GOODBYE NANCY BOY

I first met Bill when he was sailing on “Spirit” and then “New World”. Later of course during Cowes Weeks and while he was working for Jeremy Rogers. Our paths crossed less frequently as time passed; one of the last times was when Bill brought “Nancy” to the Six meter world championships in Newport, RI. god’s speed.

NANCY BOY
NANCY BOY
SIX METER WORLD'S, NEWPORT 2009
SIX METER WORLD’S, NEWPORT 2009
BILL GREEN AND ROBIN WALLACE
BILL GREEN AND ROBIN WALLACE

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.

WHERE WERE YOU JULY 20 1969?

 

I was aboard “Carina” having finished the trans-atlantic race to Ireland, we were headed to Cowes for the Admiral’s Cup and Fastnet races. ( The US team won the Admiral’s Cup that year). I remember it being cold and foggy as we huddled around the radio at the nav station to listen the the BBC which stayed on beyond their usual sign-off time of mid-night to carry the news of the moon landing.

I will add that when I returned to the US at the end of the season; my college roommate was coming to pick me up at the airport, when another college friend passed me and asked: “how was Woodstock?”. I replied: “what was Woodstock? I was probably the only one of my generation not to have gone, much less not to be aware of the event.fastnet log 1969 2384 fastnet log 1969 3385

FASTNET ROCK, RICHARD S NYE, STEPHEN LIRAKIS
FASTNET ROCK, RICHARD S NYE, STEPHEN LIRAKIS

CARINA 1971

THEY WAY WE WERE STEPHEN LIRAKIS, JACK CUMMISKEY, MARTHA SMITH, RICHARD B. NYE, CHRIS WICK
THEY WAY WE WERE
STEPHEN LIRAKIS, JACK CUMMISKEY, MARTHA SMITH, RICHARD B. NYE, CHRIS WICK

 

A recent post by Ian Walker about a visit from the New “Queen Elizabeth” while crossing the Atlantic to Newport in preparation for the next Volvo race reminded me of our past encounters with the “France”, and the “Queen Elizabeth II”; in each case they passenger ships altered course to come by and chat with us.

As indicated by the log entries we were far enough north that it was almost always damp and cold. Martha Smith, was our cook for the crossing and somehow imagined it would be much warmer and packed a bikini.

milbay docks (3)

AIR TEMP: 50 WATER TEMP: 48 CABIN TEMP: 55
AIR TEMP: 50
WATER TEMP: 48
CABIN TEMP: 55
LOG ENTRY QE II
LOG ENTRY QE II
MARTHA SMITH DRESSED FOR A TRANS-ATLANTIC CROSSING
MARTHA SMITH DRESSED FOR A TRANS-ATLANTIC CROSSING
QUEEN ELIZABETH COMES ALONGSIDE FOR A CHAT MID-OCEAN
QUEEN ELIZABETH COMES ALONGSIDE FOR A CHAT MID-OCEAN
STEVE COLGATE AND LARRY HUNTINGTON
STEVE COLGATE AND LARRY HUNTINGTON
AGROUND
AGROUND
ME AT THE HELM CROSSING PROSPECT
ME AT THE HELM CROSSING PROSPECT

EARLY CARINA YEARS

FASTNET ROCK LOG 1969
FASTNET ROCK LOG 1969

BERMUDA RACE 1970
BERMUDA RACE 1970

 

ME CROSSING PROSPECT OF WHITBY
ME CROSSING PROSPECT OF WHITBY
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
JIM MC CURDY, BODIE RHODES AND FASTNET ROCK
JIM MC CURDY CHASING RAGAMUFFIN
JIM MC CURDY CHASING RAGAMUFFIN
FASTNET ROCK, DICK NYE, ME
FASTNET ROCK, DICK NYE, ME
TULITA HUME IN THE GALLEY
TULITA HUME IN THE GALLEY
SIR MAX ATKIN AND DICK NYE 1969
SIR MAX ATKIN AND DICK NYE 1969
DAUNT LIGHTSHIP 1969
DAUNT LIGHTSHIP 1969
AMERICA WINS THE ADMIRAL'S CUP 1969
AMERICA WINS THE ADMIRAL’S CUP 1969
FASTNET LOG 1971
FASTNET LOG 1971
TRANSATLANTIC RACE 1969
TRANSATLANTIC RACE 1969
BERMUDA RACE 1970
BERMUDA RACE 1970

 

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 2
SHAPES OF SPEED
SHAPES OF SPEED
RAGAMUFFIN AT THE NEEDLES
RAGAMUFFIN AT THE NEEDLES
AMERICAN EAGLE REACHING THROUGH THE ANCHORAGE
AMERICAN EAGLE REACHING THROUGH THE ANCHORAGE
UFFA FOX AND COWSLIP
UFFA FOX AND COWSLIP
DICK CARTER AND RED ROOSTER
DICK CARTER AND RED ROOSTER
THE GRAND PRIZE "THE ADMIRAL'S CUP"
THE GRAND PRIZE “THE ADMIRAL’S CUP”
THE NEW BENCHMARK
THE NEW BENCHMARK
SPEEDBOAT
SPEEDBOAT
VOLVO 70
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.

ADMIRAL’S CUP

I sailed four admiral’s cups, which in those days included the channel race and the fastnet race. Those memories remain some if the highlights of my sailing.

SAILING WITH BLINDERS ON

This event is in court. The skipper of the yacht is contending that he was in the right.