Sir Alec Rose (13 July 1908 – 11 January 1991) was a nursery owner and fruit merchant in England who had a passion for amateur single-handed sailing, for which he was ultimately knighted.
Alec Rose was born in Canterbury. During World War II he served in the Royal Navy as a diesel mechanic on a convoy escort, HMS Leith. In 1964, Rose participated in the second single-handed transatlantic race, placing fourth across the line in his 36 foot cutter Lively Lady, originally built of paduak by Mr. Cambridge, the previous owner, in Calcutta.
Rose then modified the boat, including the addition of a mizzenmast, to sail single-handed around the world. He attempted to start this journey at approximately the same time as Francis Chichester sailing Gypsy Moth IV in 1966, but a series of misfortunes delayed Rose's departure until the following year. The journey was closely followed by the British and international press, and culminated in his successful return in Portsmouth on 4 July 1968, 354 days later, to cheering crowds of hundreds of thousands. The following day he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, and nine days later he turned 60 years old. His voyages are detailed in his book "My Lively Lady".
On 17 December 1967, the then Australian Prime Minister, Harold Holt, drove with some friends to Port Phillip Heads, south of Melbourne, to view Rose complete this leg of his voyage. Holt then went for a swim at nearby Cheviot Beach, but the surf was rough, he disappeared from view, and was presumed to have drowned.
In 1977 Sir Alec Rose became the first president of Havant Youth Sail Training Scheme. A scheme based in Langstone, Hampshire designed to make dinghy sailing more accessible to young people.
Sir Alec died aged 82 in 1991.
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