The guest speaker for our meeting on Tuesday, 25 November, is Ken Gourley OAM. Ken is an experienced sailor who has raced and cruised most of his sailing life.
In 1998, he sailed around the South Pacific with his wife and daughter. In 2000, he and his wife sailed from Australia to South Africa. In 2008, he was named Tasmanian Australian of the Year after sailing solo around the world in record time. The citation for this award said:
“Ken Gourlay dreamed of being the first Tasmanian and the fastest Australian to sail alone, non-stop and unassisted, around the world. With more than 70,000 nautical miles of sailing already behind him, including several Sydney to Hobart races and line honours in a Melbourne to Launceston race, Ken set out in his 42 ft yacht Spirit Silver Edition in November 2006 on his solo quest of circumnavigation. He returned to Launceston in the record time of less than 180 days, just pipping the previous best time set in 2001, and officially became only the sixth Australian to complete the journey under the stringent rules that apply to these feats of courage and perseverance. This makes him the fastest and oldest Australian to circumnavigate the globe. Along the way, he raised more than $100,000 for medical research into eyesight disorders and diseases in children. Ken truly does live his dreams to the full.”
In 2010, he and his wife sailed from Slovenia to Australia, and in 2025, Ken completed his third Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race and his first Melbourne to Osaka, Japan Race.”
Ken is a Life Member of the Tamar Yacht Club, was Commodore from 2004 to 2006, and is currently Vice Commodore. He and his wife founded the Tasmanian Outdoor Life and Caravan Show in 2013. Thirteen years later, they are still running it and have raised over $500,000 for the Club’s junior sailing and youth programs.
In addition to his Australian of the Year award, he was granted a Key to the City of Launceston and awarded a Medal in the Order of Australia in 2024. (Photo 2024: Her Excellency, Governor of Tasmania Barbara Baker AC and Ken Gourley OAM)