Jack Earl (Australian sailor)

[7] Prior to World War II Jack Earl and Kathleen spent six years designing and building the ketch 'Kathleen Gillett'.

[2][8] She was built at Gladesville, Sydney by Charlie Larsen in 1939,[9] and moored in both Mosman and Rushcutters Bays during World War II.

[10] 'Kathleen's' crew consisted of Jack Day, Keith Humphries, Lyell (Mick) Morris and Don Angus (navigator).

The circumnavigation took 18 months and covered 26,000 nautical miles and garnered great public interest throughout Australia,[7] helped by regular feature stories in Seacraft magazine.

[7] Earl sold the 'Kathleen Gillett' in 1950, and after many owners and trials, in 1988 the Norwegian government presented the boat to the Australian National Maritime Museum as a bicentennial gift, where it remains in sailing condition.

[14] Earl was awarded an OAM for service to yachting and to marine art in the 1994 Australia Day Honours List.

[15] Earl was awarded the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's Blue Water Medal[11] and was inducted into the CYCA hall of fame in 2019.