Matt Rutherford

Matthew Rutherford (born 1980) is a sailor, best known for his 2011 solo circumnavigation of the Americas in a recreational sailing yacht.

Circumnavigation of the Americas Rutherford set off from Annapolis, Maryland on 13 June 2011, sailing north from the Chesapeake Bay in the Albin Vega St. Brendan. The route would have taken him about 10,000 nautical miles anti-clockwise around the arctic from late June to October aboard his 42-foot Valiant ketch. Conditions in the East Siberian and Chukchi sea, as well as heavy ice near Wrangel Island were cited as factors by the Russian Northern Sea Route Administration.

After turning around near Ushakov Island in August, he stated his intention to return the following year.

Film and podcast Rutherford's circumnavigation of the Americas was the subject of a documentary film by Amy Flannery, titled "Red Dot on the Ocean: The Matt Rutherford Story" made in 2014. Rutherford's voyage has also been the subject of a series of episodes on The Explorers Podcast, which focuses on voyages of exploration through history, and is hosted by Matt Breen. The first of the three Rutherford episodes was released on 7 Feb 2023.

Awards Matt Rutherford was named the 2021 Young Voyager Award winner by the Cruising Club of America.