RIP Dick Newick

[Russell and Janet Puryear]

Mr. Newick, who died at 87 on Aug. 28 in Sebastopol, Calif

[Russell and Janet Puryear]

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/16/sports/dick-newick-sailboat-desig...

[Galway Bay]

One of my All Time Heroes. I still count his proa "Cheers" as one of the great boats of all time.

I can remember Tom Follett in the 1968 OSTAR racing the big monos across the Atlantic. If I remember rightly he took the boat south for a tradewind passage and back north by Bermuda relying on speed to cover the huge extra distance - and nearly pulled it off losing out by 3 days finally to come 3rd. 3 days is a lot now but then even the fastest boats took 28 / 30 days to cross.

I seem to remember he took his dog with him and gave a memorable answer to a reporter who asked him if it was not difficult doing such sailing alone -"No if they wanted to make it difficult they would make you take someone with you !!"

A true pioneer - Cheers was ply / epoxy in 1968.

He will be sadly missed.

[marc]

Sure Galway Bay.

But some of his boats are still alive. Nice videos on :

http://www.goldenoldies.biz/

[Galway Bay]

Thanks Marc - I have that site bookmarked - James and Anneka visited this year of course. "Cheers" has been restored and declared a "monument historique" or some such in France. Inevidably some one built a Trimaran and called it "Three Cheers".  I do not know if it was a Newick or not but it was fast....

[Ann and Neville Clement]

During the Wooden Boat show when James and Hanneke came for the Multihull Pioneers event, Dick Newick came along with Walter Greene and John Marples, Jim Brown, and others.  They all gathered on Peace many times because we were there on request of Mystic Seaport.  The stories and the conversations after hours at that three days show were fantastic.  Dick and I shared lunch and a moment of peace and quiet which I will never forget.  A wonderful man.  His boats are all curves and lovely.  The interactions between all these excellent designers was inspiring and a real learning time for all of us. 

The boats and their spirits will sail on.....      Ann and Nev

[laurent]

I saw a young man in Sete in august at the Golden Oldies from one boat to an other with the all the congratulations around

,tv, mayor,presse,radio, all great sailors, and still so simple smile , peace full man. i couldn't think i was in front of the Creator of "Cheers" and this huge white birds . how many times i have look my bank account and think " i want a Newick , just a little one ...

sail on ....