| Gipsy Moth IV departs Plymouth to Circle the World Again |
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 At 14.30 hrs on Sunday 25th September, Sir Francis Chichester’s famous yacht Gipsy Moth IV will slip her lines and embark on a global voyage that will send young adults on the adventure of a lifetime.As she sails out of Plymouth Sound Gipsy Moth IV will be escorted by a flotilla of craft which are taking to the water to wish the iconic yacht well on her second global voyage. To add to the excitement of the afternoon, the same Gypsy Moth bi-plane that greeted Chichester back in 1967 will fly overhead as the yacht departs. Gipsy Moth IV was sailed around the world by Sir Francis Chichester in 1966-67. He returned from his record breaking voyage a hero and was greeted by 250,000 cheering supporters on Plymouth Hoe on the 28th May 1967. A few days later Chichester sailed Gipsy Moth IV to Greenwich, where he was knighted on the dockside by Her Majesty, the Queen. Gipsy Moth IV was placed in a dry dock at Greenwich, where she could be viewed by the general public. The vessel resided in her concrete tomb for nearly 40 years, deteriorating due to exposure to the elements and London’s pollution, until The Maritime Trust and Paul Gelder of Yachting Monthly approached the United Kingdom Sailing Academy (UKSA) with a proposal to rescue the maritime treasure. In November last year, David Green, CEO of the UK Sailing Academy, paid ‘£1 and a Gin & Tonic’ for the vessel and embarked upon a fundraising mission to restore the yacht to its former glory and sail her around the world on a lap of honour, to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Chichester’s circumnavigation. After gaining the support of over 90 project partners and help from the general public, Gipsy Moth IV has been fully restored, retaining many of the original 1960’s instruments and fittings. In addition to Chichester’s original instruments, Gipsy Moth IV has been kitted out with cleverly concealed state of the art technology which will enable the yacht’s adventures to be viewed by thousands over the internet at www.gipsymoth.org . BT’s backing of the project has been instrumental in bringing the vessel into the 21st century. The company worked with OC Technology, who provide the technical communication systems for record-breaker and UKSA Ambassador Dame Ellen MacArthur, to provide a complete communications solution including an on-board wireless network for the yacht. In association with the UKSA, BT will be facilitating oceanography, weather and climate change data along the route, which will form part of an education programme for the young participants. The first leg of the yacht’s global tour from Plymouth to Gibraltar will be crewed by three young people led by UKSA skipper Richard Baggett. Peter Heggie represents young people from Plymouth, a city with strong links to Chichester’s achievements; he is looking forward to sharing his experiences with his schoolmates when he returns to Plymouth. Joining Peter is Elaine Caldwell from the Isle of Skye. Elaine is 23 years old and is representing Columba 1400, a charity based on the Scottish island. During her teenage years Elaine lived in a homeless hostel in Glasgow and was introduced to the opportunities the charity provides by staff at the hostel. She is now using the skills gained at Columba 1400 to help other young people. Representing the Isle of Wight is Matthew Pakes. Matthew has been inspired by Sir Francis Chichester’s achievements, in particular his aviation adventures, and is currently saving up enough money to be able to take his private pilot licence. Matthew is in awe of The Bay of Biscay, but looking forward to overcoming any challenges that come his way during the voyage. Global Voyage Co-ordinator Dewi Thomas, and Project Founder and Yachting Monthly Editor Paul Gelder complete the crew for the first leg of the global voyage. Gipsy Moth IV will circle the world, providing more than 90 young adults with the opportunity of a lifetime. The yacht will return to Plymouth on the 28th May 2007 to mark the 40th anniversary of Chichester’s record breaking voyage. To follow the Gipsy Moth IV’s progress and /or to make a donation to help fund the voyage places, please visit www.gipsymoth.org Related Items:
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