Flight of the Fantasist: The Race Around the World - Part 2

Donald Crowhurst is a brilliant inventor with a failing business. When he hears about the Golden Globe Race offering publicity and cash to the fastest to sail around the world, it feels like the perfect solution. Betting his business and his home on success, Crowhurst sets off in a high-tech trimaran. Soon, the brutal Southern Ocean starts to look too much for his boat. Alone at sea, under mounting pressure, Crowhurst has a bold idea. If he radios in the right coordinates, no one needs to know he's not where he claims to be. WARNING: This episode discusses death by suicide. If you are suffering emotional distress or having suicidal thoughts, support is available - for example, from the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US, or the Samaritans in the UK on 116 123. For a full list of show notes, see timharford.com .

You can listen to Flight of the Fantasist: The Race Around the World - Part 2 online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Flight of the Fantasist: The Race Around the World - Part 2 is an episode from Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford by Pushkin Industries.

This episode is 41:21 long.

This episode was published on Feb 27, 2026.

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