A Thumbnail History
of the
Wayfarer
in North America and the world
*
the 1970's
.....  .....
1970
/
  • UKWA proposal of WIC as talk of a Worlds heats up
  • CWA Hon. Commodore, Don Rumble, dies of heart attack on July 21 while leading a race on Trout Lake 
  • Hugh Thomas leads seven W’s including Don & Connie Davis on week-long cruise of Muskoka Lakes 
  • first CWA Yearbook produced by Mike Schoenborn
  • Bill Abbott takes over as Canadian W builder
  • 32 W’s incl. US entries to our Nats at Ottawa
  • 1st June Bug & Pumpkin at Fanshawe; Mike & Al S. Pumpkin Regatta Champions of Champions
  • débuts: Hans Gottschling W421, Linda & Patrick Sweet W2265 (as Don Davis builds ABYC fleet from 1 W to 30+)
1971
  • NAC at Bronte attracts record 55 boats: George Blanchard wins by a whisker; W851, sailed by Ken Holloway and Ivar Zalitis, is struck by lightning
  • débuts: Rod Wreford W786; Uncle Al buys W852, wins his first Nats (at Kingston YC), returns as editor
1972
/
  • Frank & Margaret Dye’s icy March sail off TSCC makes Toronto TV
  • inaugural meeting of WIC in London, England on April 14; continued standardization of Rules: centre mainsheeting finally banned, inboard jib sheeting allowed - International Class Rules to be issued in ‘75
  • UKWA proposes 1973 Worlds in UK - entries expected from Canada, US, Denmark, Australia, Germany (when this event was put off to ‘74, Canada volunteered to host at BHYC in ‘73 - rejected by UKWA) 
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  • Don & Connie Davis win Frank Dye’s Viking Longship Trophy for the log of their month-long circumnavigation of Georgian Bay
  • Beaver Valley YC founded at TSCC Rothman’s Olympic Week, dedicated to the premise the racing must, above all, be fun
  • Jeff Jones first US winner of Canadian Nats
  • début: Alf Easy W2478
1973
  • formation of Wayfarer International Committee
  • first Mark II (number 3907) produced in England 
//
  • Ken Jensen article outlines benefits of removing Wayfarer front benches
/
  • NAC finally hosted by USWA (Metro Beach on Lake St. Clair), Jeff Jones starts 5-year victory run
  • Mike S. puts W276 up for sale (not sold yet!); brother Al sells SON OF SNOOPY, buys Fireball
  • débuts: Star photographer, Ken Elliott W2276 brings great photos; Mike Codd as Rod Wreford crew?
1974
  • First Wayfarer Worlds at Hayling Island SC; entry limited to 6 SWS, USWA, CWA plus 12 UKWA
  • World champions: Alan & Martin Wilson, W1450 (UK)
/
  • Sarnia Centreboard Club hosts NAC off beach, many near disasters as fleet launches into 8-foot breakers
  • Fall Party at TSCC draws 140+ with slides/films of Worlds and cruises plus Mudl Gottschling art
  • débuts:: "Rocket" Roy Riddell W627 CRIPPLE CREEK FERRY, Chris & Carolyn Kofler W1556 
1975
  • CWOA becomes CWA
  • débuts: Brian McCleery W828, Uncle Al returns from Fireballs in composite Mark II W4000 (75 lb. overweight!!)
1976
  • Worlds 2 at TS&CC, Don Davis shines as Regatta Chairman
  • World champions: Colin & Iain Wilson, W6188 (UK)
  • U.K. champions:
/
  • January: first Whiffle printed through OSA
  • US Nats open to Canadians for first time - Uncle Al wins Bi-Centennial US Nats over Jeff Jones at Croton-on-Hudson
  • débuts: Derwyn Hughes W4615, John deBoer W4800, Bill deBoer W1901, Bill & Ann Rogers W3615, Russ Burrell W3638, Julia Schönborn; George Blanchard goes glass (W4600) as sale of W283 ends era
//
  • Scandinavian champions: Søren Ejsenhardt/John Wulff/Peter Jensen (W1624)
1977
  • WIC approves sail-head buoyancy
  • U.K. champions:
//
  • Scandinavian champions: Ernst Henriksen/P. Helbo (W4663)
/
  • Jeff Jones makes history by winning 5th straight North Americans
  • débuts: Gord Zimmerman & John Pocock W5223 Gordoon, Stan Lepper W661, Phil & Nan Gumley W3642 Bob Frick W1931, Sid Goldsmith W917 sends in the first of his cartoons for Whiffle and/or Yearbook
1978
  • WW3 at Hellerup (Copenhagen), only Uncle Al and George Blanchard helm for Canada; wooden boat revival as Alec Stone-built second-generation epoxied wooden beauties steal the Worlds’ show; first Worlds for Ian Porter
  • World champions: John & Stevie Doerr, W4548 (UK)
  • "international" spi approved by WIC: compromise between huge North American and tiny European spinnakers
/
  • heart attack claims Pete Hanson (W720), one of the most popular Canadian Wayfarers
  • A & B Fleets in both Canadian and U.S. Nationals
  • Uncle Al and Julia move into W3854 and dump (at least) once in each event
  • débuts: Steve & Ken Carroll W6066, Brian Love W3654, Sandy Clifford, Darrell Hicks returns as W283
//
  • Scandinavian champions: B. Krarup/C. Brun (W3415)
1979
//
  • Scandinavian champions: L. & A.M. Thomsen (W4136)
  • 8 Wayfarers attend first "Rantzausminde" camping/cruising week in Denmark after announcement in April 79 Wayfarer Nyt 
/
  • "teams" and small lakes format for Canadian Nationals at Conestoga increases attendance from 22 to 57 entries 
  • new CWA trophies: Joy Phillips takes first Ted Davis Memorial Trophy (best Cruise Log); George Smith Trophy to Uncle Al for exceptional contibutions to the Wayfarer Class over the years; Linda & Pat Sweet win Storer Trophy (best racing performance)
  • débuts: Skip Langton W4685, Stew & Doug Netherton W4577, Don Parker W2186
.....
the 1980's