In the Golden Age of Offshore Racing
A few months ago, Detlef Jens, the prolific German author, journalist and Editor of GOOSE magazine, interviewed my father. The article has just been published in the summer issue. My father is thrilled with it and believes it will enjoyed by many aficionados of his designs! He is very grateful to Detlef for the wonderful opportunity to appear in his beautifully produced magazine. Vielen Dank, Detlef! First 4 pages are in German; last 4, in English.
The international Admiral’s Cup regatta was for many years known as the unofficial world championships of ocean racing. Held every other year off the south coast of England, the Admiral’s Cup was contested by teams of 3 racing yachts from each participating country.
The Admiral’s Cup consisted of four races with points awarded to boats based on placement: the Cross channel race, Brittania Cup and New York Yacht Club Challenge Cup. The final race, and the only one to award triple points, is one of the world’s most prestigious: the Fastnet, a 650 mile, four day ocean race with a course beginning in Cowes, England, rounding Fastnet Rock off the south coast of Ireland and then finishing in Plymouth, England.
In 1969, eleven countries fielded Admiral’s Cup teams. Selected for the US team was RED ROOSTER (with lifting keel), designed and skippered by Dick Carter; CARINA, a McCurdy & Rhodes design skippered by Dick Nye; and PALAWAN III, a Sparkman & Stephens design skippered by IBM CEO Tom Watson.
The Australian team had won the Admiral’s Cup in 1967 and looked to be heading for a repeat victory in 1969. But RED ROOSTER won the Fastnet in a fleet of 140 yachts. This enabled the US to win the Admiral’s Cup, an achievement not repeated until 1997. It was Dick Carter’s second victory in the Fastnet, having won it in 1965 with his very first design, the revolutionary RABBIT. And RED ROOSTER was the high point boat of the 1969 regatta.
“The birth of Dick Carter Yacht Designer has a fairy tale quality to it. Winning the world’s most renowned ocean race, the Fastnet, with your first design, RABBIT. Then, being commissioned, even before that win, to create a One Tonner, TINA, and winning the One Ton Cup. With your second commission, OPTIMIST, winning the One Ton Cup again. Twice.”
Thank you Julien Everitt and Seahorse!
On January 19th, Dick gave a condensed version of his book talk on Zoom for the Off Soundings Club. A very big thank you to Commodore Paul Jennings and production wizard Edgar Smith for hosting such a fun event!
Click on Videos to hear Dick talk about RABBIT, RED ROOSTER and VENDREDI 13!
Dick had a great time giving his book presentation at the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco on November 20, 2019. They were kind to video the talk, which is posted below. Wonderful hospitality from the officers and members. Peter Pillsbury, son of former RED ROOSTER owner Davis Pillsbury, made a big effort to bring his model of the boat to the event. Jeff Carlile was also there, and is pictured below with Dick. Jeff recently tracked down the whereabouts of RED ROOSTER herself (yes, a rooster is male but RED ROOSTER sounds better than RED CHICKEN, n’est-ce pas?!). Several years ago, Jeff introduced Dick to Francesco and Mietta Gandolfi. They have subsequently bought and restored RABBIT to impeccable standards. Below are Jeff and Dick with
