28 May 1967

Sir Francis CHICHESTER (GBR) is greeted by a quarter of a million cheering Brits as he sails Gipsy Moth IV into Plymouth, Great Britain, completing his solo circumnavigation with just one stop at the age of 66.

CHICHESTER’s round-the-world voyage caught the imagination of the British public and he was awarded a knighthood on his return. As well as becoming the first person to sail solo around the world with only one stop, CHICHESTER also broke new ground in respect of the massive and enthusiastic coverage his voyage received in the media (he was in regular radio contact to give updates on his progress) and amongst the public at large. Thousands of boats were out on Plymouth Sound to accompany him and Gipsy Moth IV on the final stage of their journey, whilst ashore a huge crowd of 250,000 awaited his arrival.

CHICHESTER was an explorer much in the traditional British-mould of figures like Ernest SCHACKLETON and Robert SCOTT. He emigrated to New Zealand when he was 18, and at first exercised his adventurous spirit in the skies, attempting, but not always completing, several daring flights. After marrying, he returned to Great Britain shortly before the start of the Second World War, although it was until the war’s conclusion that he became a regular sailor.

His offices were based very close to the Royal Ocean Racing Club and soon CHICHESTER was fully integrated into the yachting world. He named his first boat Gipsy Moth II after his earlier airplane, in which he had once unsuccessfully attempted to fly around the world.

On the water, his navigational skills and abilities onboard improved rapidly and as his competitive spirit took hold Gipsy Moth III was commissioned and built. However his health was deteriorating and in 1958 he was diagnosed with lung cancer and given six months to live. The tumour was later found to be benign, and by 1960, CHICHESTER had entered and won the first Observer Singlehanded Transatlantic Race. Eric TABARLY (FRA) beat him in the next OSTAR Race in 1964, by which point CHICHESTER, inspired by research he had been doing into the Australian wool clippers, was already planning an attempt to sail around the world on Gipsy Moth IV.

After four years of preparations, the Camper & Nicholsons built 53-foot Gipsy Moth IV departed Plymouth on 27 August 1966, less than a month before CHICHESTER’s 66th birthday.

Gipsy Moth IV had proved to be a less than ideal boat for the voyage. Her size and massive sails made her extremely difficult for just one person to handle and she was also prone to rocking. But CHICHESTER was undeterred and his resolution unshakable.

After 107 days at sea, CHICHESTER arrived in Sydney on 12 December, completing by far the longest-ever passage by a solo sailor of over 14,000 miles. He was greeted to a hero’s welcome in Sydney, but by 29 January he was back at sea again, this time headed for Cape Horn. He rounded the sailing landmark on 20 March, and a little over two months later he arrived back into Plymouth on 28 May 1967, this time to an even grander reception. The second leg of his voyage had set a new record – 119 days at sea covering 15,500 miles – over double the distance of the previous record for a single-handed passage. He became the first person to single-handedly sail around the world with just one port of call, the accolades and awards tumbled in and CHICHESTER’s place in sailing’s history books was secured.

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