Sunlight breaking through the trees in the New Forest
45 years after becoming the first man to sail solo, non-stop, around the world in 1968/69, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, now aged 75, is the oldest skipper competing in the 3,500 mile transatlantic solo classic Route du Rhum race, starting from St Malo, France, in early November. On Wednesday 22nd October the famous Clipper Round the […]
Legendary Hampshire sailor Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, now 75, celebrates the 45th anniversary of his historic solo circumnavigation of the planet on 22nd April 2013. On that date in 1969 he sailed into Falmouth and into the record books as the first man to circumnavigate the globe non-stop and single-handed in his 32-foot boat Suhaili. He […]
The history of SS Shieldhall, now based at Berth 48, Eastern Docks, Southampton, is well documented. Originally serving as a ‘Clyde Banana Boat’ carrying a cargo of treated sludge, she was sold in 1977 to fulfil a similar role for Southern Water, but was withdrawn in 1985 and laid up pending disposal and possible scrapping. The Southampton University Industrial […]
Sir Ben Ainslie broke the 2013 Round the Island Race record by 16 minutes. He dedicated the win to Olympic sailor and friend Andrew ‘Bart’ Simpson who died recently in a sailing accident. Starting in Cowes, Ainslie and his crew circumnavigated the Isle of Wight in two hours and 52 minutes in the 45ft America’s […]
One of Southampton’s tourist landmarks has just announced its 2013 sailing programme, ahead of a busy year that will mark its 25th anniversary ‘in preservation’. The SS Shieldhall, the largest steamship of her type still operational in Europe, was purchased by charity the Solent Steam Packet Limited in July 1988, and is maintained and manned […]
Mike Golding from Southampton set a new record as he finished the Vendée Globe 2012/2013 race in 6th place. As he came over the finish line in France he became the first person in the 24 year history of the gruelling solo round-the-world race to finish 3 times. The skipper of Gamesa crossed the finish on […]
Hampshire’s Alex Thomson has come third in the world’s toughest sailing challenge – the Vendée Globe solo non-stop, around-the-world race. The sailor from Gosport crossed the finish line at 7.25am in Les Sables d’Olonne, France, on 30th January. He had spent 80 days, 19 hours and 23 minutes at sea. His achievement sent him into […]
