Humphrey Barton was at the time a partner in the design practice (Jack Giles had been able to design the boats but needed someone to sell them). Hum’, as he was affectionately known caught the public’s imagination when he and Kevin O’Riorden set off on the start of their three thousand mile beat to windward.

Since Andrillot various accommodation changes had been made, fittings and details had been improved and in 1946 the straight through coach roof was introduced with the mast stepped on deck. It is a matter of record that Vertue XXXV encountered six gales during that voyage which took the route to the south. In the last, a hurricane, the deck works suffered damage during a knockdown in a freak sea, lessons were learnt and the design was subsequently modified. Despite that fact this single voyage has probably done more for the reputation of the Vertue Class than any other