sir max atkin – stephenlirakis.com

1969 & 1971 TRANSATLANTICS

I crossed the atlantic twice on “Carina” which was launched in the spring of 1969. A year which was famous for Woodstock and the Moon walk. We huddled around the radio at sea to listen to the Moonwalk broadcast. We races the Fastnet and the US team won the Admiral’s Cup that year; finishing second in 1971.

CARINA

ADMIRAL’S CUP

CARINA, THE EARLY YEARS

A story behind every photo. In fact so many stories

SAILING THROUGH LIFE

This is in response to those who asked:”Who are you?” It is a least a dimension.Boats have always been a part of my life. Naturally interwoven with the story of Newport.

EARLY CARINA YEARS

FASTNET ROCK LOG 1969

BERMUDA RACE 1970

FASTNET ROCK LOG 1969

BERMUDA RACE 1970

DICK CARTER AND DICK NYE WITH THE ADMIRAL'S CUP 1969 — DICK CARTER AND DICK NYE WITH THE ADMIRAL’S CUP 1969

JIM MC CURDY, BODIE RHODES AND FASTNET ROCK

AMERICA WINS THE ADMIRAL'S CUP 1969 — AMERICA WINS THE ADMIRAL’S CUP 1969

No conversation about ocean racing should ignore “Carina” and the Nyes. Their contribution and commitment are an indelible benchmark on the history of sailing. A corinthian crew through and through. The memories and stories are many, for those who sailed on the Carina and those who sailed against the Carina.

For me, it was two transatlantic crossings and two Fastnet races, two Admiral’s Cups sandwiching a Bermuda Race win. The boat was designed at a time of change; the end of the CCA and RORC rating rules and the yet unknown IOR rule. Carina has proved to be a durable design.

EVER CHANGING SHAPE OF SPEED

SHAPES OF SPEED 2

SHAPES OF SPEED

RAGAMUFFIN AT THE NEEDLES

AMERICAN EAGLE REACHING THROUGH THE ANCHORAGE

UFFA FOX AND COWSLIP

DICK CARTER AND RED ROOSTER

THE GRAND PRIZE “THE ADMIRAL’S CUP”

THE NEW BENCHMARK

SPEEDBOAT

VOLVO 70

Every sailor wants a boat that is faster than his opponent. An edge that allows for errors in judgment. The achievement has been interrupted often because of rating rules; which attempt to make unequal boats equal. The disparity has now grown to a point where it is silly. Not that it was ever perfect.

Uffa Fox sitting on the upper balcony of his house in Cowes watching over the boats returning from a day’s racing, worked towards planing hulls, light and strong.

Dick Carter, so well known for fast boats that two of his designs were chosen for Admiral’s Cup teams before they were finished; i.e. untested.

Süd Fischer’s “Ragamuffin” , for me was not only the fastest of her time but the best sailed.

The just finished America’s Cup has changed the paradigm of the search for speed under sail.

CARINA

This weekend at the Indian Harbor Yacht Club will be a reunion of as many “Carina” crew as can be rounded up to recount their memories of sailing on perhaps the most famous boat in ocean racing.

I joined the crew of “Carina” in 1969 quite by chance. I was meant to sail on a different boat for the Trans-Atlantic race that year to Ireland. Plans changed and I was recommended to speak to Dick Nye about the possibility of finding a berth on another boat. He suggested I come for lunch to meet and discuss possibilities.

I had been in an automobile accident during the winter and had broken my leg. The cast was still on as I hitchhiked to New York City from the University Of Rhode Island in the snow for lunch.

I never imagined that Richard would call asking me to join “Carina” and the life-long friends that event would create.