Electa Johnson

Electa S. "Exy" Johnson (August 17, 1909 in Rochester N.Y. – November 9, 2004) was an American author, lecturer, adventure, and sail training pioneer.

Throughout her life she completed many sailing feats including sailing around the world seven times while training younger sailors.

Electa "Exy" Johnson was born in Rochester, New York on August 17, 1909. She attended Smith College and then University of California, Berkeley. Exy Johnson’s sailing experience started after her years in college when she boarded a schooner set to sail around France. Exy Johnson was fluent in French and German, and also had the ability to communicate in other languages. While aboard the schooner touring France she met her soon to be husband Irving Johnson, who at the time was a crew member aboard the schooner. In 1932 Exy and Irving got married and began their sailing career together.

Exy and Irving Johnson began sailing the world together and teaching young enthusiasts in 1932. From then until 1958, they went on seven tours, three before World War II and four after, all of which circumnavigated the world. Exy and Irving did not sail during the war. Each tour had a new crew of two dozen fresh recruits ready to learn. Each voyage would visit 120 ports of call and crew members paid $4,860 to participate. Each tour lasted about 18 months after which Exy and Irving would take 18 months off. During their breaks, they would work on their books, lecture students, and work on films. The books they wrote are listed below. Also if Exy and Irving had free time during their summer off they would show young girl scouts how to sail by sailing up and down the coast of New England.

Exy and Irving used different types of sailing vessels for training their crew mates. The first ship they had was a 92-foot wooden schooner named Yankee. The next ship they used for training was a 96-foot steel brigantine also named Yankee. Their final ship was a 50-foot ketch named Yankee. This ketch was primarily for their own personal use after their years of training. In her lifetime, Exy sailed further than the distance to the moon.

Exy and Irving had two children, Robert and Arthur. As soon as the boys could walk they boarded ship and began to sail with the family.

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