Another even year, Bermuda Race time again. A new “Charisma” designed for Jessie Phillips by Sparkman&Stephens. Olin always said that Jesse was his favorite client. The Bermuda race turned out to be the worst finish I have ever tallied in my sailing career. a number of factors contributed to that.
Fall 1975
Following Cowes Week aboard “Gitana VI” I raced the Fastnet with “Guia” belonging to Georgio Falk. “Guia” had been built for the previous Admiral’s Cup as “Ginko” a 44 foot Bob Miller/Ben Lexan design. A light fast boat, having scored well in 1973 and had won an inshore race in 1975. Again, a mixed crew of talented Italians and French, and again English was the language on Deck, except when faced with a crisis.

1974-1975 England
In the fall of 1974, We moved to the Isle of Wight, England, where I started work at Souter’s Shipyard, lofting and buildiing cold-moulded boats. The face at the right is of a by-gone era. I skippered a boat, the prototype of the Swan 41, called “Gunfleet of Hamble”, We were vying for a spot on the English Admiral’s Cup team. We practiced, the selection trials were fiercely competitive. Going into the final 200 mile race, we were tied for third with Yeoman, Robin Aisher’s boat. All we had to do was beat them and we were in. we could effectively ignore the other boats. The owner, got nervous and changed three of the crew, who had helped us get here, and listened to an “expert” weather consultant, claiming there would be light air all weekend. we left our heavy air sails ashore along with our steady crew. We did not make the cut.




1974
1974 was both a Bermuda race year and an America’s cup year. I lofted and built “Courageous” US 26, designed by S&S, the last two time defender of the America’s Cup at Minneford’s Yacht Yard, in City Island,NY.The story really started in 1973.
Western Arctic
July 1984 I was invited to go to the Beaufort Sea, the western arctic by boat, a 65 foot motorsailer belonging to John Bockstoce,” Mr. Arctic.” A completely new adventure for me, non racing. Such an interesting group, I read everything I could before I joined the boat.
First Trans-Atlantic race
In 1968 I sailed the Bermuda race and then the trans-atlantic race from Bermuda to Travemunde, West Germany aboard George Moffett’s 48 foot sloop”Guinevere”. A wonderful boat designed by Alan Gurney, probably most famous for “Windward Passage”
tucou
Tucou our dog, is 20 years old, I think he is actually 22, but there is disagreement about that fact. The first photo is the day he was chosen, taken from his siblings. The next is tucou today having been immortalized by my wife of 35 years in metal. Whichever age is correct, he has been such a part of our family.
12 US 22 Intrepid
1978-1979 I sailed aboard Intrepid about 100 days each season. I was the crew boss, responsible for scheduling crew as we were having tryouts. I was also the tactician, and sometime helmsman. additionally I had to make certain the boat was prepared each day.

CARINA
No story about yachting is complete without “Carina” belonging to the Nyes. There is probably no boat in yachting history that won more races. There were several yachts bearing the name, all belonging to the Nye family. The success was a father,son story, complementing each other perfectly.
america’s cup 1977 Independence
Independence US 28, skippered by Ted Hood. I was the bowman, and responsible for the rig. Conceptually the boat was good but simply not as fast as Courageous. We arrived in Newport with a boat that was just not fast enough. A summer filled with anecdotes of the personalities involved. The last summer of real amateur america’s cup sailing. Turner was unstoppable that year, he won every contest he entered.