Bill Hatfield

Bill attempted a west-about circumnavigation leaving from Southport in 29th August 2015. He was 76 at the time and planned to sail south from Tasmania to Cape Aguhlas South Africa, north of Isla Hierro in the Canaries and around Cape Horn Chile. The yacht 'Katherine Ann' was a sloop rigged Adams 33, 9.9m loa,3.2m beam and 1.7m draft displacing 6 1/2 tonnes fully provisioned and built in 1981. He followed his planned route and passed Cape Horn but met some very strong headwinds at a steady 55 knots. At one stage Bill was washed out of his cockpit but fought his way back on board to find major damage to his rigging. He made his way back to the Falkland Island where he sold the boat and returned to Australia. He is making another attempt.