TWO of Hampshire’s top solo sailors are joining forces in an attempt to smash the record for sailing round Britain and Ireland.

Dee Caffari and Sam Davies will be joined by an all-girl crew for their assault on the 2,500-mile record.

The pair recently set their own records after completing the singlehanded Vendée Globe round the world race – Davies became only the second ever female sailor to complete the race while Caffari became the only woman to sail singlehanded non-stop round the world in both directions.

Sailing on Caffari’s Open 60 yacht Aviva, the team will leave Portsmouth in June on aiming to break the record of seven days and four hours set by Solune in 2004.

The record for an all-female crew – ten days and 16 hours – was set by Davies onboard her yacht Roxy in 2007.

Caffari said: “It’s been over two months since the end of the Vendée Globe, so I am really looking forward to being reunited with Aviva and getting back out on the water.

“Although I haven’t sailed with a crew for a while, I think it will be great to have some company for this record attempt.”

Davies added: ““I can’t wait to get on the water and start chasing down the two records – I already hold the female crew title but I’m more than happy to break that with this team, and hopefully we can claim the outright record in the process.

“Dee and I became good friends during the Vendée Globe and with four other girls onboard Aviva as well I’m sure we won’t be short of conversation.”

Joining Caffari and Davies will be fellow Hampshire offshore sailor Miranda Merron, boat captain Alex Sizer, German Figaro sailor Isabelle Joschke and freelance journalist Johanna Payton.