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Sir Robin Knox-Johnson

C

captleasure

New member
Ahoy SSS friends! Tortuga and I have the best excuse for missing the TBF race this year.

I had the amazing opportunity to interview Sir Robin Knox-Johnson for the upcoming documentary about Westsail boats that I've been working on. I met up with him at his Clipper Round the World Race headquarters in Gosport South Hampshire, UK aboard his boat Suhaili.

As most of you probably know, he was the first person to sail around the world non-stop and win the first Golden Globe race in his Atkins designed Suhaili, which is essentially a wooden version of the Westsail 32. He was involved in the early days of Westsail Corp endorsing the design and seaworthiness and helped spread the word. If you haven't read his book "A World of My Own" about that voyage, seek out a copy.
Still taking it all in that I actually got to spend the afternoon with him and Suhaili!
Some pix for your enjoyment:

https://cluster.co/i/EVM2SNE2

Cheers,
Randy
W32 Tortuga

~~~_/)~~~

www.facebook.com/westsailtheworld
#westsailtheworld
 
Around 2001 I was teaching in London and rode the tube down to Greenwich one Saturday. There in the entrance hall was "Suhaili" surrounded by a red velvet rope. And, looking good! The Maritime Museum had mounted a big display of shorthanded sailing in an upstairs hall. But the star was on the main floor. I walked around the boat, then stood and drank in the boat for a few minutes, and when no one was looking, reached across the red rope and "No Touching Sign" and laid my hand on the gunnel. Just for a moment. But the charge went up my arm, down my body, and into my soul. Lucky you. -- Pat
 
Lucky both of you.

The creation of, run up to, running of, and aftermath of the 1968 Golden Globe Race is covered brilliantly in Peter Nichols' 2001 book "A Voyage for Madmen." Highly recommended.
 
Right, he had Suhaili in the Maritime museum in Greenwich for a while but a wooden boat out of the water = deterioration. He did a major refit in the last couple years replacing every fastener w/ new bronze ones. She is in bristol shape now.
 
I was wondering where you were. Wow, what an opportunity.


It is incredible how many interesting stories that first golden globe generated. The book mentioned earlier sparked the documentary "Deep Water" about the race and Crowhurst in particular but there is lots of good stuff about the other participants. In terms of famous (or infamous) boats,

Moitessier's boat is here http://www.museemaritimelarochelle.fr/contenu/,joshua,118

and Crowhurst's boat is here http://panexplore.com/teignmouthelectron/

You mentioned a Westsail documentary, what's the deal on that? When will it be released?
 
Oh shoot! I missed the opportunity to ask you about this last night. Ditto on Mike's questions above...I've love to hear more.
 
Hi Mike - Still working on getting all the interviews done and then the daunting task of editing it all begins! Its just like a project on a boat, its take 5 times longer and costs 10 times as much! :)
 
The current issue of "WoodenBoat" has a feature article on Sir Robin and "SUHAILI" - very nicely done interview with the Knight. Naturally great "WoodenBoat" photos, too.

If you can move from single handing to double handing theres's also a nice article about ""WANDERER III" - in which the Hiscoks made their first circumnavigation in 1952- 1955. And now "Thies Matzen and wife Kicki Ericsson sail together.
 
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