On this day in 1901, Sir Francis Chichester KBE was born. The British sailor held the record for the fastest circumnavigation at nine months and one day aboard Gypsy Moth IV. After an extensive career as an adventure pilot, including military service in WWII, he began sailing at 52 years old, winning his first solo transatlantic race in 1960. He went on to do many solo passages including the famous circumnavigation detailed in his book Gypsy Moth Circles the World (1967).
