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Knox-Johnston reunited with compass
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston has been reunited with his binnacle compass, stolen from Suhaili back in 1969, when she was on display in Rochdale, writes Barry Pickthall.
The compass was handed in to a local museum earlier this year by an anonymous woman, thought to be the wife of the thief, who may have died. Sir Robin collected it this month.
Sir Robin said: “The compass, that guided Suhaili back from India and the non-stop around the world, was stolen from her in 1969 when she was on show in Rochdale. The compass and its cover were bought for a few rupees in Bombay back in 1964 and I made the Binnacle from teak. The top is a typical Lifeboat compass from the time. The compass was handed in anonymously to Holyhead Maritime Museum back in April and the curator took the trouble to contact me. We don’t know who handed it in but suspect it was the widow of the thief. I am very grateful to her whoever she is. It needs some TLC. The hinged cover is missing, as is the small oil lantern at the side whose casing has been dislodged but can be fixed. The compass needs oil but I have that. It’s great to be reunited after so many years.”
Double award for Britannia
The Britannia Sailing Trust, responsible for the restoration in Devon of Britannia, a 60ft East Coast smack, recently won two awards at the National Transport Trust’s annual award ceremony. One for the excellence of the project and the Peter Allen award given to the best of the best of this year’s restoration projects.
The Britannia Sailing Trust was discovered in Brixham. She was initially motored down to Gweek and then, for practical reasons, was transported overland to Winkleigh in central Devon.
