Old Guys Rule!

Not that we have anything against youth, but we’re strong believers that old salts with boatloads of knowledge and experience should be revered. That’s why we’ve organized a special event for tomorrow (April 16) at the Oakland YC honoring legendary solo circumnavigator John Guzzwell. It was 50 years ago that John completed his singlehanded lap around the planet aboard the 20’6" Trekka, a lightweight Laurent Giles-designed woodie, that John built with his own hands while in his early 20s. At the time of his homecoming in 1959, Trekka was the smallest boat ever to have gone around.

Although everyone is welcome to attend this free event, it will also serve as a gathering of other West Coast circumnavigators and singlehanders. As anyone who’s read John’s classic book, Trekka Round the World, knows, he took time out from his own trip to crew for adventurers Miles and Beryl Smeeton on their ill-fated Cape Horn attempt. Tomorrow night John will present Southern Ocean film footage shot shortly before the Smeetons’ boat, Tzu Hang, pitchpoled. In addition to a lifetime of adventures on the water, in recent years John completed two Singlehanded TransPacs aboard another self-built boat, Endangered Species.

We’re sure this will be both a fun and informative evening, so we hope you’ll join us in raising a glass to one of West Coast sailing’s living legends. Where & when: Oakland YC in Alameda; no-host bar at 6:30 p.m.; presentation at 7:00 p.m. The event is free, although donations toward expenses will be happily accepted. The venue is only a few minutes drive from the Strictly Sail Pacific boat show, which runs through Sunday at Jack London Square.