2010 Recipients of the “Legends of Ontario Sailing” Award
The 1979 Skippers and Crews of Evergreen (RHYC) andMagistri (RCYC)


All Photos Courtesy of Sharon Green
The 2010 recipients are the brave crews of Evergreen and Magistri that survived and endured the great storms that hit the 1979 Fastnet Race, the worst tragedy in modern sail racing history.
The August 1979 Fastnet race, from Cowes on the Isle of Wight in the English Channel to the Fastnet lighthouse off the south coast of Ireland, started calmly enough for the 303 boats taking part. The previous two races had been uneventful and none of the sailors, among them former British prime minister Ted Heath and American cable TV millionaire Ted Turner, anticipated anything out of the ordinary this time. They expected a challenge, an exhilarating ride, and three days of top-flight competition. But once the yachts left the shelter of the Cornish coast, they were hit by a storm that gained ferocity minute by minute until it was blowing Force 10 and raising mountainous waves. At Force 10, the wind speed at sea is fifty-five knots, just shy of a hurricane. Winds that strength on land uproot trees and demolish poorly constructed buildings. – From description of Beyond Enduranceby Adam Mayers.
Evergreen | Magistri |
Don Green – skipper/owner
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Chuck Bentely – skipper/co-owner
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Dennis Aggus
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Arch Alyea
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Ron Barr
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Andre Calla
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Dave Downey
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Peter Cowern
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John Fitzpatrick
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Nick DeGrazia
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Alan Jeyes
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Peter Farlinger – co-owner
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Steve Killing
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Fred Goode – co-owner
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Al Megarry
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Dennis Hogarth – co-owner
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Jim Talmage
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Lt. John Hollidge
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Peter Milligan – co-owner
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Chris Punter – co-owner
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