Sir Robin Knox-Johnston says he
won’t appeal a decision by National
Historic Ships UK (NHS-UK) to exclude
Suhaili from the National Historic
Ships register. Boats on the register
have to be a minimum of 33ft overall.
Suhaili is seven inches too short.
Sir Robin said that he was ‘not
particularly surprised’ his beloved
Bermudian ketch didn’t meet the
requirements. ‘They have their rules
and Suhaili does not fit within those.
That’s it,’ said Sir Robin, although
he did highlight that the register’s
earlier rules excluded boats built
outside the UK but exceptions
have been made for HMS
Foudroyant and Sir Alec
Rose’s 36ft Lively Lady,
which were both built in India.
‘It’s not for me to decide
whether there should be a
change in the rules and I am
not appealing their decision,’
he stated, adding that he
wouldn’t part with Suhaili
until he crossed ‘the bar’.
Sir Robin won the 1968/
Sunday Times Golden Globe Race on
Suhaili. He loaned her to the National
Maritime Museum in Greenwich
in 1997 but removed her in 2002
because the controlled environment
meant her planking was beginningCheeki Rafi ki manslaughter retrial
Calls for Suhaili to be placed
on National Historic Ships register
Marking the 40th anniversary
of the Golden Globe Race with SuhailiDouglas Innes (pictured), former
director of Stormforce Coaching
Limited, has denied four counts of
manslaughter by gross negligence
at Winchester Crown Court.
Stormforce operated the Beneteau
40.7 Cheeki Rafiki when she capsized
and lost her keel in the Atlantic in May2014 while returning from Antigua
Sailing Week. Skipper Andrew Bridge,
22, from Surrey, James Male, 22, from
Hampshire, Steve Warren, 52 and
Paul Goslin, 56, both from Somerset,
died. Their bodies were never found.
Innes was found guilty of failing to
ensure the safety of the boat in 2017.author Arthur Ransome.
The director of NHS-UK Hannah
Cunliffe said that Suhaili ‘could
potentially’ be recognised through
the National Historic Fleet which
are vessels of ‘pre-eminent national
significance which merit the highest
priority in terms of conservation.’
She said that there are plans to
review the fleet’s composition and,
for the first time, consider adding
vessels from both registers, making
them eligible for small grants for
maintenance and remedial work.
Cunliffe stressed that vessels on
the register don’t have statutory
protection and that NHS-UK can’t
prevent the loss of a boat.
She added that the organisation
was happy to advise Sir Robin on
future options for Suhaili.to shrink. He later spent three years
restoring her.
Suhaili is already on the National
Small Boats Register, which is
maintained by the National Maritime
Museum Cornwall.
Peter Willis from the Nancy Blackett
Trust believes that Suhaili should be
added to the National Historic Ships
register. The trust was turned down
when it applied to register the 27ft
Nancy Blackett, which previously
belonged to Swallows and AmazonsBURWAIN WINS FUNDING THE FUTURE
Burwain Sailing Club hopes to nurture future sailors
after winning £5,000 in Sunsail’s Funding the Future
competition. The Lancashire club plans to buy a fleet
of pre-owned Optimists to encourage children to sail.NAJAD BUYS ARCONA
Swedish boatbuilder Najad now owns Arcona
Yachts. The companies will continue to build under
separate brands but management and administration
moves to Najad’s office in Henån on Orust.TAYPORT BERTHS
Tayport Harbour on Fife is
to become more accessible
to visiting cruising yachts
with upgraded berthing.Katie Collins / PA Archive / PAPeter WillisAndrew Matthews / PAAjax News & Feature Service / Alamy
Sir Robin spent
three years
restoring Suhaili
The 27ft Nancy Blackett is also too short to
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