Bill Hatfield- oldest man to sail around the world westabout (sailing against the wind) at age 81

Intro hello hello Albin alternate Here I am just outside the South put your club and I am so inspired today I have here in front of me bill Hatfield he is the first and the oldest guy to sail westbound around the world non-stop 30,000 nautical miles around 60,000 kilometers has taken him eight and a half months and he is just now landed on the gold coast of South put your couple have a chat with him now hello bill Oh congratulations what an epic journey you must have so many stories you can share with us and this is your fourth attempt is that great yeah and a few extra starts I started from back here one time and a little breakage down in New South Wales and South from Sydney twice Wow so you broke down twice on on two of the journeys and what happened the third time well then after I got to Cape Horn I got rolled in fairly rough water the boat went upside down and I was thrown into the sea so then I have some grapes hanging around and I pull myself back the board is the boat started to come up right and I found out that the rigging was broken Inspiration Wow and and this time now going against the wind I mean my goodness it's one thing going around the world again actually going against I mean what inspired you to do that look at my form about Katherine and I said I did some sailing and I found out from the investigation that blow boat under 40 foot I've done a west about circumnavigation so I thought I'd try it out in that booth it was okay except for the broke and I sold it and bought this one this one went fairly well until around Cape Horn the rigging has wires here and I was unable to continue oh I tried to continue without using the boom I took the boom Bob and just tried on the headsail but after a nearly a month trying to get against the headwinds around Kate born without a main sail various things happened then the steering failed lost my song panels lost my windmill and I thought I'm steering went so it was time to go back to the forties fixed up the gear sailed back and there was a challenge to complete it amazing without without stopping so what did you actually eat on your journey very basic love porridge I love boiled rice I'm not so keen on spaghetti or flour of pancakes so nicely it was boiled rice dried milk dates tin fish pick powder all dried can nothing would go amazing and he did a little bit of fishing on the way as well enough fish often the flying fish would land on the deck they're very nice to eat you can open pan in the morning and a fishing line out the back and nice fish I'm a Zygons a bit slack but amazing and Challenges to eight and a half months so what are some of the challenges you had on this journey oh it's all fairly straightforward lot of few things like this but you don't need all of those things my DVD right yeah they get a bit of salt water in you're leanin feeling water comes aboard so basically basically I'm shaving shaving laughter they're not quite as Castaway big as Tom Hanks in castaway though we haven't got the big beard Oh have you seen that movie no I haven't had some reason with beards well what it what an epic journey and I heard that you actually went overboard at one point as well is that correct yes yes yes so what happened what happened then and how did you get back a big celebrating style out top going along very fast and noticed suddenly the speed dropped off so look out here's a fire going so I went up to try and put it in and Casey studying meet the babes and round applause anyhow I couldn't do a time went back quickly home / I was pulling the sailing and the wind and they then got onto the sail around my leg and it's a funny thing instead of swimming around in the back yeah good it's one man like that that was it he wasn't as bad as the first time yeah so you occasion everything amazing but Words of wisdom you kept going what an inspiration how resilient you are and what would you say to others who might want to take on a big expedition or may want to take on a big goal in life what are some words of wisdom you can share with those who might be too quick to give up when you've obviously kept going right I don't know I couldn't say to anyone you don't give up I've never had that before something I wanted to do and four years from you years ago I've always sort of wanted to do it as a boy I spent my early childhood on Green Island the age of six and I rode the boat round green island at the age of six and then I took up growing as a school I love that as a challenge I like long distance gliding it's always a challenge every time you you take off you don't know where you're going to land and so you know just something I've always sort of wanted to do well you oh I like I said I had a midlife crisis at the age of 35 at doing my job as a civil engineer ah got a little bike and shout across the Pacific around Cape Horn it's just over you know daughter's just here the lady with the house issues Catherine yes Catherine Ann was born in Fiji you on the way home across the Pacific ah so she's got salt water in her veins Wow and so everybody sort of gone off around the world forty years ago amazing and you live on the Gold Coast normally no I don't know Scabbers Scarborough in Brisbane okay Family okay fantasy and these people have come here today all the way oh just put it back to me for say people have come all the way from Sydney Melbourne have been following bills journey absolutely amazing Gold Coast Brisbane you've got a whole lot of followers bill which is fantastic it's so good and so great to be with the whole family how many children and grandchildren have you got I look at many I see daughters and my grandson function is greater that's him over there with the easies the little one with the hats a little there we go hello Margaret fantastic and he turned Interview 81 you said on January 14 two days before my birthday and Wow and I know being a Capricorn very ambitious very ambitious and then once I set their mind to something they just keep on going so you've obviously got that resilience in you bill and what a great inspiration and you look quite healthy as well you don't look like you've got any Wow well we can't tell looking at you that's amazing you look you look very helpful and how are you feeling now having come home here coming back here fantastic and what's the next challenge for you [Laughter] yes spend some time in the garden fantastic any final words bill done a calculation I'm told I've got seven years always told last year that I had seven years but every time you're gonna get all that they give you another year good calculation twelve mr. Felicia Conclusion fantastic well you're obviously a man of passion and you followed your passion and good on you and congratulations such a great achievement and I know we're all very proud of you here such a big group and I know there's many people here all day since you've been back around twelve o'clock today and this is just some of the people here that are your supporters you've had a been consistent they've been people here and they announce it at the South put your club today to that you were back and everyone cheered for you so congratulations you are a true inspiration and keep up the great work I look forward to following your blog where can we find your blog on ocean locomotion fantastic well done bill thank you so much [Applause] 30,000 nautical miles 60,000 lovely kilometers and well what an amazing man I am so inspired and my dad is actually 82 and he was a civil engineer too so I can see similarities here today very interesting so following around locomotion check him out bill Hatfield and whatever it is that you want to achieve you can do it anything is possible and Bill Hatfield is certainly an example of that thank you so much for watching I hope you've had some inspiration from this today and thank you to South what Yacht Club and to Gold Coast rotary I've actually been with Gold Coast rhetoric today with all right we'll see you again soon enjoy the rest of your Sunday bye for now