Past Skippers That Have Left Us

Anyone having knowledge of these or other skippers that have Passed Away would you please contact Roy Guay so that the information may be posted here in memory of them.

Bob Adams:
- Passed away the week of 10 May 2010 in Rhode Island at the age of 70 after one year of fighting cancer.
- Bob raced in the 1989 and 1991 Bermuda One-Two in his J35 Julie.
- Bob dreamed of racing in the short handed race around the world.  He built two Open 40 boats in Russia with that goal in mind.  Bob ran out of money and sailed his boat back to the US with only one dagger board while his Russian counterpart Yazkov found funding and successfully raced his Open 40 Wind of Change in the 2000-2001 Vendee Globe Solo Around the World Race.  Ever since Bob had been trying to get his boat in racing shape.  He had planned on doing the 2009 Bermuda One-Two but the cancer diagnosis changed his plans.

Charlie Carpenter:
- Passed away 2006
- Raced in the first 7 Bermuda One-Twos
- His boat was a Southern Cross 31 called Liberty

Jerry Cartwright:
- Founder of the Bermuda One-Two in 1977

Mark A. Chramiec - Passed away 28 January 2011 at the age of 81. - Mark participated in five Bermuda One-Twos (1985, 1987, 1989, 1991 and 1995) in his Freedom 33 Folly. - Mark's wife Lesley Addlem said that Mark loved every one of those races.  He must have as he sailed a Freedom 33 which were not know for speed.

Carter Cordner:
- Passed away of cancer in 2000
- In 1997 Carter won both the single and double handed legs of Class IV of the Bermuda One-Two with his 32' Westsail Kamancha.

Rusty Duym: - Passed away of massive heart attack 5 January 2011 - Rusty has done the past two Bermuda One-Twos, 2007 & 2009, in his modified Cal 2-30 Williwaw. In his first race in 2007 he tied for elapsed first place in Class 4 with Peter McCrea in the Single handed leg. He was second on elapsed time in 2009 in Class 4. Rusty was never able to do the doublehanded return leg due to work commitments. He was a valuable person in Bermuda with his black bag of tools. He helped many skippers repairing things. Rusty attended most Skippers' Forums/Parties, coming down from Maine, and was planning on racing this year 2011. Rusty also had a desire to retire and take Williwaw around the world which unfortunately he was not able to do. - BLUE HILL - J. Russell Duym "Rusty," 63, died unexpectedly Jan. 5, 2011. He was born Sept. 8, 1947, in Presque Isle, son of Donald R. Duym and the late Margaret B. Duym. Rusty attended George Stevens Academy, Blue Hill, and graduated from the University of Maine, Orono, with a degree in business administration in 1970. He also served in the U.S. Army as a boat captain from 1971 to 1973. He worked his entire career in some aspect of marine occupations - from manager of Kollegewidgwok Yacht Club, boat builder and manager of Blue Hill Yacht Sales, commercial fisherman, marine mechanics instructor at The Boat School of Eastport, and at the time of his death, a marine electrician for Billing's Diesel and Marine, Stonington. Rusty will be remembered for his many accomplishments and abilities in competitive and recreational sailing. His sailing accomplishments span from Maine Sears Cup state champion, collegiate sailing, and local yacht races to class winner of the single-handed Newport to Bermuda race aboard his sailboat, Williwaw, in 2007. Rusty was well known as a practical and experienced mariner with a quiet, competitive drive. Winning a race was a matter of how well he challenged himself regardless of his standing at the end. Rusty also enjoyed Latin dancing and playing music with Flash in the Pans steel drum band of Blue Hill. He served with Blue Hill Volunteer Fire Department and Ambulance Corps, and was harbormaster for several years. He was known for his willingness to help anyone he came in contact with and his special way with animals. Rusty is survived by his father, Donald of Blue Hill; brothers, Howard and Viola Brown of Southwest Harbor, and Thomas and wife, Amy, of Lamoine; several nieces and nephews. Visiting hours will be held 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 15, at Jordan Fernald Funeral Home, 141 South St., Blue Hill. A memorial casting of Rusty's ashes upon his beloved Blue Hill Bay will be scheduled for early summer.

Al Fournier: - Passed away October 2003. - Al raced in the following Bermuda One-Twos: 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987 and 1991. - In '79 he sailed an O'Day Outlaw named Pantera, which is still in Bermuda, reportedly owned by a member of the St. George's Dinghy & Sports Club. - In '81 he sailed his converted Etchell's 22 El Torero (decked over and a bean bag for a bed) and took first in class in the singlehanded leg. - In '83 he sailed a Fast Forty, and lost the rudder somewhere on the way down but continued to the finish using a bucket for steerage.  He won the Mayor's Trophy for Seamanship. - In '85 he once again sailed the Etchell's and did it in 5 days, 14 hours, and 25 minutes, but probably did not place as I don't see any acknowledgement around. - In '87 he sailed a Nelson Marek '35 (formerly named City of Slidell) named Torero and again placed first in class. - In '91 he again sailed Torero winning first place in Class III.

Clifford Mitchell BLOCK ISLAND – Clifford Owen Mitchell, age 69, of Center Rd., died Saturday, Nov. 26, 2011 at the South County Hospital. He was the husband of Judith (Metz) Frazier Mitchell and the late Linda (McCullouch) Mitchell. Born May 9, 1942, in Newport, RI, he was the son of the late Earl L. Mitchell and Ruth M. (Steadman) Norlin. He was raised on Block Island and graduated in 1961 from the Block Island School. He enlisted in the US Air Force, serving during the Vietnam War. An avid and accomplished sailor, Clifford held a Captain's license and was a member and former Commodore of the Newport Yacht Club. He was the founder of the Owen L. Mitchell and Earl L. Mitchell annual Newport to Block Island regattas, which he ran for the past 30 years. He was a volunteer with Block Island Maritime Institute and a member of the Block Island American Legion Post 36. In addition to his wife, he leaves his brother, Frank E. Norlin of Middletown; his sisters, Nancy E. and William Sullivan of Portsmouth, and Susan and Raymond Abraham of Middletown; and his cousin, Lloyd V. Ripa and his wife Barbara of Middletown. Clifford was the Bermuda One-Two Event Chairman for the 2001 race.

Harry Mitchell:
- Passed away: Lost at sea in 1994 while on leg 3 of the BOC approaching Cape Horn in his 40' Panic Major called MITAK.  Harry was 70 years young.
- Raced in 1993

George Pike: - Passed away 14 October 2010.  George was 70 years old. - George wasn't a skipper however George ran the Bermuda One-Two several years in the 80s and has helped the race ever since.  George has also been involved in the BOC in the early years.  George also helped out the foreign skippers when they arrived from sailing from Europe and ended up in Newport, RI. - The following is from the Newport Daily News October 16-17, 2010.  George was born July 9, 1940.  George was educated in the Newport Public Schools, graduating from Rogers High School in 1959.  He proudly served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam Era.  Upon returning from his service he worked as a photographer for the Newport Daily News and as an Operating Room Technician and Ambulance Driver for the Newport Hospital.  He then joined the Naval Base Fire Department and was stationed at Quonset Point and the Newport Naval Base where he was a member of the International Association of Firefighters.  Upon his retirement, after 26 years in the Fire Department, George was an Elementary School Aide in the Newport Public Schools. George was an avid sailor for most of his life.  He was a life member of the Newport Yacht Club.  He also was active in short-handed race administration.  He chaired the Bermuda One-Two for ten years, was a member of the Race Committee for the BOC/Around Alone Race, and more recently was active in helping members of the Jester Race as they crossed the Atlantic.  George was also a Past Commodore of the Goat Island Yacht Club and a member of the R.I. State Yachting Committee. He was also an avid golfer and a member of the Wanumetonomy Golf Club. George was a member of the Board of Directors of the Seamen's Church Institute and could often be seen in the wintertime distributing "Soup to the Docks" to the fishing boats at local piers.

Bertie Reed: - Passed away December 2006 - Raced in 1983, Steve Black was his return crew - Bertie's boat was 60' named Stabilo Boss - Lived in South Africa

Mike Richey: - Passed away 12/22/2009 at the age of 92 after suffering a heart attack - Last lived in Brighton, UK (on the Sussex coast) - There is more information about Mike on the Jester website and TimesOnLine

Francis Stokes (obituary): - Passed away 3 August 2008 in Thomaston, ME 82 years old - Participated in at least the first 3 Bermuda One-Twos (1977, 1979, 1981) - Participated in the first BOC Challenge Solo World Race and finished 2nd in Class 2 - Participated in the OSTAR transatlantic solo races in 1976, 1980 and 1988 - Recently lived in Thomaston, Maine - Francis wrote a book called "The Mooneshine Logs" in which two chapters were devoted to the Bermuda One-Two - Francis is prominently featured in Phil Weld's Documentary "American Challenge" - Francis sold his boat a Valiant 40 Moonshine to another Bermuda One-Two alumnus, Scott Khuner, who also raced it in the Bermuda One-Two and still cruises in it with his wife Kitty

From Canadian Sailing Forum Oct/Nov 1977