Yachting Monthly – September 2019

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Legendary skipper Willy Ker, who

sailed his Contessa 32, Assent all

over the world from the high Arctic

to the Antarctic has died aged 94.

Willy, who joined the Royal

Engineers in 1942, learnt to sail after

the Second World War. He studied

engineering before being posted

to Canada to map the west coast. He

retired as a major in 1960, settling on

a farm in Somerset with wife, Veronica.

Willy bought the 1972 Contessa 32,

Assent in 1976. Their partnership lasted

until 2011. Initially, he raced Assent,

competing in the 1977 Fastnet Race

and the 1978 double-handed Round

Britain and Ireland Race. His son,

Alan, skippered Assent in the 1979

Fastnet, the only Class 5 yacht to

finish. But, it was for his cruising

exploits that Willy was best known.

Having refitted Assent in 1980, he

sailed to the Faroe Islands before

circumnavigating Iceland in 1983.

For the 13th time, Hamble Point-

based yacht broker, Inspiration

Marine Group, has been named

Hanse Dealer of the Year.

The accolade is based on customer

service feedback and sales figures,

and was presented to Inspiration’s

director, Phil Dollin, and other team

members at the annual Hanse Group

Dealer Meeting at the boatbuilder’s

headquarters in Greifswald, Germany.

Dollin said the brokerage put

customer service at the heart of its

operations. ‘I would like to thank the

Another win for Inspiration Marine

Pioneering cruiser Willy Ker remembered

RIGHT: Willy Ker

continued sailing

until 2011

BELOW: Willy Ker

and Assent in

Anvers Island on

the Antarctic

Peninsula

Inspiration has been a Hanse dealership for 17 years

many customers who have supported

us over the years and for giving us

such positive feedback,’ he said.

Inspiration Marine Group has been

the UK Hanse Group Dealership since

2002, representing the Hanse,

Dehler, Fjord and Privilege brands.

Willy’s last solo voyage on Assent

was to Greenland in 2011. At the age

of 85, he retired. Assent was put up

for sale and returned to boatbuilders

Jeremy Rogers Limited, having been

bought by Kit and Jessie Rogers.

Paying tribute to Willy, Jessie

said: ‘Assent has such an incredible

history, including the 1979 Fastnet

and the thousands of miles sailed

by Willy in the most challenging

regions on earth. Assent will always

be Willy’s boat and we genuinely

feel that his memory is alive in every

corner of the boat.’

He went on to sail over 100,000 miles

over the next 30 years, cruising the

coasts of Greenland, Iceland, Baffin

Island, the Falklands, Antartica and

Easter Island. A member of the Royal

Cruising Club, he earned the Tilman

Medal in 1987 for sailing into Grise

Fjord, 850 miles from the North Pole.

SEAFARER SAILING SCHOOL

Refresher, pre-flotilla and RYA courses, as well as

the International Certificate of Competence are

now being offered at Seafarer’s new sailing

school at Shamrock Quay in Southampton.

TRIBUTES TO CHRIS BAILEY

Leigh-on-Sea sailor and a founder of the Endeavour

Trust, Chris Bailey has died aged 70 while sailing in

Scotland. He was pivotal in bringing the cockle boat

and Dunkirk Little Ship Endeavour home to Leigh.

FUTURE SECURED FOR JST

The Jubilee Sailing Trust, which gives people with

disabilities the chance to sail the tall ships, STS

Lord Nelson and SV Tenacious, has been saved

from closure after raising over £1 million.

NEWS

The Inspiration team receiving the award