Sir Frances Chichester

[Wansworth]

Probably this man did the most to start the sport of short handed ocean racing in modern times,along with Haslar.But wheelbarrowing rubble out of my barn with frequent need to rest puts in to perspective that he was 65 when he followed the tea clipper route round the world and must have had a wadge of energy.

 

[jac]

He did have quite a life. Take my hat off to anyone of any age that can do what he did

 

[Ben9000]

All true, I've just started reading some adventures about Gypsy Moth IV and by this stage it's 1963, some 30 years after his flying escapades as a twenty-something.

I'm up to the part where he has left the Thames for Portsmouth to start his rtw. The boat is leaking like a sieve, there's **** all throughout the cabin which has not yet been stowed, he's violently seasick and terribly hungover. Hid leg is shot to hell from a bad fall on a slippy hatch and he can't sleep for more than an hour and a half at a time due to the pain.

A complete contrast to Eric Hiscock, but I'm looking forward to seeing how things develop in any case.

the asterisk bit was "cr ap", which is not a harsh swear word, so apologies to the mod-machine for any offence!

 

[PlankWalker]

Knox-Johnston last went round in his Open 60 at age 69 I believe.

Plank

 

[snowleopard]

Probably this man did the most to start the sport of short handed ocean racing in modern times,along with Haslar.But wheelbarrowing rubble out of my barn with frequent need to rest puts in to perspective that he was 65 when he followed the tea clipper route round the world and must have had a wadge of energy.

And it turned out that the boat was a complete dog. BTW his name was Francis (and Blondie's name was Hasler)

 

[Robert Wilson]

And didn't he have/was recovering from major cancer too?

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

He didn't like the idea of sponsorship but finances forced it upon him in the end.

One form of sponsorship was his barrel of beer right next to the gimballing easy chair to the side of his nav' desk.

 

[maby]

A friend of ours sailed Gypsy Moth some time ago. Said that was a pig - the collective opinion was that Chichester only really intended to go for a morning sail but decided it was easier to carry on all the way round rather than try to turn the boat round!

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

I think his book is a great read and almost from page one he complained about the boat and had to have alterations done to her in Aus'.

That said she was no slouch either but she did hobby horse a lot. She was designed as a ketch so that it was easier for one man to handle more small sails.

 

[Babylon]

I have nothing but respect for Chichester's tenacity and achievements, but - for reasons I've never been able to work out - I didn't find it easy to warm to his writings.

This is not intended to diminish the great man in the slightest. Maybe I just prefer a different sort of character... a Moitessier or a Rose perhaps.

 

[Clyde_Wanderer]

A great read indeed.
On the subject of these kind of adventures (my favourite reading) I would be greatful of links to any PDF books on this subject, especially personal atw's or longish solo voyages.
TIA.
C_W

 

[Clyde_Wanderer]

Well I guess nobody around here downloads pdf books then.
Will just have to re-read the books I have read.
C_W

 

[maby]

Well I guess nobody around here downloads pdf books then.
Will just have to re-read the books I have read.
C_W

Any books on Chichester will still be under copyright so any downloads will be pirate and you'll probably have to go to a torrent site.

 

[jamesjermain]

And didn't he have/was recovering from major cancer too?
Yes, he had lung cancer which he (read, his wife) was treating homeopathically. Physically he was a very slight and wiry man with a drink problem, a badly injured leg and failing health but he had an iron will and was an exceptional sailor. I won't say any more for fear of spoiling the OPs reading

 

[KevB]

I'm not sure when it was but I have a faint recollection of standing on the bank of the Thames when I was a young lad shouting out his name as he sailed past.

 

[jamesjermain]

I'm not sure when it was but I have a faint recollection of standing on the bank of the Thames when I was a young lad shouting out his name as he sailed past.

Probably when he sailed up the Thames to Greewich steps to receive his knighthood.

 

[KevB]

Probably when he sailed up the Thames to Greewich steps to receive his knighthood.

Quite possibly. I'm from Woolwich so would have be standing in the old Woolwich Dockyard. Just googled the date... 1967. I would have been 3 so very probably my earliest childhood memory.

 

[Seajet]

FC also worked as a gold miner in Australia and ships' stoker to earn his passage in his earlier times, looking at his slight frame this and his sailing achievments has always amazed me.

His book of his early life, flying around the world and just getting into sailing, ' The Lonely Sea And The Sky ' is an all time classic and should be mandatory reading in schools IMO !

Another achievment of his was to invent the bubble sextant, later used by WWII bomber navigators; he was a great sailor but astounding navigator.

 

[maby]

FC also worked as a gold miner in Australia and ships' stoker to earn his passage in his earlier times, looking at his slight frame this and his sailing achievments has always amazed me.

....

He had been very ill by the time he became famous - I'm guessing he was a lot better built when he was doing those very physical jobs.

 

[NormanS]

Many many years since I read them, but my recollection is that Chichester was always moaning, whereas Sir Alec Rose was always so appreciative of everything and everybody.