[1] In the summer of 1975 in Saint-Malo, France she met her future husband Rob James, who was skippering yachts for Chay Blyth and who had come into port with a charter boat.
[5] Naomi James was made a dame commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1979 in recognition of her achievements,[6] and was named New Zealand 1978 Sailor of the Year.
[9] In 1982, she and her husband Rob James sailed Colt Cars to win the two thousand mile double-handed Round Britain Race.
[13][14] Krystyna Chojnowska-Liskiewicz of Poland was the first woman to sail around the world solo, completing her 401-day voyage (via the Panama Canal) on 21 April 1978, less than two months before James, starting and finishing in the Canary Islands.
[15] James' voyage is notable as she was the first woman to single-handedly sail the clipper route, eastabout and south of the three great capes; and she completed a fast (although not without outside assistance) circumnavigation in just 272 days.