Lacking a passport, he was unable to obtain a visa and decided to make his own way. He purchased an 18' sailing regatta yacht and sailed single-handed from Australia to Los Angeles starting around 1931. Lacking funds for navigation instruments, he made his own sextant from scrap parts including using a hacksaw blade as a degree scale.
He couldn't secure a visa due to being passport-less and decided to travel independently. He bought an 18' sailing regatta yacht and embarked on a solo journey from Australia to Los Angeles around 1931. Without funds for navigation aids, he crafted his own sextant using discarded components like a hacksaw blade.