CCA’s Rod Stephens Trophy for Outstanding Seamanship

Heroic Solo Sailor Gregor McGuckin Revives Memory of Rod Stephens in Howth Fifty Years Ago

Rod Stephens in Howth aboard Jack McKeown’s S&S 34 Korar, May 11th 1970. Photo: John Bourke

In Ireland, these days, the name of Rod Stephens is most readily associated with an international award - the Cruising Club of America’s Rod Stephens Trophy for Outstanding Seamanship - for the very good reason that during the past six years, it has twice been awarded to Irish skippers: Sean McCarter in 2014, and Gregor McGuckin in 2018.

Read the full (fantasic) story by William M Nixon, in Afloat Magazine, link below:

Advance Notice of the Association AGM for 2019

The 2019 AGM and dinner will take place in Finland at Helsinki between June 14-16.

SAVE THE DATE!

For more information please see the events page to reserve your place.

2019 Classic Channel Regatta

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This Next Year’s Classic Channel Regatta will run in the week of Saturday June 29th to Saturday July 6th. This is a little earlier than usual as this is the week when the tide times and heights are right for the lock into Paimpol.

https://www.classic-channel-regatta.eu/

 The format will be much the same as in recent years and all the information on the 2019 regatta is at our great new website which we have just launched. Do take a look at 

New Owner of Sparkman & Stephens

NEWPORT, RI (August 15, 2018) - Sparkman & Stephens has announced that Donald Tofias, of Newport, RI, has purchased the iconic yacht design and brokerage firm. Mr. Tofias will assume the role of President of the firm, having purchased 100% of the assets.

Donald Tofias is a lifelong sailor and founder of the W-Class Yacht Company. His first boat was an Alcort Sailfish, purchased when he was 12 years old.

Over the past 30 years Tofias has owned and campaigned a Waldo Howland and Ray Hunt, Jr. Concordia Yawl, a W. Starling Burgess Cutter, and for the past 20 years, W-Class Racing Yachts, including the W.76 sloops, designed by Joel White, which will now be marketed by Sparkman & Stephens.

Donald Tofias said, "we intend to preserve the history of Sparkman & Stephens, while at the same time building and expanding on its great tradition in yacht design and brokerage."

The company will be headquartered in Newport, RI. Mr. Tofias is often quoted as saying, "Newport is the yachting capital of the world."

Contact

Riley Yuhas, Marketing Director, Sparkman & Stephens

+1 401.200.8467  |  ryuhas@sparkmanstephens.com

or

Donald Tofias, President, Sparkman & Stephens

+1 617.901. 5242  |  dtofias@sparkmanstephens.com

Donald Tofias, President, Sparkman & Stephens

Albrecht 'Ali' Peters

The sad news reached us that we lost one of our most enthusiastic S&S Association members: Albrecht Peters or better known to us as Ali. He died Sunday night 3rd June, 2018 in his apartment in Hamburg.

Albrecht 'Ali' Peters

 Ali and Erica restored and sailed their beloved “Sasha” in many regattas and were planning again to do the 2019 Transatlantic race organized by the NY Yacht Club. We will miss him not only as an enthusiastic member and an excellent sailor, but for many of us, as a dear friend.

SASHA

Marionette 2018 Winner of the Sparkman & Stephens Association Global Regatta

Regattas taking place in 2017 were eligable for the award of the Challenge Cup at the 2018 AGM in Norway in May.

For the third time the cup was won by Marionette [USA], a Dolphin 24 skippered by Ron Breault. She previously won best place in 2011 and 2016 and is perhaps the smallest boat to have won. There were seven entries this time with competitors from Finland, Germany and the USA.

MARIONETTE