Sunfish Racing Class Netherlands

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Eight Bells: Victor Manning
ISCA

Eight Bells: Victor Manning

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It is with a heavy heart that we let you know that Vic Manning, past US Sunfish Class President, passed away on January 9, 2018 at his home, age 72.  Vic has been one of the Class’ strongest supporters in too many ways to mention on both the international and local scenes.  His love for the Class and its members knew no bounds.

He was always there with a smile and a willingness to help with whatever needed done.  As we sail and see the sunshine sparkle off the water, we will know that Vic’s spirit is with us forever.  He will be so missed.

Please join us in a prayer for Pat Manning and her family who lost someone so very special.

Obituary

Victor Vincent Manning was born in New Orleans to John Albert Manning Jr. and Tommie Clentine Partridge Manning on December 16, 1945. He went to school in Charlotte, North Carolina and married his high school sweetheart, Patricia Ann Pietras on June 18, 1966, in Charlotte. He then entered the US Air Force where he proudly served his country during the Vietnam War. He continued in the Air Force for 22 years in intelligence operations and was awarded numerous decorations and medals including the Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, and Air Force Commendation Medal.

Vic was active in the Austin Yacht Club where he was honored to serve as Vice Commodore in 2001 and Commodore in 2002. He also served in turn as Race Commander, Harbor Commander, and Building and Grounds Commander. Most recently he served on the Membership Committee and the Long Range Planning Committee. Vic was awarded the Blue Duck Trophy in 2002 for most outstanding blooper, the Ol’ Salt of the Club in 2011 for his contributions to the club and sailing, the Jessie McIllroy Smith Bowl in 2012 for outstanding service to yachting and racing achievement, and the Max White Memorial Trophy several times in recognition of outstanding service to the club. In 2017, he was granted life membership to Austin Yacht Club in recognition of his years of outstanding service.

Vic enjoyed competition and raced in the International Sunfish Class Association World Championship Regatta multiple years. He served as United States Sunfish Class Association (USSCA) Masters Coordinator 1993 – 1998, as well as a National Race officer, and as such was the Principal Race Officer for many regattas across the country. He served as the USSCA President 1998 – 2004 and continued as the USSCA Representative for the Southwest Region 2013 – 2017. Vic was an avid educator, trained as a US Sailing Small Boat Instructor, and loved instilling his passion for sailing in others.

Vic is survived by his devoted wife, Pat; his two doting daughters, Jennifer Manning and her husband Richard Varnell, of Austin, TX; and Nicole Manning and his adoring granddaughter, Kayla Manning, of Clifton, TX.

Eight Bells – Gordie Geick
ISCA

Eight Bells – Gordie Geick

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It’s a sad day when we have to report that avid Sunfisher Gordie Geick passed away on May 2 at his Collingsville, CT, home at age 89. Gordie (19775) was among the founding fathers of the Connecticut based Bolton Lake Sailing Club and raced extensively in northeast, national, and international regattas over a period of some fifty years. Gordie was a student of the Sunfish and loved the social camaraderie of the Sunfish regatta circuit. He acclaimed many times that his Sunfish experience had added immeasurably to his quality and enjoyment of his life.

History-wise, Gordie will always be remembered as the father of the Sunfish racing sail. While serving as chairman of the ISCA Advisory Council/Rules Committee, Gordie worked diligently with North/Fogh, Alcort and Pearson Yachts to design, develop, and test our racing sail. His correspondence reading file measures over 1″ for just the years 1987-89.

Gordie now joins Larry Cochran, father of the racing daggerboard, in the heavens above to forever watch down on us all as we continue to enjoy Sunfish activities worldwide.

Our thoughts and prayers go to Elaine, Gordie’s wife who is as much a part of our Sunfish “family” as Gordie, and to all Gordie’s friends and family who shared in his joy of sailing and love for the Sunfish Class.

Fair winds and following seas to Gordie who will remain forever in our hearts.

Eight bells: Will White
ISCA

Eight bells: Will White

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(L to R) Will White, Jean Bergman, Don Bergman, Paul Odegaard … photo taken during a 1996 cruise to the BVI’s. (Photo courtesy of Paul Odegaard)

Although our hearts are filled with sadness at Will White’s passing on May 16, 2019 at age 88, there won’t be a day that goes by when we won’t have something to thank him for and something to remember him for. We, the Sunfish Class Association, are who we are because of Will’s dedication, enthusiasm and ability to inspire others to love and sail the Sunfish sailboat.

Will learned to sail from books and in 1944 started his racing career on Lake Winnipesaukee, the largest lake in New Hampshire, learning from the son of the sailing master of the famous America’s Cup J-Boat Ranger. He never stopped sailing/racing/winning trophies throughout his college years.

Then he took a break and didn’t sail again until 1963 when he bought a used Sailfish. He traded it in a year later for a Sunfish and won the first regatta he entered. In 1966, Will won the Sunfish Nationals, the first year that singles were sailed, and won again in 1968 when the Nationals were now called the North Americans. Will and Jack Evans also organized the first Connecticut River Sunfish Classic, a long-distance, mixed doubles and “odd couples” race; but Will’s contributions to the Sunfish Class continued in even bigger ways.

In the early 80’s, Lee Parks took over from Steve Baker as the Class Manager at Alcort. Her first task was to gain “International” status for the Class so that Sunfish could compete in the Pan Am Games. Steve Baker started the process, and it was Lee’s job to finish it. This involved changing the Class from a manufacturer-run Class to a sailor-run organization. No easy task, certainly for one person. So Lee called on her friends in Hartford to help – Will White, Larry Cochran, Paul Odegaard, Bob Heckman and Gordie Geick. It took more than a year to rewrite the Class Rules and By-Laws in a way that was acceptable to the International Yacht Racing Union (IYRU). This self-appointed task force had to draft a contract between the Class, the builder (Alcort) and IYRU. And then they had to recruit sailors, both nationally and internationally, to take on the responsibilities of running the Class. Ernie Kervel of Aruba became the first International Sunfish Class president (1983 and 1984).

Will White was the first U.S. Sunfish Class Association president and later served as Chief Measurer. During Will’s presidency, he wrote The Sunfish Bible and later gave the rights to the Class. His Bible is still available to purchase on the Sunfish Class website, http://www.sunfishclass.org, and was written in a way for sailing to be first learned from a book just the way Will learned sailing back in the early 40’s…from books.

Will was the PR expert and took on the all-important communication role. To convince sailors to now pay annual dues having been given a free membership when they bought a boat was a hard sell. We can surmise that Will’s energy, enthusiasm and communication skills were contagious because we’ve been a successful dues-paying organization since that time!

What a lot of us didn’t know is that Will and Bob Heckman got folks to dig out old, defunct Sunfish in the New England region and followed that up with getting the boats and people active again which was a huge effort in helping the Class grow. A similar effort today by dedicated and hard-working members would certainly go noticed and appear in future historical accounts of who helped us continue Will’s dream to build the Sunfish Class into a fun and important racing organization recognized at the World level. We not only benefited from Will’s energy and enthusiasm, but we’ve also benefited from the wonderful legacy he left behind, a sailboat Class that captured those who shared his vision of a “forever boat” sailed by true champions both on and off the water.

To quote Paul Odegaard:

“The Class members will always be indebted to Will for his love, dedication and efforts to eternalize our beloved Sunfish.”

Will, may you sail into eternity with fair winds and favorable shifts. We all miss you so.

Eight bells: Larry Cochran
ISCA

Eight bells: Larry Cochran

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John “Larry” Cochran passed away on May 5, 2019 at the age of 94. How sad that all of us couldn’t have met Larry, enjoyed his intelligence and quiet demeanor, and sailed with him at Sunfish regattas.

Fellow sailors used Larry as the yardstick to judge their position on the racecourse! “If you finished close to Larry,” said Paul Odegaard, “you were doing pretty well.”

Larry was a long-time Bolton Lake (CT) competitor. Employed at Pratt & Whitney in CT with a mechanical engineering degree from Texas A&M, Larry served as a consultant when it came to technical matters with the Sunfish. Larry championed the new design of the racing dagger board and spent endless hours researching hydrodynamics and consulting with experts on the design. He followed the design with many on-the-water testing sessions, culminating with the efficient final product that we all use today.

In addition to his engineering contributions to the Class, Larry took on the task of incorporating the Class and getting tax exempt status, a pain-staking and detailed process that took months. To this day, Rob Davis in Rehoboth Bay, DE, continues to keep us incorporated thanks to Larry’s initial efforts.

This was in addition to serving on a newly appointed 6-person working party in the 80’s with Lee Parks, Will White, Paul Odegaard, Bob Heckman and Gordie Geick to change the Class from a manufacturer-run Class into a sailor-run organization. It took more than a year to rewrite the Class Rules and By-Laws that met IYRU (International Yacht Racing Union) rules. This process involved coordinating efforts between the Class, the builder (Alcort) and IYRU and then recruiting sailors both nationally and internationally to take on the responsibilities of running the Class. Larry’s efforts along with those who served on the committee can never be repaid. A mere “Thank You” seems so insignificant, especially if you realize the amount of work, dedication and sacrifices it took to make this happen.

Larry was also involved with the many Class rule changes over the years, most of which are still in effect today. But his work in helping the Sunfish Class gain “International” status is ranked as one of his most significant accomplishment for the Class.

Paul Odegaard expressed our fond farewell the best:

Class members will always be indebted to Larry for his love, dedication and efforts to externalize our beloved Sunfish …

Larry, may you sail into eternity with fair winds and favorable shifts. We all miss you so!”

Sunfish Worlds profile
Eight Bells: Bruce Sutphen
ISCA

Eight Bells: Bruce Sutphen

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Bruce Sutphen, 1965 – 2018

It is with a heavy heart that we let you know that Bruce Sutphen, 1987 Sunfish World Champion, passed away on February 22nd after a yearlong battle with cancer.

Read the story highlighting Bruce’s win in Aruba’s waters in:

Peter Johnstone, Lead partner and President of Sunfish Laser from 1991-1997 shared a few words with us earlier today:

I am very sad to hear of Bruce Sutphen’s passing.  We first raced against each other in High School, and then sailed together on the Connecticut College Sailing Team.  After college, he enthusiastically joined me in purchasing the Sunfish and Laser assets out of bankruptcy.  We were both mid-20’s. Bruce had recently won the Sunfish Worlds.  Over the next several years, we enjoyed racing against each other in Sunfish and Laser regattas and turning around these iconic sailing brands together.  Bruce made me laugh harder than anyone from college onward.  He could find the light through any tough situation, and he was bright as anyone.  He helped design America’s Cup yachts, and then started a new career in deep undersea exploration where he engineered equipment that holds a deepest solo dive record.  Life got in the way of catching up more regularly, which I greatly regret.  Bruce remains one of the more colorful, genuine and original people I have known.  Make the winds be strong on his quarter up above.  We are all better for having known and enjoyed his presence.

Scott Kyle, 2-time Sunfish World Champion and Past USSCA President:

I met Bruce in the 8th grade when he moved to Winnetka, IL from the East Coast.  We had a shared passion for sailing and athletics, and fast became best friends.  We were inseparable throughout high school, starting the New Trier Sailing Team together, training endlessly on land and water, and travelling the world competing in Sunfish and other sailing competitions.  Bruce was a great friend and competitor, possessing the rare dual quality of someone you wanted to hang out with on land, but respected and didn’t mind getting beat by on the water since his character was pure gold.  Bruce was always generous with his time and smile.  He was also one of the funniest people I ever met.  I still tell friends about his 1987 World Sunfish Champs awards speech.  I was so proud he accomplished our childhood dream of becoming a world champion, and prouder still to call him my friend.  He will be missed by many.

Donnie Martinborough, 3-time Sunfish World Champion:

Bruce was a special friend and I will always cherish the fond memories that I have of him.  What is really weird is I was just thinking of him and each of the other Sunfish World Champions and great sailors that I have met over the years and the moment’s in time each of us have been so fortunate to endure.  I will miss Him. Let’s keep Bruce’s family in our prayers and hope that he is now at peace and in a better place.  I truly feel blessed to have known him.

Paul-Jon Patin, former Sunfish World Champion and Past ISCA President:

I met Bruce at my first Worlds in 1987.  He was Scott Kyle’s training partner and was such a presence, an intellectual force in times Sunfish needed, a class act with an edge, a friend with great heart, and a champion who will be missed.

Eduardo Cordero, Class Office Manager:

I am deeply saddened as Bruce was one of my inspirations to become a Sunfish World Champion after watching the 1987 Aruba Worlds video when I was about 16.  Great guy on the race course and fun to hang out with.  I will surely miss him.

Sunfish Worlds profile
Jan Walig overleden
Aruba Nederland

Jan Walig overleden

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Hierbij de droevige mededeling, dat een van onze oudste leden en erelid JAN WALIG  op donderdag 2 maart j.l. op 91 jarige leeftijd is overleden.
Tot 2007, dus al 81 jaar oud heeft Jan nog mee gedaan aan het Nederlandse Sunfish  Kampioenschap. Vanaf 1980, het eerste NK Sunfish, tot 2007 heeft  hij (en ik denk ook meer dan iemand anders) wel 25 x hieraan deelgenomen.
Met veel wisselend succes: kampioen in 1983 (Medemblik), in 1987 (Hoorn) en 1991 (Uitdam). In de 80er en begin 90er jaren vaak 2de, 3de of 4de. Daarna  werden de plaatsen wat lager en hij ouder, terwijl er veel jongere zeilers ook beter gingen Sunfishzeilen. Het bleef altijd wel een uitdaging om vóór  Jan te eindigen, wat mij overigens slechts een enkele keer tot mijn grote  voldoening is gelukt!
Jan was altijd heel zorgvuldig met z’n bootje bezig, maar zeker altijd bereid  anderen, vooral “nieuwkomers” te helpen met het optuigen van hun Sunfish.  Ik denk, dat veel van onze oudere leden allemaal wel een of ander bijzonder  verhaal betr. Jan kunnen vertellen. Zelf is mij o.a. bijgebleven, dat hij vanuit Monnickendam zeilend in z’n Sunfish naar Heeg is gevaren. Op de Fluessen wind 6 pal achter, dus met hoge golven z’n boot overeind gehouden en veilig  in Heeg (s-avonds laat) aankwam!
Wij verliezen in Jan een goed, kleurrijk en bijzonder Sunfishlid en wensen  Hetty, zijn vrouw, veel sterkte om zonder Jan verder te gaan.
Namens bestuur S.R.C.N.
Greet Dekker-Bruning.

Aruba

Eight bells: Ernest (Ernie) Kervel

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By Terry van Velzen

Ernest Kervel, for insiders Ernie, past away in Hospital on October 18th 2010 on the Island of Aruba. Ernie was President of ISCA from 1983-1984, a long time member of the ISCA World Council, and chairman of Aruba’s National Sunfish Class Association for many years.

I met Ernie approx 45 years ago on the island of Aruba, were he was amongst others good friends with Jan Walig, Gijs van Omme and my father Theo van Velzen. When notified of his recent passing away, I immediately felt the urge to write some words on paper. Since Jan and Gijs knew Ernie quite well, I asked their help to share their memories with us. Here is our contribution to a man with a mission: sailing Sunfish.

Ernie, with his sparkling keen eyes, has been hooked on sailing for as long as we can remember and has always been the driving forces behind organized sailing on Aruba, which at one time was extremely popular. Gifted with an organizational talent, he was able to get people together, at work as well as in social life. Ernie’s enthusiasm was very catching and together with his social humor and his warm smile you couldn’t get around him. Ernst Kervel was long time President of the Aruba Sunfish Club, which acquired world attention by organizing Sunfish Worlds three times on Aruba. The publicity they received in magazines all over the world was enormous, praising the Arubans on their efforts to make it a once-in-a-Life time experience. The last time this event took place in Aruba was in 1987, and Ernie always kept the dream alive that one day he would again bring the Sunfish worlds to Aruba. Unfortunately this dream will remain unfulfilled.There are many story and myths about Ernie Kervel, which all started when he came to the island of Aruba in 1947. He discovered that sailing was quite a popular sport even among the Arubans. When the first Sailfishes arrived on the island, sailed by Americans working at the Esso refinery better known as Lago Oil, Ernie started sailing the boat as well. Later the Sunfish arrived and replaced the Sailfish. In those days Ernie was working for Maduro Trading Company and immediately saw the commercial potential of the boat. He acquired exclusive rights to import the boat to the Island under the name “Ernie’s Sails and Yachts supplies”. That’s when I met Ernie since my father bought one as well and I was allowed as 8 year old to learn sailing in the Sunfish. The Sport became very popular then and Ernie and his Aruban friends took part in their first World Championships. In total Ernie sailed 17 Sunfish world championships which makes him a real Master although he never came close to winning. In 1974, he organized the Race for the first time on Aruba and 107 participants from all over the world came to the island. A perfect organization with attractive local conditions including palm trees and beautiful white beaches made the event extremely popular with the sailors. Ernie was asked to repeat this event which eventually ended in organizing a second and third Worlds on Aruba in 1980 and 1987.

In the mean time, a few Aruban sailors with Dutch origin, including myself, moved back to the Netherlands. Together with other Dutch sailors the Sunfish was successfully introduced in the Netherlands, establishing the Sunfish Racing Class Nederland in 1980. Ernie was proud of this fact and regularly honored us by attending Sailing matches while on family visit in the Netherlands. Besides Jan Walig and Gijs van Omme also our world famous Class Secretary Greta Dekker-Bruning became good friends with Ernie. The last time we saw Ernie in the Netherlands was during the 2007 European championships in Workum. Although not in best health, Ernie participated in the Regatta with high spirits..A small miracle knowing that a few years earlier he was suffering from early dementia until a clever neurologist discovered that he had a rare cerebral disease, making recovery possible after a complicated and risky neurosurgical operation.

Ernie did not only sail Sunfish. He had a Ocean 505 racer and also regularly sailed ocean going yachts in the Caribbean. During one of these trips he had a narrow escape. During a night time regatta race between Aruba and Bonaire, while steering Ernie was washed overboard by a freak wave which hit his boat. He was sailing a “Dragon class” open race boat while of course not wearing a life jacket. Why should you. Luckily the owner of the sail boat, Mike Hagendoorn, who was asleep at that the time, noticed that the boat dramatically changed course and nobody was on the tiller. By a miracle he was able to return to the spot were Ernie might have fallen out of the boat and discovered him in the middle of heavy sea during a pitch dark night. Ernie had the luck of a devil. Ernie Kervel. Family man, hockey player, witty, always a smile, always energetic, if not hyperactive and always interested in people’s stories. The best companion one can imagine. His last lines written in the introduction of the 1987 Sunfish Worlds program:

Of course, it is the sailors, who finally make it happen and make it exciting. I hope they, themselves, realize this as well and see in the competitor also another sailor who made the same race possible. Sail with that in mind. Sail fair. Sail to win.

Ernie Kervel a life time sailor! Sail on……………

Eight bells: Rudy Thompson
US Virgin Islands

Eight bells: Rudy Thompson

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“The very first World Championship Sunfish Regatta is the brainchild of RUDY THOMPSON” (https://stthomasyachtclub.org/about/history). After being shipwrecked in Puerto Rico in the early 50’s he made his way to St. Thomas and operated one of the area’s first charter boats out of Yacht Haven. Rudy sailed Flying Dutchman at the 1968 Olympic Games. Garry Hoyt, Jorg Bruder and Per Dohm all sailed in the Finn class at that Olympics… did the Sunfish Worlds idea started there? Rudy was heavily involved in getting the US Virgin Islands Olympic status.In January 1970 the “Virgin Daily News” did a very good job in informing the Islands on the progress of the event. Rudy must have had a hot-line with the sports news desk! Rudy was a Past Commodore of St. Thomas Yacht Club. He participated in racing events from Trinidad to Puerto Rico for over 50 years. The passing of Rudy Thompson on Saturday, April 24, 2010 saddened the Caribbean sailing world