Tags:
Club President, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, addressed the first of the Club’s City Luncheons on 29 February 2008.
Sir Robin talked to 100 members and guests about his world-beating experiences as a lone sailor in The Sunday Times Golden Globe in 1968-69 and in the Velux 5 Oceans in 2006-07.
He mimicked, with entertaining accuracy, the accents and dire warnings of seamen the world over, each of whom was convinced that their own home waters were the most dangerous he was ever likely to encounter.
Commenting on the dependability of his sparse 1968 kit compared with that available to him 40 years later, Sir Robin emerged as a supporter of 2007 technology “when it works”. Younger British skippers had been ahead of Sir Robin’s SAGA Insurance early in the race, but, unlike the Club’s 69 year-old President, they did not finish.
The City Luncheon raised £5,000 towards the City of London III Appeal for £1 million towards the cost of a new Tamar Class All-Weather Lifeboat to be based at Sennen Cove in Cornwall. This will be the third lifeboat to be funded by those living and working in the City of London. The LSC raised £20,000 for the same appeal in 2005/6 with its Round Britain Baton Relay'to commemorate the Club's 80th anniversary.