BERMUDA RACE 1970

As I continue to “mine” my papers and photographs, new material comes to light. I have previously written about my “Carina” years and the Nye family. Not enough can be said about their involvement in yachting. Here are copies of the Bermuda newspaper after our win. and a photo of Bodie Rhodes and one of his daughters Robin.

I do not appear in many photos, so this is unusual. I will also mention, if I did not before. We rounded Argus tower ahead of “Ondine”(73 foot Tripp design) boat for boat.

BURT DARRELL

I first met Burt Darrell in 1970 after the Bermuda Race. We had work done at his yard. In the succeeding years I would always visit and help out at the yard, as the finish of a Bermuda Race would push the limits of the usual island time. I looked forward to it, as I was rewarded with many stories of the sailing past. He was a man of enormous understated charm. Often I was invited to lunch at his house, again understated, well hidden from the public. A house he built himself with lumber salvaged from wrecks on the reefs surrounding Bermuda. The House was built of teak.

It was not unusual for someone of note to turn up for lunch as well.

Burt was an accomplished sailor in his own right having won the King Edward VII Gold Cup six times, in addition to his other accomplishments.

Burt would come to Newport for the America’s Cup races. He, like many real sailors wanted to “look under the hood” . It wasn’t the glamor, but the technology that attracted him.
In 1972 a hurricane crossed the fleet on it’s way to Bermuda. We were in need of repair, like so many other boats once we arrived in Bermuda; and were due to sail in the Trans-atlantic race to Spain to boot. I worked furiously at Burt’s yard on our projects, helping haul other boats in between.


HORSEBALL

It became an annual event The “Americans” verses the “French”. Before we left the Pyrenees at the end of the summer there would be a championship game. Our team comprised of my children, myself, and Michel riviere d’arc, who while a true frenchman ( directly descended from Joan of Arc) rounded out the number of our team. Our opponents, rode everyday and competed regularly, and were not about to lose to a pickup team of children and old men. The game was rough with aggressive play. I received a horses head in the jaw; and more than once someone tried to rub me off my horse while dipping for the ball.

Horseball is know as the poor man’s polo. the stirrups are tied together under the horses belly. the reins are knotted. and a soccer ball with six handles is the object of your desire. You must pass the ball between teammates, before attempting to score through a hoop much like that in basketball. Naturally the opposing team tries in any any possible to prevent that from happening.
At the end of the match we all have dinner together.


IT’S ALL CONNECTED

Indeed, it is all connected. I must have met Hoyle and Diane at the Newport Boat Show, I am no longer certain of the date. The show was held on Goat Island. I bought sail number 48 shortly after that.

I ended up driving a Dragon from Miami to San Diego to prepare it for the 1972 Olympics. We spent almost every weekend with Hoyle and Diane in Pacific Palisades, driving from San Diego.
I returned a few times to visit, one of the last was the 1973 “World Championship” in Mission Bay, San Diego. the photos below are from that regatta.
Ted Schweitzer has created a blog retrospective of the early years, it is worth a visit. click on the link.


SAILING SIX METERS


Sailing 6 meter “Madcap” designed by Frederick Hoyt in 1924. Perhaps the smallest 6 meter ever, which entitles her to more sail area than she can handle except in light air.

Today was an odd day the wind never filled from the southwest despite the sun. A southeast breeze pushed the fog into the bay and over the land.
The starting line had been set for SW and when the wind shifted we could not cross the line on starboard tack.
The boat proved to be quick.

BLOCK ISLAND RACE WEEK 2009

Sailing on “Laura-Ann” belonging to Rich duMoulin for Block Island Race Week, re-united me with many old friends and classmates. My first race week since 1967 when I raced with Halsey Herreshoff on “Alerion” built to his design.

The Island was overrun with sailors seeking Mount Gay Rum and wind. Conditions were varied and shifty which kept the race committee and competitors on their toes.
We ended the week in second place in class easily beaten by a sistership “Troubador”, only beating her in the first and last races of the week. I will keep a fond memory of this race week largely as a result of the warm welcome from Rich and his wife Ann.