English: Gypsy Moth IV, Greenwich Gipsy Moth IV is a 54 ft ketch that Sir Francis Chichester commissioned specifically to sail single-handed around the globe, racing against the times set by the clipper ships of the 19th century.

Launched in March 1966, she is 38 ft 6 in (11.8 m) on the waterline and 53 ft (16 m) overall, with a hull constructed of cold-moulded Honduras mahogany. Ketch rigged, she has a sail area of 854 sq ft (79.4 m²), extendable with a spinnaker to over 1,500 sq ft (140 m²).

Gipsy Moth IV is no longer at Greenwich. See links below

http://wwp.greenwich2000.com/info/tourism/gipsymoth.htm

http://www.gipsymoth.org/

Gipsy Moth IV set out from Plymouth on 27 August 1966 with 64-year-old Sir Francis at the helm. This was not uneventful, and Chichester later recalled three moments where he noted that the trip was almost over. The first was when part of the frame holding the wind vane self-steering failed, when still 2,300 miles (3,680 km) from Sydney. Not wanting to put in to Fremantle, Western Australia, Chichester spent three days balancing sails and experimenting with shock-cord lines on the tiller, once again getting the boat to hold a course to enable her to cover 160 miles (256 km) a day.

Gipsy_Moth_IV