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What Would You Ask Hugo Vihlen About Sailing Father’s Day?

Published May 10, 2025

I, Bernie Harberts, did not use generative AI to write or illustrate this article. Spell check and grammar check, yes. AI, no.

If you could ask Hugo Vihlen, who sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in a 5′ 4″ sailboat one question, what would it be? What would you ask his wife, Johnnie? That exactly the situation I found myself in this weekend.

Bernie Harberts' well-worn copy of Hugo Vihlen's book The Stormy Voyage of Father's Day — My well-worn copy of Hugo’s book *The Stormy Voyage of Father’s Day*. The book is about Hugo’s voyage across the Atlantic Ocean in his boat *Father’s Day* which is shorter than I am tall (I’m 5′ 7″). You can get a copy on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Stormy-Voyage-Fathers-Day/dp/0943400910

Here are a few pics of our time together.

Hugo Vihlen demonstrating the sextant he used to navigate the Atlantic Ocean in 1968 — Hugo Vihlen demonstrating the sextant he used to navigate his 6-foot boat *April Fool* across the Atlantic Ocean using celestial navigation in 1968. Hugo held that record for the smallest sailboat to cross the Atlantic Ocean for 25 years. It was an honor to hold my eye against that historic instrument.

Hugo Vihlen holding a model of his 6-foot boat April Fool — Hugo Vihlen holding a plastic model of his 6-foot-long boat *April Fool* that he sailed from Casablanca to Florida in 1968. It’s actually a piggy bank of of his boat that a bank made for marketing purposes. Hugo says the bank made and handed out 80,000 of them. This is the only one that he knows of that still exists.

Inscription on the transom of Hugo Vihlen's April Fool model reading Realize Your Dream — Realize Your Dream: The inscription on the model’s transom

Hugo Vihlen's boat April Fool sailing the Atlantic Ocean — The *April Fool* in action. Hugo’s book about the journey, *April Fool, or, How I Sailed from Casablanca to Florida in a Six-foot Boat*, covers his 4,000-mile plus journey across the Atlantic Ocean.

Men in Tiny Boats Tackling Oceans

I have always been fascinated by men (and it’s almost exclusively men) who sail across oceans in tiny boats. Small boat sailors like William Albert Andrews, Josiah Lawlor, Bas Jan Ader, John Riding, William Willis, William Dunlap, Jerry Spiess and Robert Manry. The thing is, they’re all dead, either vanished at sea, like Josiah Lawlor, or they ran out the clock ashore, like Robert Manry and Jerry Spiess.

But not Hugo.

Tracking Down Hugo Vihlen

A few months ago, intrigued at what he was up to, I did an online search of Hugo Vihlen. I couldn’t find out much about him, but I found his address. I sent him a letter, not sure he’d ever get it. And sure enough, two months later, my phone rang.

“Hello, this Hugo Vihlen,” the voice. A lump hit my throat, and then I beamed like the sun.

Hugo was still alive and well. He was 93 and living in Cutler Bay, Florida, with his wife, Johnnie. I remember Johnnie well from his books.

I was dumbstruck. I had a chance to interview the last of this breed that sailed across oceans in tiny yachts.

A week later, I found myself on a jet flying from western North Carolina to Miami. Not long after, I was sitting at Hugo and Johnnie Vihlen’s kitchen table learning about his tiny boat voyage. I spent an incredible two days listening to, filming, and recording Hugo’s and Johnnie’s story. Over the course of a Friday and Saturday, I logged more than four hours of audio and film footage for my Travel Grit podcast.

I sure look forward to sharing them with you.

Listen to Hugo’s Story on the Travel Grit Podcast

Listen to the interview with Hugo Vihlen here on Travel Grit.

Who Would You Like to Hear Interviewed on Travel Grit?

Got anyone in mind that would make a great Travel Grit guest? Drop me a line.

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2 Responses to What Would You Ask Hugo Vihlen About Sailing Father’s Day?

Mary darden on July 3, 2025 at 4:21 pm

Bernie

Is the podcast oof your interview w hugo dated may 10? I want to hear it

Reply
- Bernie on July 3, 2025 at 4:31 pm
  
  Hi, Mary,
  Lovely hearing from you.
  I interviewed Hugo the first week of May (2025). We had an amazing chat and I also got some great video footage.
  Our chat will air on the TravelGrit podcast as soon as the podcast is up and running.
  Right now we’re building the TravelGrit.com site which will be home to Hugo’s, and all the other amazing interviews, that I’ve gathered.
  I’ll be sure to let you know when the TravelGrit.com site and podcast goes live.
  Have a great day.
  Bernie
  
  Reply