Category: 12 meter class

BOBBY CONNELL “PASSES THE BAR”

Word just arrived from my old friend Dick Enersen, that shipmate Bob Connell has “crossed over the bar”. Bob, I believe had sailed on 5 america’s cup defenders, all in the 12 meter era. I had sailed with Bob on 12 meters, and I don’t know how many offshore races on I don’t know how many different boats over the years. In the Mediterranean, Cowes, Admiral’s Cup, SORC, so many I don’t remember them all. Thankfully the 12 meter America’s Cup re-union took place in September 2010. Where shipmates could find each other once again.

Bobby was aboard the power boat that set the record between Miami and New York. A record that might still stand because no one wants to be that uncomfortable for that long.  I am not sure his back was ever right again, after that.

 

RACE, BUT NO RACE

The wind never appeared for the final day of racing for the 12 meter north american championships. That meant that the 12’s could not race, but the power boats could. Victory ’83 beat Courageous by one point in six races. I had stated earlier this was the only real race. Sorry to the others.

I am have often teased about big boats, like Rambler 100 having horsepower; it is seldom I see a boat with 1200 horsepower, in outboards!

12 METER NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS 2011

It is the first official day of  Fall, and the first race of the first day of the 12 meter north american championships. 10 boats in three classes. The real regatta will be the match racing between Victory “83 (K 22) and Courageous (US 26) I would give Victory an edge upwind and Courageous the edge downwind. I expect that unless one or the other catches a wind shift, the two boats will never be more than a few boat lengths apart.

12 METER NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP

The sailing season is far from over. The twelve meter north americans start on thursday here in Newport. The twelve meters are truly elegant . The international cup sailed in swan 42 just finished (17 nations and 22 boats). Level racing is wonderful and sensible, particularly on a closed course.

I am just as enthusiastic about diversity. Pushing the limits of possibility.New materials have allowed people to do things that could only be dreamed of previously.

 

 

 

 

 

EIGHT BELLS FOR GERRY DRISCOLL

I will keep fond memories of sailing with Gerry as, I am sure, will many others. The words of the obituary seem meager to describe a life that was so much fuller.

The attached photos were taken by Paul Mello in 1979. “Intrepid” belonged to Baron Bic; we were a trail horse for “France III” being sailed by Bruno Trouble. We, or I should say Gerry won every start and we failed to reach the windward mark ahead only once all season. The hope was that if Gerry could find the financing, he would come back as an American contender. I will add that while the miracle of 1974 was not likely to be repeated, but Gerry as always could push the competition hard.

EIGHT BELLS

John Gerald Driscoll III, Gerry, passed away Saturday evening (March 12th)

in his sleep at his apartment in La Jolla, CA. He was 87 years old.

His sailing career highlights include winning the Star Class World

Championship in 1944 and winning the Congressional Cup match racing

championship in 1965 and 1966 with an 18-0 record those years. Gerry’s

involvement with the America’s Cup began as tactician for New York Yacht

Club Commodore Robert McCullough on the twelve meter Vim12-US-15, which was

the trial horse to Columbia 12-US-16 in the 1964 America’s Cup trials. He

then went on to sail the twelve meter Columbia in 1967 in the America’s Cup

trials and was skipper of the twelve meter Intrepid 12-US-22 in the 1974

trials.

Gerry was instrumental in the organization and fund raising for Rod Davis

and the twelve meter Eagle 12-US-60 syndicate in 1987, and in 1992 he was

San Diego Yacht Club’s liaison to the challengers for the 1992 America’s

Cup.

The Driscoll name is prominent in the San Diego marine industry. Gerry

founded the family’s first boat yard in 1947, and now there are multiple

repair and maintenance facilities, marinas, and brokerage services

throughout San Diego and Mission Bay.

The last hurrah for the twelve meter reunion

Jan Slee has posted this:

America’s Cup 12 Metre Era Retrospective Movie

Big Screen Premiere at the

Jane Pickens Theater Thursday at 6:00PM December 9, 2010

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Doors will open at 5:00PM for the Pre-Premiere Party

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Team One Newport will be selling 12 Metre related merchandise in the lobby.

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Gary Jobson Sailing has produced a 47 minute movie appropriately named the “America’s Cup 12 Metre Era Retrospective”.

Last September, 350 sailors who competed for the America’s Cup in the 12 Metre Class between 1958 and 1987 gathered in the New York Yacht Club in Newport, Rhode Island. Throughout several days these champion yachtsmen remembered the greatest moments of the America’s Cup. This movie features the most exciting moments of ten America’s Cup matches that took place during this era. There are interviews with winning skippers Ted Turner, Dennis Conner, Ted Hood and Bill Ficker along with many of the crews. Some newly discovered rare footage will be seen for the first time.

Attached are details about the screening……this is the only showing, so buy your tickets early…..pass the word.

July 22, 1974

Doug McKeish the boy who had been on the deck of Valiant

Valiant, july 22, 1974

Ted Turner and crew on Valiant

Jeff Neuberth, John Fisher, Richie Boyd

Valiant with a bone in her tail

In 1974, Valiant, which was Sparkman & Stephens mistake, too much bustle, too much displacement; was the only consolation for Mariner, designed by Britton Chance, as she was as slow.
   Courageous was the fastest boat but not as well sailed as Intrepid with Gerry Driscoll as the helm. The selection committee could not choose an old boat (Intrepid)
  The entire story made all the more fun by last weekend’s festivities. We could all reminisce about the glorious past. We did have fun, not every day, but it was good.
    Doug McKeish, was a young boy, and when the travel lift strap broke, Valiant fell and that sent Doug flying. I believe the photo was taken by Norris D. Hoyt.
   Almost everyone in these photos came back in 1977 to finish what they could not in 1974.
   Jeff Neuberth was our starboard tailer on Independence, and the Project Manager for the Courageous/Independence Syndicate. He was forced to choose; he was burning the candle at both ends to keep up (despite being a brilliant organizer). One day he was quite literally asleep in the tailer’s pit when we went to tack.
   Jeff did much of the organizing for the reunion event, keeping a low profile as usual.