Month: September 2010

12 METER ERA RE-UNION

GARY JOBSON, DAVID ELWELL,TED TURNER,BILL FICKER,STEVE VAN DYKE
PRESS CONFERENCE AT THE NEWPORT BOAT SHOW
GORDON INGATE

PETER WILSON,STEVE VAN DYKE, GORDON INGATE

UNDER THE TENT AT THE NYYC

The afternoon started with a panel discussion with Bill Ficker, Ted Turner, Steve Van Dyke,Gordon Ingate, David Elwell and Gary Jobson.
    Ted admitted he was drunk for the debrief after the 1977 America’s Cup and apologized to Bill Ficker who had moderated the event.
  Gordon Ingate stole the show with his shirt the read:”Daughters of America, Lock up Your Mothers” and his insistence that the foul between “Gretel II” and “Intrepid” which had been decided in Intrepid’s favor in 1970, was misguided justice and deserved to be reopened. Dev Barker who had been on the Jury in 1970, was in the crowd and stated that the Australians were good sailors but had never learned the racing rules. This discussion continued after the panel disbanded and may unravel the harmony between the United States and Australia.
   The evening continued under a tent, a good thing as the rain did come, with a vengeance.
I saw so many people that I had not seen in such a long time. Don’t misunderstand my words, but this weekend is really not about the sailing; at least not for me.

12 meter era re-union, first night

dinner in the 12 meter yacht club, candy store

max awarding trophies 30 years late

The re-union does not start until tomorrow. Thanks to Ted Turner, some of us who had sailed with him on 12 meters and other boats started early telling the stories that only those of us who were there could confirm or deny.
   Tomorrow night 400 are expected. can’t wait to see everyone.

UNBOLTING THE CUP

intrepid & courageous both two time defenders

unbolting the cup marble house september 1983

Tomorrow is the start of the twelve meter north american championship followed by the 12 meter era re-union.
   We sailed with 11 crew, today the boats are sailed with 17.  I do not remember being overtaxed. The normal rush turning corners.
  I look forward to seeing those I sailed with and against.

Joe Cooper, wishing him good health and good luck

I will l be leaving Hood at the end of October.  Most folks that hear this more or less want to know what might motivate the Crazy Aussie Sailor to branch out….?
What else is out there that could grab all the passion he has for boats and sailing….?
One word
Health (mine and others)
It is a long story but the short version is that I will be partners in a wellness and nutrition club in Middletown.
The products we use in our Club are excellent- It is very high quality nutrition. Short version is basically a nutrition shake as the core product with many other supporting products in the lineup. Net result is excellent nutrition, weight loss, maintenance or gain, as needed.
I have found the products to be excellent when on the road, pressed for time, too knackered to do anything about dinner after a long drive back from somewhere and orders of magnitude preferable to any fast food and most slow food too for that matter.
In terms of easy good nutrition for sailors, on the NEST race I used the shakes in 2 thermos jugs plus the hydrating drinks; I had them in the cockpit tail bags I would just slurp away on them during the 18 hours of the race and in addition to some bars they have too and after NO sleep, I felt great. Tired but just fine, no sugar rush (Snickers or Oreos) headache or coffee jitters or coffee mouth as is normal after an all-nighter…
I have been using the products for 18 months and signed up to be a distributor about a year ago and finely really committed to changing gigs about 6 weeks ago.
In this time I have lost about 15 lbs, about 4 inches of waist (so I am now down to a svelte 240 (yester day went under 240 for the first time in living memory…) from pushing a lumbering 260
I will be operating out of the Club on west main rd., opposite the Hess station/Staples. We are called “The Daily Shake” and we are on the east side of WMR, (you drive past us every time you go to NEB/Hinckley) in the small strip with the China Star Chinese, the Bike Shop, and the ever revolving Verizon shop. Until the end of October I will be here from 0800-1000, then after wards more, regular day time hours 3-4 days a week, particulars to come.
I invite you to come and visit us and see what is going on both in terms of really excellent nutrition in general and especially for sailing..


    I have know Joe Cooper for a long time now. I seldom see him, but I know if he believes in this product it must be good.

IT’S CATAMARANS AND WING SAILS

    As rumored the next America’s Cup will be contended in 72 foot catamarans with solid sails, in 2013. the where will be announced in december.  I would think that it is likely that the venue will be in Europe, Valencia already has the infrastructure, purpose built. If San Francisco does not grab the opportunity to re vitalize the waterfront and attract the Cup it will be a shame.

Carina and the NYYC Cup 1969

  This is a story that was brought back to memory by the thought that Ted Turner has chartered “American Eagle” for the 12 meter re-union in a few days.
  In 1969 racing on “Carina” in Cowes (Carina was part of the American Admiral’s Cup Team) We were racing a non-Admiral’s Cup race the Nab tower race. We did very well; not first, but well placed. We were ahead of “American Eagle” most of the course.
  The following morning motoring out to the start of a race that did count for the team, a launch from the Royal yacht Squadron came along side with a message for Dick Nye.  It was an invitation to the Castle to receive the New York Yacht Club Cup, awarded to the first NYYC boat to finish.  Now, we had done well, however another NYYC boat had finished ahead of us. Dick hastily penned a note indicating such and handed it ti the launch.
    We had to prepare for our race and anyone who has ever sailed a Cowes week knows it is chaotic with so many boats milling about on or near the starting line. The launch comes along side again with the message “you will attend”  Here I must explain that Dick Nye and “Carina” were not only legend in English waters but adored.   They simply preferred to award the trophy to Dick and not to the other skipper. Dick went and was awarded the trophy.

American Eagle behind Carina

Crusade at the Nab

Royal Yacht Squadron

America’s Cup 1986-87 & Hurricane Earl


The Australians returned home with the America’s Cup as heros. The entire country was excited. It was a new game; the parameters of the necessary boats were now different. Heavy air boats were now necessary, very different than those that had been sailed in Newport for so many years. Dennis Connor created an unprecedented organization, five boats each an improvement on the previous. Dennis is rewarded with redemption; returning the Cup to the United States.
I had no more involvement with the cup than any other citizen. Deeply involved in building Lirakis Safety Harness,along with three children,  hardly having time to put my head up.
The twelve meter re-union will be held at Harbour Court September 16-19
It is Labor Day weekend. Hurricane Earl is a memory. What happened to Earl anyway? For one week I had updates from so many sources indicating that Newport was in the target zone. We had hardly any rain and more wind the day after the storm.

The Stamford-Vineyard race will not leave Long Island Sound, being a shortened course.