It has never crossed legendary sailor Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s mind to retire.

In fact, the Hampshire-based 75-year-old is about to embark on another epic journey by sailing 3,500 miles across the Atlantic on the Route du Rhum.

You’d expect Knox-Johnston, the founder of the Clipper Round the World Race and first ever man to sail solo, non-stop around the planet, to be past the stage of taking on another transatlantic challenge – but his bus pass has gone unclaimed for over decade.

But Sir Robin is as gutsy as ever and is raring to go on the race for a second time, which will see him travel from Saint Malo in France to the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, starting on November 2.

“The boat’s ready, I just want to get going now really,” he said. “We’ve done all the hanging around, lets go sailing!

“I’m looking forward to it, there’s always a bit of apprehension, but there should be when you go to sea – you’ve got to make sure you think of everything.

“I’m ready, let’s get on with it.I am fit, I feel very strong and I am eager to get out there.”

He will be the oldest sailor competing, but that isn’t worrying him.

“Age has nothing to do with it,” he says. “I am fitter than most. I have worked hard to get my boat ready and have been out sailing a lot for practice, including doing the Round the Island Race.

“Racing solo on the ocean is where I feel most at home. The Route du Rhum is a great race to a lovely island. I won’t win but I shall have a lot of fun participating.”

The Route du Rhum is a solo race that takes place every four years and is up there among Sir Robin’s favourite competitions. He last competed in 1982.

“It’s a smashing race,” he said. “There are 91 boats in it this time; it’s a very big field.

“There are 20 boats in my class, it’ll be really good fun.

“Once you get into the trade winds it’s lovely.

“Getting across the Bay of Biscay and the Portuguese coast, you then start picking up the trade winds.

“After that it’s just champagne sailing, except you’re competing,” he laughed.

Knox-Johnston’s boat, the Open 60 Grey Power, has been specially prepared for this race.

“She’s been rewired, had new equipment put on, ropes and sails,” he said. “Just basically anything you can think of to do to a boat really.”

Knox-Johnston rose to fame thanks to his exploits as a solo sailor.

It is his favourite way to sail.

“Racing solo on the ocean is where I feel most at home,” he said. “It’s the freedom, total freedom.

“Once you’re out there you’re your own boss, no one else to worry about.

“It’s just freedom and the sailing is great – it’s lovely.

“I want to get out there, let’s get sailing.”

On the subject of retirement, he said: “Absolutely not, there’s no need to retire.

“I have no fear.”

After the former Navy man took part in the Sydney to Hobart race, he discovered how much he missed ocean sailing.

He returned to Gosport, where Grey Power and the Clipper fleet is kept, and made preparations for the Route du Rhum.

Now he is moments away from a voyage across the Atlantic, but he took a moment to talk about how fond he is of the sailing on the Solent. “I’ve been sailing around these waters for around 45 years,” he said. “It’s a lovely place.

“I love it, it’s a good place to sail, the Solent.”

It is more than 40 years since Knox-Johnston sailed around the world, but has kept himself busy with the Clipper Round the World Race, which he founded in 1996.

The Clipper gives the opportunity to amateur sailors to experience sailing around the globe.