Ted Turner Doing Well, Out and About

[Christian Williams]

We had a ceremony at New York Yacht Club over the weekend, welcoming the model of Tenacious to the Model Room.

Turner is doing pretty well--better than you may have guessed in the Jane Fonda doc. He made some remarks that were vintage pointed and funny, to the effect that the ʻ79 Fastnet was as good as (most) sex, and that the model of Tenacious cost 40K, and that for that dough there was no way it should wind up in the club space in Newport, but stay right here in New York, with the Courageous ship model. Small ceremony of about 100 people, it was good to catch up with the lads whom I havenʻt seen, most of them, since Stamford five years ago. Jobson showed the Fastnet video: http://www.espn.com/30for30/film?page=tedturnersgreatestrace

In talking with the crew, we marveled that the yacht would hit 12 knots back in 1980. Tenacious would not plane any more than an Ericson, and unless momentarily surfing was limited to hull speed for a 61-footer. Today, well, things have changed.

 

[fool]

Thank you, for taking us with you.

 

[Afrakes]

Good to hear the "Mouth of the South" is still quipping.

 

[bgary]

Very cool, thank you for sharing. And, what a gorgeous model!

 

[David Grimm]

Amazing history. Thank you for sharing! Not many guys around here with your experience and expertise. If you are taking request how about a video on setting up reefing lines to the cockpit? Do you give private sailing lessons? I should probably take one before trying to single hand it to Bermuda!

Dave

 

[Glenn McCarthy]

I sailed on Tenacious, before it was Tenacious. Sailed with the prior owner, Lynn Williams, when it was called "Dora IV." Nice to see the model.

 

[Christian Williams]

I asked where it/she is now. The very successful S&S Dora IV (pre-Tenacious) was raced after Turner, but then went into a period of decline. It defeated a major renovation ten years ago (the owner ran out of money). I am told it now lies in a yard in Germany, hatches gone, interior gutted, animal life flourishing within. Beyond redemption for any amount of dough. Boats have graves too. But, ahem, hack, cough, "They shall live on in memory."

 

[bgary]

I raced quite a bit on the prior Dora (III?), a 1970 Mull design built in aluminum, in the late-70s when she was in Southern California, then called Safari.

Rumor has it that one was turned into a cruiser and is still around somewhere...

Bruce

 

[tenders]

Jobson showed the Fastnet video: http://www.espn.com/30for30/film?page=tedturnersgreatestrace

Hey, speaking of the Fastnet video, haven’t we seen this guy someplace before?



Cannot recommend highly enough Christian’s telling of the Fastnet race in his 1981 biography of Ted Turner, which is a great read in and of itself...especially knowing that yet another entire epic adventure lay ahead for Ted (not even counting another wife named Barbara).

There is, I believe, fleeting mention of a person in that Fastnet chapter who was onboard and, other than Christian, is also mentioned in his “Alone Together.”

Christian, is that person in this photo, too? What’s the story?

 

[Christian Williams]

Time marches, uh, on.


The navigator, Peter Bowker, just behind Turner, is 92. Courtney, far right, was 24 during the race. Tom Relyea, to my right, thrives in his rigging business in Sebastopol, CA. Ted is 80. A great bunch, each with a story.

 

[Tin Kicker]

Very cool - thanks for sharing.