Jack Earl

Jack Beaumont Earl (1908–1994), was an Australian sailor and noted marine artist. He achieved fame as the captain of the Kathleen Gillett, the second Australian yacht to sail around the world. He was also one of the founders of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.

Early life Jack Beaumont Earl was born in Durban, South Africa, in 1908 before emigrating to Australia in 1911. His childhood was spent on Darnley Island in the Torres Strait where his father was an administrator and schoolteacher. Earl learnt to sail with the Islander children in dugout canoes

In 1933 Earl married the school teacher and author Kathleen Gillett. At the time of his marriage Earl was living on a cabin boat at Rushcutters Bay.

The Kathleen Gillett

Prior to World War II Jack Earl and Kathleen spent six years designing and building the ketch 'Kathleen Gillett'. She was built at Gladesville, Sydney by Charlie Larsen in 1939, and moored in both Mosman and Rushcutters Bays during World War II.

'Kathleen's' crew consisted of Jack Day, Keith Humphries, Lyell (Mick) Morris and Don Angus (navigator). Humphries left the yacht in Queensland due to seasickness, and Will ‘Digger’ Sinclair joined the yacht in Durban. The circumnavigation took 18 months and covered 26,000 nautical miles and garnered great public interest throughout Australia,

Earl painted pictures during the voyage to pay for supplies.

Artist Earl has been described as Australia's leading maritime artist, painting yachts and historical maritime events on commission. He was initially trained in art by his father Frank, whose own father was the highly regarded British artist, George Earl. Jack Earl later studied at the Julian Ashton Art School,

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

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