Chay Blyth
Encyclopedia
Sir Charles Blyth, CBE, BEM
(born 14 May 1940), known as Chay Blyth, is a Scottish
yacht
sman and rower. He was the first person to sail non-stop westwards around the world (1971), on a 59-foot boat called British Steel
.
, Roxburghshire
. He joined the British Army
Parachute Regiment when he was 18 and rose quickly through the ranks to become a Sergeant
at the age of 21.
, rowed across the North Atlantic in a 20 ft open dory
called English Rose III. After successfully completing this in 92 days Blyth was awarded the British Empire Medal
(BEM).
In 1968, with no sailing experience, he competed in the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race
, aboard a 30 ft yacht called Dytiscus retiring just past the Cape of Good Hope
.
In 1971 Blyth became the first person to sail non-stop westwards around the world
, aboard the yacht British Steel
, taking 292 days, and as a result was made a Commander of the British Empire
(CBE).
In 1973, Blyth skippered a crew of paratroopers in the yacht Great Britain II, which took line honours in the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race
, and in 1978 won the Round Britain Race in the yacht Great Britain IV
1981 - Entered the Whitbread race again in the yacht “United Friendly” and was the first British yacht to finish.
1981 – On the yacht “Brittany Ferries GB” won the Two Handed Trans Atlantic Race with Co Skipper Rob James in record time. Came second again in the Round the Island Race (IoW).
1982 – Came second overall and first in class in The Round Britain and Ireland Race on “Brittany Ferries GB”.
1984 – Capsized off Cape Horn aboard the trimaran “Beefeater II” whilst attempting the New York – San Francisco record attempt with Eric Blunn. Rescued by passing fishing boat after 19 hours in the water
He was co-skipper with Richard Branson
on Virgin Atlantic Challenger I and Virgin Atlantic Challenger II in 1985 and 1986 respectively, before founding the Challenge Business to organise the 1992/1993 British Steel Challenge
in 1989. This event allowed novices to sail around the world in a professionally organised race.
The British Steel Challenge was followed by two successive BT Global Challenge
races in 1996/7 and 2000/2001. However, a downturn in the sponsorship market meant that the 2004/2005 Global Challenge race set off without a title sponsor.
In 1997, Blyth was created a Knight Bachelor
by Queen Elizabeth II
for his services to sailing
.
awarded The Companion of Honour to Sir Chay in 2000 for his services to the Profession of Marketing.
Sir Chay is chairman of Inspiring Performance. He also heads the Board of Directors at train company First Great Western
- Greater Western franchise. He is Non Executive Chairman of the franchise which was formed to run the new and enlarged franchise from 1 April 2006. The franchise combines the previous First Great Western, First Great Western Link
and Wessex Trains franchises.
As chairman of Challenge Business, he was the mentor for Dee Caffari
on her successful bid to be the first woman to sail around the world against the prevailing winds and currents in 2005/6.
British Empire Medal
The Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Meritorious Service, usually known as the British Empire Medal , is a British medal awarded for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the Crown...
(born 14 May 1940), known as Chay Blyth, is a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
sman and rower. He was the first person to sail non-stop westwards around the world (1971), on a 59-foot boat called British Steel
British Steel
British Steel was a major British steel producer. It originated as a nationalised industry, the British Steel Corporation , formed in 1967. This was converted to a public limited company, British Steel PLC, and privatised in 1988. It was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index...
.
Early life
Blyth was born in HawickHawick
Hawick is a town in the Scottish Borders of south east Scotland. It is south-west of Jedburgh and south-southeast of Selkirk. It is one of the farthest towns from the sea in Scotland, in the heart of Teviotdale, and the biggest town in the former county of Roxburghshire. Hawick's architecture is...
, Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire or the County of Roxburgh is a registration county of Scotland. It borders Dumfries to the west, Selkirk to the north-west, and Berwick to the north. To the south-east it borders Cumbria and Northumberland in England.It was named after the Royal Burgh of Roxburgh...
. He joined the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
Parachute Regiment when he was 18 and rose quickly through the ranks to become a Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
at the age of 21.
Rowing and sailing career
In 1966, whilst in the Army, Blyth, together with Captain John RidgwayJohn Ridgway (sailor)
John Ridgway, MBE, , is a British yachtsman and rower.-Biography:Ridgway was educated at Pangbourne Nautical College and Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. In 1966, whilst a Captain in the Parachute Regiment, Ridgway, together with Chay Blyth, rowed across the North Atlantic in a 20 ft open...
, rowed across the North Atlantic in a 20 ft open dory
Dory
The dory is a small, shallow-draft boat, about long. It is a lightweight and versatile boat with high sides, a flat bottom and sharp bows. They are easy to build because of their simple lines. For centuries, dories have been used as traditional fishing boats, both in coastal waters and in the...
called English Rose III. After successfully completing this in 92 days Blyth was awarded the British Empire Medal
British Empire Medal
The Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Meritorious Service, usually known as the British Empire Medal , is a British medal awarded for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the Crown...
(BEM).
In 1968, with no sailing experience, he competed in the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race
Sunday Times Golden Globe Race
The Sunday Times Golden Globe Race was a non-stop, single-handed, round-the-world yacht race, held in 1968–1969, and was the first round-the-world yacht race...
, aboard a 30 ft yacht called Dytiscus retiring just past the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
.
In 1971 Blyth became the first person to sail non-stop westwards around the world
Around the world sailing record
The first around the world sailing record was, logically, set by the first person who circumnavigated the world: Juan Sebastián Elcano and the remaining members of Ferdinand Magellan's crew who completed their journey in 1522. The first solo record was set by Joshua Slocum in the Spray .Most races...
, aboard the yacht British Steel
British Steel (yacht)
British Steel is a 59 ft ketch famous for a circumnavigation of the globe "the wrong way" by Sir Chay Blyth in 1970/71.The entire race was completed in in 292 days...
, taking 292 days, and as a result was made a Commander of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(CBE).
In 1973, Blyth skippered a crew of paratroopers in the yacht Great Britain II, which took line honours in the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race
Volvo Ocean Race
The Volvo Ocean Race is a yacht race around the world, held every three years. It is named after its current owner, Volvo...
, and in 1978 won the Round Britain Race in the yacht Great Britain IV
1981 - Entered the Whitbread race again in the yacht “United Friendly” and was the first British yacht to finish.
1981 – On the yacht “Brittany Ferries GB” won the Two Handed Trans Atlantic Race with Co Skipper Rob James in record time. Came second again in the Round the Island Race (IoW).
1982 – Came second overall and first in class in The Round Britain and Ireland Race on “Brittany Ferries GB”.
1984 – Capsized off Cape Horn aboard the trimaran “Beefeater II” whilst attempting the New York – San Francisco record attempt with Eric Blunn. Rescued by passing fishing boat after 19 hours in the water
He was co-skipper with Richard Branson
Richard Branson
Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson is an English business magnate, best known for his Virgin Group of more than 400 companies....
on Virgin Atlantic Challenger I and Virgin Atlantic Challenger II in 1985 and 1986 respectively, before founding the Challenge Business to organise the 1992/1993 British Steel Challenge
Global Challenge
The Global Challenge was a round the world yacht race run by Challenge Business, the company started by Sir Chay Blyth in 1989...
in 1989. This event allowed novices to sail around the world in a professionally organised race.
The British Steel Challenge was followed by two successive BT Global Challenge
Global Challenge
The Global Challenge was a round the world yacht race run by Challenge Business, the company started by Sir Chay Blyth in 1989...
races in 1996/7 and 2000/2001. However, a downturn in the sponsorship market meant that the 2004/2005 Global Challenge race set off without a title sponsor.
In 1997, Blyth was created a Knight Bachelor
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
by Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
for his services to sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
.
Business career
Sir Chay started the company Challenge Business, to operate the Global Challenge Round the World yacht races. The Chartered Institute of MarketingChartered Institute of Marketing
The Chartered Institute of Marketing claims to be the world's largest organisation of professional marketers. It is based in UK with over 40,000 members worldwide. It's headquarters are in Cookham near Maidenhead, CIM offers professional development to marketing practitioners across the world...
awarded The Companion of Honour to Sir Chay in 2000 for his services to the Profession of Marketing.
Sir Chay is chairman of Inspiring Performance. He also heads the Board of Directors at train company First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
- Greater Western franchise. He is Non Executive Chairman of the franchise which was formed to run the new and enlarged franchise from 1 April 2006. The franchise combines the previous First Great Western, First Great Western Link
First Great Western Link
First Great Western Link was a train operating company owned by First Group that provided train services, on a franchise basis, from Paddington Station to destinations such as Greenford, Slough, Reading, Didcot, Oxford, Goring and Streatley, Henley-on-Thames, Newbury, Bedwyn, Hereford, Worcester...
and Wessex Trains franchises.
As chairman of Challenge Business, he was the mentor for Dee Caffari
Dee Caffari
Denise "Dee" Caffari MBE is a British sailor, and in 2006 became the first woman to sail single-handedly and non-stop around the world "the wrong way"; westward against the prevailing winds and currents...
on her successful bid to be the first woman to sail around the world against the prevailing winds and currents in 2005/6.
Achievements and accolades
- The first person to sail non-stop westwards around the world (1971)
- A street has been named after him in his birth town of Hawick. It is known as "Chay Blyth Place".
- Third Place in St Andrews Rectorship Elections 2008
External links
- English Rose III
- Pangbourne CollegePangbourne CollegePangbourne College is a coeducational independent school located in the civil parish of Pangbourne, just South West of the village, in the English County of Berkshire....