Bill Hatfield becomes oldest man to sail around the world solo, non-stop and unassisted

After four attempts, Bill Hatfield has become the oldest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around the world. Key points: Bill Hatfield takes the mantle from British woman Jeanne Socrates, 77, who completed the journey in September He first attempted the feat in 2015 but rigging damage forced him to abandon near Cape Horn The achievement is all the more impressive considering he sailed west, battling against the prevailing winds and currents The 81-year-old completed his eight-month journey on Saturday morning, sailing into The Spit on the Gold Coast in his 38-foot yacht L'Eau Commotion. Doing it the hard way Nick Halsey, regional rear commodore for north-east Australia, said Mr Hatfield's achievement was particularly remarkable because he sailed west. During his first attempt in 2015, Mr Hatfield was washed overboard and the yacht suffered substantial damage to its rigging, forcing him to abort the journey about 160 kilometres west of Cape Horn. "My daughter has threatened to get the dog onto me if I go sailing straight away, so I'll spend some time here," he said.