Sir Francis Chichester
In 1929 Chichester (1901-1972), an Englishman, learned how to fly
and set off in a Gipsy Moth biplane for Sydney, Australia, becoming the
second man to fly solo from England to Australia. Following WWII he
took up ocean racing and in 1960 took part in the first-ever
single-handed transatlantic race, which he won in 40 days, sailing Gipsy Moth III.
In 1966 he set off single-handed aboard his new yacht Gipsy Moth IV
and sailed around the world returning to Plymouth, the first to
circumnavigate solo with only one stop. Later in the year he was
knighted by Queen Elizabeth using Sir Francis Drake's sword.
His books, including Gipsy Moth Circles the Globe are wonderfully written paeans to the life of offshore sailors.
Gipsy Moth IV resides in a place of honor, next to the clipper ship Cutty Sark in Greenwich, England, a mute tribute to Chichester's indomitable spirit. But, truth be told, he hated the boat. " Gipsy Moth IV
has no sentimental value for me at all. She is cantankerous and
difficult and needs a crew of three - a man to navigate, an elephant to
move the tiller and a 3'6" chimpanzee with arms 8' long to get about
below and work some of the gear".
