after the town. A local press agent, Rodney Hallworth, handled his publicity. The departure drew reporters, and the town became part of a story that was covered around the world.

The departure

Crowhurst left on the last possible day, with the boat not fully ready. He was never seen alive again. The full account is on the Donald Crowhurst mystery page.

The story on screen

The Crowhurst story reached a wider audience with the 2018 film The Mercy, directed by James Marsh. Local coverage of the film and the boat included a DevonLive article by Guy Henderson in February 2018.

Learn more in Teignmouth

Teign Heritage, the Teignmouth and Shaldon Museum, is the obvious place to start. Ask what it holds on Crowhurst and the Golden Globe Race before you visit.

Sources

  • Nicholas Tomalin and Ron Hall, The Strange Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst (1970).
  • Peter Nichols, A Voyage for Madmen (2001).
  • Guy Henderson, DevonLive, 5 February 2018.
  • The Mercy (2018), directed by James Marsh.
  • Teign Heritage, Teignmouth and Shaldon Museum.