I was asked recently to deliver a presentation on "Customer Service" which led me to think long and hard on my life experience along with my observations of others delivering a memorable experience. I believe today, the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, Kirribilli NSW are continuing to run some fantastic Youth Sailing Programs.

57 years ago, my grandfather Jim Perry, was the Boatyard Manager at the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, Kirribilli NSW.  Pop Perry (Jim) was a "Shipwright", and was respected in his profession, ensuring customers received the "Royal treatment"!  He grew up at the Spit NSW building yachts, requiring a high level of skill, passion, and grit. Jim Perry worked at the RSYS for 16 years as the Boatyard Manager from 1957 to 1973. From my research, it seems he was somewhere between incredibly humble and an understated genius!

As an employee at the RSYS, 2 golden rules applied.

     1)    Never accept tips from the members.

     2)    Never speak to journalists.

Researching my family heritage has given me a sense of identity, connection and belonging. To serve others has been embedded in me and passed down. I believe this is a timely opportunity to tell a magical story, in an ever-increasing complex world.

I was 8 years old when my grandfather Jim Perry passed, and I remember Dad crying. Watching this was the first time my heart truly broke.  I barely knew Pop Perry as he was a frail and elderly man. I have enjoyed getting to know him in recent years. I am no historian, boatbuilder or designer. I do however, have a true appreciation for all that comes with the ocean. Jims's hardship, passion, and interpretation of designs by others, has inspired me to bring these old stories to life!

The Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron has an incredible history, coming to be in 1862 on the water's edge at Kirribilli NSW. The word "Kirribilli" is derived from an Aboriginal word meaning, "Good fishing spot."  

 The RSYS welcomed high profile employees and members such as Sir Frank Packer and War Heros such as Rhoden Cutler VC and Brian Holmes a Court (RAF WW2) to name a few. The RSYS was the playground for many far above our pay scale and notoriety. The common thread however, was a fierce drive for racing yachts on our beautiful Sydney Harbour and blue water adventures. Members in the 1950's included, T&M Halvorsen, John & Jack Halliday (Yacht Carol J) and Perry built pretty 'Moonya' (B Hall).

On the 12^{th of} December 1966, the RSYS Boatyard Manager, Jim Perry was one of many who welcomed a Mr Francis Chichester at the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, Kirribilli.  Mr Francis Chichester had sailed his 55-foot ketch Gipsy Moth IV into Sydney Harbour, receiving great fanfare and media attention. At this time Mr Francis Chichester was already a 'rockstar' aviator and an accomplished yachtsman. 

Chichester, (1901 to 1972) was born in England. In 1931 at age 30, he fitted a Gipsy Moth biplane with floats and made the first east-west flight across the Tasman Sea from New Zealand to Australia. His plan to circumnavigate the globe by air ended in a crash in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. He was badly injured and miraculously survived. He served in WW2 as an air-navigation expert in England and founded a map-publishing business in London. He took up ocean sailing in 1953 and won the first solo transatlantic race in 1960 in the "Gipsy Moth III," sailing from Plymouth to New York City in 40 days.

I often wonder if adventurers like Mr Chichester suffered from PTSD as I do. Back then, PTSD was not understood and most certainly could have been managed better. Soldiering on and seeking thrills to match the excitement of combat, or distracting themselves on the ocean, may have helped War Veteran's escape their own mind to make fresh new memories and accomplishments. 

In 1966, a then Mr Francis Chichester left Plymouth and sailed solo, 14,100 miles to Sydney in 107 days. Sydney would be the only stop on his solo around the world voyage. After two years of preparation, he was diagnosed with cancer and given 1 month to live. Sailing around the world from Great Britain would take 30 thousand miles. Chichester set off taking the shortest and most dangerous route. He broke this route into two stages of approximately 14.5 thousand miles and 100 days each.

A month after the start, Mr Chichester celebrated his 65th birthday and practically defeated the cancer. After 37 days of sailing across the Atlantic Ocean at 25 degrees South latitude, he changed course to the east. He passed the Cape of Good Hope and headed to Australia through treacherous waters. Whilst crossing the Indian Ocean, the Gipsy Moth IV suffered a broken automatic steering device. Mr Chichester did not meet his pre-planned 100 days, due to poor weather conditions. He arrived in Sydney 7 days later than planned in which he was disappointed. Not wanting to spend much time on land, Mr Chichester recovered physically and tasked my grandfather, Jim Perry, and his Boatyard team to undertake repairs on Gipsy Moth IV. The photos and film depict his arrival causing a flurry of excitement on Sydney Harbour, and at the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, Kirribilli.   

Graeme "Tom" Perry recalls, "I was around 14 years old, and it was the 1966 Christmas School Holidays. I was allowed to accompany my father to the Squadron so I would not be getting up to mischief with my mates. I think I was in about second form at Balgowlah Boys High, and I had been going to work with Dad in the holidays for ages. The RSYS was a great place for a kid, there was plenty of lawn along with some big winches to drive. I helped Dad slip the yachts and I had freedom to row boats and drive the tenders."

"At 14, I was driving the tenders and later apprenticed there as a Shipwright under the guidance of my father Jim PERRY. Memorable tasks included escorting Sir Roden Cutler VC to his yacht which was moored off the RSYS. It was a sloop for memory and he seemed to be a nice guy. Sir Roden Cutler VC had lost a leg and asked me to assist him onto his yacht from our tender.  With him on board the RSYS tender, I pulled up in line with the shrouds to allow him to put his good leg onto the toe rail. I helped him hang onto the shrouds, whilst he swung his tin leg, up and over the lifelines. I left him to muck around on his yacht. I also remember escorting Sir Frank Packer to his yacht as a kid. Packer was "all business" and sailed in the 8m fleet. These yachts fitted the 8 m rule, which had a single mast they all looked very similar. Friendly rivalry took place at the Squadron on the water on Wednesdays and weekends."  

 "The first I saw of Mr Chichester was when he entered Sydney Harbour on his yacht called the Gipsy Moth IV. I first saw him sail around Bradleys Head and the Harbour was covered in craft of all shapes and sizes. Mr Chichester was escorted and berthed the Gipsy Moth IV at the RSYS. He looked very tired and made off the foredeck cleat in preparation to come ashore. A male reporter boarded the Gipsy Moth IV with a microphone demanding the first interview. Mr Chichester said, "GET OFF MY VESSEL!" I was told later that Mr Packer was unimpressed and this reporter who was seeking new employment soon after this incident. 

Mr Chichester was escorted to the Clubhouse, then to his accommodation to have a good rest." 

"I watched Gipsy Moth IV being taken from the water in a cradle that was lowered down the slipway rails. I recall Dad standing up near the winch watching the proceedings. She was winched up the slipway and moved to a permanent, hard stand lot so that work could commence. She was dirty when she arrived and was antifouled. For memory she was antifouled with British paints "Little ship copper" which was an orangey red in colour. Works commenced on many areas of the vessel in preparation for his Sydney-to-Plymouth leg home.

Mr Chichester personally recalls (Gipsy Moth Circles the World) of his time at the RSYS by saying,

"I don't think it would be possible anywhere to find people more generously friendly than the Sydneyites, and particularly the Sydney Yacht Squadron. This Club had its own boatyard, with Shipwrights, joiners

Both Hood and Payne expressed concerns surrounding the shape of her hull and design of the Gipsy Moth IV. Their concerns surrounded her ability to survive a capsize and roll over.

Grahame "Tom" Perry notes, "Again, a combination of expertise and collaboration flowed between Hood, Payne and Dad.  Dad got to work adding a steel extension to fill the gap between the lowest part of the keel and the heel of the rudder. Warrick Hood checked her rigging to ensure the loads on the mainmast shrouds were changed. This was done to reduce the compression on the middle of the mast if the boat capsized." 

Mr David Payne, nephew of Alan Payne (and Historic Curator of the Australian Maritime Museum) recalls, "I can remember as a 10-year-old kid standing on the skids outside the dinghy shed with the family at the RSYS with Gipsy Moth IV in the water opposite, probably getting ready to depart that day for the 2^nd half of his amazing voyage. My understanding of the changes Jim and his team did was that Chichester asked Alan and Warwick to come for a sail and to improve the yachts problems. I think Warwick did most of the design / drafting work for the changes and I think Alans practice was dormant at the time.  I think it was around the period he was working as an Engineer for Russell Slade. Jim would have had plenty to do as well. I expect he also went over the yacht and like a good surveyor would do, he noted all the problems and set about fixing them as best possible. The Gipsy Moth IV eventually sailed out of Sydney vastly improved from when she left England and probably arrived back still in better shape than when she left".

 Mr Chichester accounted, "Jim Perry, the Yard Manager, who was an excellent shipwright and joiner, made great efforts to staunch the deck leaks. He fitted quarter beading all around the doghouse, where it joined the deck, and stopped every leak there, except one. He made a big effort to staunch the leaks all along the edge of the deck by using a caulking of expanding rubber, which cut down to number of leaks considerably, but they were due to basic faults in the design or construction, and it was an impossible task. He tackled the hatch over the companionway from the cockpit, which used to sluice me frequently if I was working at the galley when seas were sweeping the deck. He improved it greatly, but I still got a douche of seawater down my neck when a sea landed on top of the hatch."    

 Grahame 'Tom' Perry recalls, "Dad rebuilt the wind vein steering. Dad told Chichester that he did not want any mention as it was against the rules of the RSYS in Sydney. He looked at the keel and said, "That's wrong," as the boat would not track in a straight line going downwind.  They altered the keels design that improved her down wind sailing. Chichester would come down most days. He had gotten over the trials and tribulation of the voyage for a young man would be a huge task. It became routine on Friday afternoons at knock off time for dad and Mr Chichester to go up and into the Gipsy Moth IV. Mr Chichester put the kettle on the metho gimbled stove and make a nice cup of tea. It was a nice thing to do and the work on the vessel was discussed at length. I know this, because on several occasions at the end of the day, I wanted to get home so I could be with my mates being a 14-year-old. On the chosen day, which ever it may be, I would have to go on to this yacht and have a cuppa tea with Dad and Mr Chichester. I didn't really like tea, and Dad later spoke of Mr Chichester as being a true English gentleman." 

New "Barlow" winches were fitted. "Jim Mason made two stainless steel plates for the steering oar to replace those which has snapped in half and strengthened them. Jim Perry repaired the wind vane itself, and as a result this was also heavier.   To try and overcome the disadvantage which must result from the increased weight, namely that it would require more than before to move it, we fitted a heavier lead counterpoise."

Many expressed concerns with the risk surrounding the return voyage including Captain Alan Villiers on Sun January 12, 1967. "I beg Chichester not to attempt it. The outward trip he has made is simple compared with this one. That yacht may suddenly be lifted on boiling seas and rushed headlong towards the Horn. The winds shift as if they are being controlled by some demon." Chichester responded by saying, "No matter what anyone says anywhere, I am sailing as soon as I can.

 I wish they would pipe down and let me get on with the job." 

Mr Chichester had recouped in Sydney for six weeks and arrived back in Plymouth on May 28, 1967, having set the new around-the-world solo record of 274 days. His Sydney-to-Plymouth leg, at 119 days, was the longest ever by a yacht of its class without stopping at a port of call. Mr Chichester was greeted by Royal Navy Vessels and private craft escorting the Gypsy Moth 1V towards Plymouth on May 28. He inspired a nation, and upon entering Plymouth Sound, he was honoured with a Royal Artillery 10 Gun Salute. On his homecoming to London, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his achievement, in an open-air ceremony at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. Hundreds of thousands of people lined the shores and were singing and cheering with excitement. 

Grahame 'Tom' Perry recalls, "We heard about his return through updates of his voyage on the news, and we were greatly relieved when he managed to get that boat back home. I remember watching him walk, accompanying Queen Elizabeth with just the two of them having a chat.

She asked him to kneel before her and proceeded to use Sir Francis Drakes sword.

Queen Elizabeth II tapped him on either shoulder and proclaimed that he should, "Arise Sir Francis."  

For more information on the yacht see Gipsy Moth IV