The idea has taken a life of its own! We now have an enthusiastic Committee dedicated to the task, and the Centenarians Rally is mooted as a bi-annual October event, taking turns with the Club's well-established Gaffers Day. An approach to the Australian National Maritime Museum saw them seize the opportunity with both hands.

Halvorsen boats hold a special place in the hearts of many Australians. Halvorsens were renowned for their innovative design, quality vessels, and distinctive styling.

My partner is convinced that my demanding mistress has a mind of her own. When told the engine needed removal, she said, “Of course! She wants new Bling; her big birthday is coming up!” After letting that statement settle into its rightful place on the astral plane, I informed her of my horsepower foible. “Safety First,” was the cut through response.

It was Martyr who suggested the present-day course to the Fastnet, of a similar distance to the Bermuda Race – 615 miles. This established a trend in offshore races of that length, spawning the Sydney-Hobart (1945), China Sea Race (1962) Middle Sea Race (1968) and more recently the RORC Caribbean 600 (2009).