In 1968 Sir Robin Knox-Johnston created history when he sailed his 32ft Bermudan Ketch ‘Suhaili’ on a solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the world in the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

This boat is a piece of living history and should enjoy protected status in a similar way that his French competitor, Bernard Moitessier’s boat ‘Joshua’ has in France.

But the rules of the National Register of Historic Vessels that need to be met for inclusion in the National Historic Ships UK register state that Suhaili is 7 inches (18cm) to short to be included.

This 54 year old boat carried the first sailor to circumnavigate the world, single handed and non-stop....if this isn’t a historic boat worth registering I really don’t know what is.

Join me in petitioning Hannah Cunliffe, the Director of National Historic Ships, to make a justifiable exception to the rules and include Suhaili in the register and prove that size really isn’t everything!