I’m looking for some pictures of a boat called Windward Passage.
It was built on the beach in the Bahamas in about 1971. I have been looking everywhere but although I have been able to find a lot of reference to it I can’t find any good pictures. I found one but it was only of the transom at night tied up to a dock. I am after good sailing photos, can anyone help?
In my opinion this is a very elegant boat.
Thanks Peter
Peter,
What sort of boat is “Windward Passage”?Schooner, Ketch, Sloop, need some details to help you.
JayDee.
just a very fast google search…not even sure its the right boat though…
-Wis
_/ if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it! _
Hello Wis,
Yes, I got those from Google, BUT, I dont think that boat was built on the BEACH in the Bahamas!.
Looks a bit “High Tech” for a beach build!!
JayDee. [:I]
you never know ROTFL
-Wis
_/ if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it! _
Wis,
Are you Betting?
JayDee.
no way…I know you are right [:D]
-Wis
_/ if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it! _
OK boys - time for a little history lesson.
Yes - that is “the” Windward Passage in the photos, and she was indeed built on the beach - using cold moulded timber construction. The year was 1969, not 1971. She took line honours in her first Transpac that year. Originally ketch rigged, she was rerigged as a sloop in the late '70s - about the same time Kialoa III also switched to sloop rig.
Originally owned and sailed by Bob Johnson, he died not long after her launching, and she was then sailed in later years by his son Mark. I seem to recall there was another son also involved with the boat, but his name escapes me for now.
She was designed by Alan Gurney, who also designed Great Britain II, a competitor in the first five Whitbread Round The World Races, and line honours winner first time around. If you are familar with GB2, you can see a strong resemblance. Gurney also drew some other successful boats of that era, including Red Rooster and Crusade.
The late Tom Blackaller helmed Windward Passage on occaisions - including the 1971 Transpac.
I had the pleasure of seeing her sailing against Kialoa III in 1976 - when both boats were still ketches. They were the first true maxi racers I’d ever seen, other than our local boat “Bucaneer” - but that’s another story…
Muzza
…ps
I’m sure I’ve some photos of her sailing somewhere, in old books and magazines. But I don;t have a scanner. I’ll see if I can find the pics, and then find someone with a scanner.
Muzza
JayDee…I wasnt that wrong after all!!!
-Wis
_/ if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it! _
Thanks guys for the help.
Jaydee it’s an amazing build, when you consider where she was built. I lost track if her when she left Australia in the early 80’s and this was the reason for the question.
She sailed in the Sydney to Hobart race and other events here in Australia with Rob Muir at the helm.
She must have gone back to the US after that.
Peter
GGRRRRRR!!! [:-banghead]
JayDee