Peter Keightley writes to say that:
” I had an extraordinary coincidental meeting with a skipper in Cowes Yacht Haven last week.His boat was a van de Stadt called Sherpa Bill. After a coffee and chat I discovered he had just purchased it and the previous owner was called Bill Perkes. The name was familiar but I couldn’t remember where I knew it from until he mentioned an Atalanta called Sherpa…….penny dropped.He showed me a book which Bill had written called ‘In the wake of my Heroes’ and the first chapter is about his escapades in Sherpa. His widow Hazel published the book after his death and lived about half a mile away. So, I wandered up the hill and met Hazel and for £15 purchased a copy.She was a mine of information and loads of information on the Atalanta. If any body else would be interested in a copy I have Hazels contact details”
I was interested to read Peter Keightley’s article about Bill Perkes.
Just after I bought Kookaburra in 1973 I saw something about a round Britain race and one of the competitors was an Atalanta.
I wrote to Bill Perkes and eclosed a five pound note in support of his efforts. His wife was very pleased and wrote me a letter of thanks and said she would let me have copies of Bill’s notes that he was sending home at each stop, which she did.
I think it was a smaller version of the Atalanta because I remember he used to row it at times. I know his rudder plate broke somewhere, I think off Scotland. I may still have some of the papers somewhere but they will take a bit of finding.
I would like to have Hazel’s details and buy a copy of the book. It will bring back memories of following his progress.