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Classic Yacht Back On The Solent - Isle Of Wight County Press
Friday 4th May 2007
Skipper Robert Hickman and First Mate Annette Corder on board Halcyon
This article was published in the Isle Of Wight County Press on Friday May 4th 2007
The beautifully restored classic yacht Halcyon of Southampton graced the Solent last weekend.
Her £1million makeover at T.Nielsen’s shipyard, in Gloucester Docks, was overseen by her skipper, Robert Hickman of Cowes.
He, along with Annette Corder, also from Cowes, were recruited to run the yacht by owner, Andrew Armour, from Oxfordshire.
Halcyon was built in Southampton for a Lancashire Industrialist in 1929.
Later she was used by Warsash School of Navigation for around 32 years, training merchant Navy cadets, many of whom went on to be masters of their own vessels.
Following her year-long restoration Halcyon was re-launched in December and Robert and his crew sailed her to Cowes for Christmas. In the New Yea, they went on to St Katharines Dock, London, for a series of corporate engagements on board.
“Its amazing how much interest Halcyon has generated already and we were visited by many people in London, including some Warsash cadets, who had trained on her,” said Robert.
“One thing that everyone had in common was a smile on their faces and an experience to remember. It has been an exciting project for me to be involved in and we are looking forward to the start of our season.”
In July she will be in Norway before returning to Cowes for Skandia Cowes Week, where she will be seen sailing every day, entertaining corporate guests on board while watching the races.