Fred Kinmonth RIP

27th November 2025

WM Nixon

The exact re-creation of Conor O'Brien's pioneering 1923-1925 world girdler Saoirse was funded by the late Fred Kinmonth

Afloat very much regrets to record the death of Fred Kinmonth after an illness which prevented him from fully enjoying the fruits of his most remarkable gesture, the funding of the re-creation in Hegarty's Boatyard in West Cork of Conor O'Brien's 42ft global-circumnavigating ketch Saoirse.

His working life was as an increasingly eminent corporate lawyer in Hong Kong, where his competitive sporting spirit and love of sailing came together for club races in RHKYC classes, and in offshore racing where he campaigned boats under the Mandrake name, the most recent being the Mark Mills-designed Mandrake III.

Fred Kinmonth had a long and successful career in Hong Kong

But family connections with West Cork meant much to him. The Conor O'Brien story was especially attractive, and thanks to years of research work by Gary Mac Mahon of Limerick, the technical information was readily available for Liam Hegarty and his craftsmen to fulfill Fred Kinmonth's commission to bring Saoirse vividly back to life.

Our heartfelt condolences are with Fred Kinmonth's family and friends.

The Mark Mills-designed 43ft Mandrake III (Fred Kinmonth) on her way to victory in an offshore race from Hong Kong.

WMN

Published in Historic Boats, West Cork, In Memoriam

Published in Historic Boats

Tagged under

FRED KINMONTH

About The Author

WM Nixon

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William M Nixon has been writing about sailing in Ireland for many years in print and online, and his work has appeared internationally in magazines and books. His own experience ranges from club sailing to international offshore events, and he has cruised extensively under sail, often in his own boats which have ranged in size from an 11ft dinghy to a 35ft cruiser-racer. He has also been involved in the administration of several sailing organisations.

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