Whyte and Mackay Earls Court Boat Show organisers have announced sponsorship of Gipsy Moth IV as a feature attraction of the show in December.

The historic yacht will be a central attraction within Earls Court for the duration of the nine-day event (1-9 December), enabling all visitors to see one of Britain’s great sailing treasures first-hand.

Gipsy Moth IV was commissioned by Sir Francis Chichester to sail single-handedly around the world in an attempt to beat the times set by clipper ships in the 19th Century. The yacht made history sailing around the globe in 1966-67 in 274 days. She was then displayed in Greenwich for many years before she underwent total restoration in 2003. A group led by Yachting Monthly’s Editor Paul Gelder, restored the yacht in order to make a second historic sail around the globe to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the original conquest. She completed her second trip around the world and docked in Plymouth on the 28 May 2007, just as she did exactly 40 years before.

James Brooke, Managing Director, Whyte & Mackay Earls Court Boat Show commented: “We could not be more pleased to announce that a yacht with the history and stature of Gipsy Moth IV will be featured in the Olympic Pool during our show. I am excited for the opportunity our visitors will have to see and interact with a timeless British icon. We are sponsoring this yacht’s presence as a commitment to our visitors to provide interaction on new and historic boats they would not normally have the chance to experience. This is also a way for us to take the boat show out of Earls Court and into the community by offering a wider audience the chance to go sailing on such a treasure.”