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A Sailor’s Search for the 10-Meter Yacht ‘Sirius’

Sausalito sailor Fred Huffman of the the Contessa 35 La Diana has been reminiscing about a certain sailboat, a 10-Meter racer named Sirius. Fred is hoping someone among our readers may also remember the boat and have some idea of what has become of her.

Since my birth in 1938, I was raised sailing; however I didn’t begin ocean racing until 1956. That year I crewed aboard the 66-ft ketch Nam Sang — a true yacht — in the San Diego to Acapulco Race. That did it: I became totally engrossed in yacht racing. Soon, I was a crewmember aboard the 46-ft  Kettenburg-built PCC Squall (PCC hull #1) in “class” races, and I especially loved the ocean-race courses around the various Channel Islands off the coast of Southern California. Los Angeles Yacht Club’s annual Whitney Series of seven ocean races was hugely popular at the time. The 1957 Transpac Race aboard Squall was the first of my 10 TP races.

As I recall, during those years there were around five 10-Meter racing yachts actively racing in our area. The 10-Meter Sirius was the best of them; she was quite unbeatable in the few class races that occurred, and she often raced in the Whitney Series races. We crews of other race boats only saw her before the starts because she quickly sailed away from the fleet, usually finishing first, and often winning the races on corrected time.

Some years later, I reconnected with Sirius (then with a new owner) and had the thrill of racing aboard her in some 10-Meter regattas and in the 1966 Big Boat Series in the Bay. We had daily boat-for-boat-races with Baruna, the beautiful 72-ft yawl that was called “The Belle of the Bay.” We ended up beating Baruna in that regatta.

In those years I was painting and varnishing yachts for a living, and I acquired the job of refinishing all the brightwork on Sirius, including her varnished spruce mast, and repainting her light-gray topsides.

I haven’t seen Sirius for at least 30 years, and I wonder if any reader of your fine rag might have some current news about the beautiful Sirius.

classic sailboats sailing - 10-meter
This is not Sirius but the10-Meter Sally photographed during the Ancient Mariners Sailing Society of San Diego’s last 2022 regatta, the Half Pint of Rum Race.
© 2023 James Ward

The 10-Meter Sirius was, of course, wooden. She was — hopefully, still is — a low, sleek beauty, around 55- or 60-ft long, I think. I wish I had an actual photo of her.

If anyone has any knowledge of the Sirius in question, please let us know in the comment below, or by email at [email protected].

The 10-Meter Sally will be celebrating it’s 100th birthday in 2027 and currently resides at the San Diego Yacht Club near her sistership the 10-Meter Branta.  

Sailing

11 Comments

  1. Janie Noon 2 years ago

    SALLY and BRANTA are two of a set of 14 sisters who were designed by Sterling Burgess and built by Abeking and Rasmussen – 1927. SALLY is 59′ LOA, beam 10.5′, 80′ tall, draft 8. BRANTA is owned by Rich Reineman, SALLY by CF Koehler and they live at SDYC and sail with Ancient Mariners Sailing Society. CF Koehler may have additional information for you. Contact him at his business – Koehler Kraft on Shelter Island, San Diego.

  2. John deCastro 2 years ago

    I had the pleasure of sailing on Sirius in the 1960’s out of South Shore Sailing Club (now South Shore YC) in Newport Beach. I don’t know what became of her. This article brought back memories of my youth. We once did a cruise to Catalina for the weekend for the Junior Sailing program on Sirius. Thanks for the memories.

    • Capt Jeff Inshaw USCG Ret 2 years ago

      John
      You and I sailed the mid winters in long beach on your Intl 14. Seems to me we went over.
      I’ve sailed all over up until a couple years ago.

  3. Skip Allan 2 years ago

    I well remember SIRIUS, the beautiful and fast, light grey, 58′, 10 meter #15 designed and built by Johan Anker in 1933. Tommy Webster was her sailing master, and Bill Ficker was guest driver during 1954-1961 when Howard Ahmanson owned her and kept her in front of his home on Harbor Island in Newport Beach. The other 10’s in the S.Cal area were HILARIA, BRANTA, SALLY, and COQUILLE. SIRIUS won at least once every ocean race available to her. I well remember skippering her in the 1966 BBS and steering a 10 meter on SF Bay with a tiller. After that SIRIUS fell on hard times, and I do not know what ever became of her. Best, ~skip allan

  4. Tim Murison 2 years ago

    I sailed on Sirius in the 1965 La Paz race. The skipper for that race was Lanny Coon from the Newport Beach area. He was a former Snipe Champion and all around good sailor. I saw the boat in Ventura, CA in the late seventies or early eighties. There was a failed attempt to save her and a disagreement between partners and I heard the boat had been cut up and removed for non payment at the yard- – so sad.

  5. Steve Sellers 2 years ago

    I remember Sirius I being chained up at Lido Shipyard (early 70’s) for non-payment. Memories of the 10 Metre’s in Newport. Sally, with her beautiful Green and Sirius I with that wonderful gray.

  6. Harvey Wills 2 years ago

    My Grandfather Wesley D. Smith owned the Sally for many years. He was friends with Andrew Brown (Z-Spar Paints) that made the special Sally Green topside paint . That color remainded on the Z-Spar color chart and until the 1970s. After that, Catalina Island continued to use Sally Green for many years on the pier handrails.

  7. Bob Buell 2 years ago

    After racing to Ensenada on another boat, I got to sail back to San Diego on SALLY in 1964, I was 18 then.
    She was Sally green then and run by her pro skipper Jim Newkirk, from Newport Harbor. It was unforgettable moment in my long sailing career as I was at helm coming to SD past Pt Loma with rail down on Sally.
    She went on to win the NHYC boat show that same month. Jim Newkirk went on to run the big M boat Sirius after Sally was sold as I remember. I still stop to look at her when I visit SDYC.

  8. Tom Isaacson 1 year ago

    I was on Baruna in ’66 – back whan BBS was chock full of Big Boats. Great times. Turns out I jumped on Sirius for the delivery back from S.F. to Marina del Rey. Quite a trip. Left early in typical Gate fog then eased left and began heading downcoast. Stopped in Morro Bay and picked up a few more crew – skip felt we needed them but we were already comprised of skip (non-racer), a couple of Sirius’ crew, an Aussie off Stormvogel and myself. Soon found out his motives had something to do with wanting to add some estrogen and marijuana to our adventure. Continued on and as we cleared San Luis Bay / Avila the wind started to build such that as we closed on Conception it was likely pushing 30 – 35 kts. with sizable seas. All was good until the time came to jibe over to port. Wisely laid out a plan for a chicken jibe with engine on. All roles talked out and procedures planned. Things were fine until we went through the eye of the wind and began dropping onto our port tack course. The person in charge of the runners forgot to, or somehow couldn’t, release the starboard runner and the boom slammed into it putting us nearly instantly hard on the wind on port tack. As can be imagined some chaos and a bit of yelling ensued. My spot was on the bow and I can still clearly recall being on my knees trying to strangle the life out of the bow cleats as the bow paused slightly (one of those time slowing moments when seconds seem like hours) at the top of a wave then plunged like mad bull into the trough beyond. Spreaders in the water, people flying about in the cockpit, green water all over the bow and leeward deck nearly to the hatch, etc. Fortunately, someone, somehow managed to clear the winch, blow the runner and allow Sirius to get back on her feet. Once we cleaned up and bailed out the boat all was good – steady breeze in the ~20s for most of the afternoon and as the sun was going down, the wind dropped off and the decision was made to spend the night in Avalon and head to del Rey the next day. Great decision. As we set up to depart in the morning a couple of guys in a Whaler came by and one grabbed his guitar and sang us a couple of Mexican ballads as we downed our oatmeal. As they moved on to serenade other boats we pulled anchor and tied up in del Rey a few hours later. Great experience.

  9. Rick Sacks 1 year ago

    I got to letter her in 1972 or 3, down in Newport Beach

  10. Brian Wald 9 months ago

    Hello All

    I am Brian Wald. It was my father, Arthur Wald, who owned the boat during the 70’s. We – my father, brother Craig, and I – sailed for 10 years all over the West Coast and into Mexico. We raced Ensenadas, Mid-Winters, Del Rey Cup, the first Puerto Vallarta, Around Catalina overnight where we beat Bill Ficker sailing Pat Dougan’s Columbia….etc. etc. One year we raced 55 times – 52 – firsts, 1 second, and 2 thirds.

    Arthur was a good sailor but not as expert as others. He was personally challenged to directly sail Sirius, by our good friend Bob Lynch of Sally, in the Del Rey Cup, where he won handily. However, we were very fortunate to sail with the likes of Burke Sawyer, Lanny Coon, Tom Blackaller, Roy Bream, Fred Huffman, and so many more wonderful sailors. I do remember several of you who have commented herein and delighted to know you’re all well.

    I was in college when we first got the boat and had it through my graduate school time. She was maintained like a Bristol classic car and no new invention or sail type wasn’t tried to ensure her racing success. Arthur, when finished with the boat, donated her to the Boys Scouts of America, who in exchange offered him use of their recent donation – James Arness’s custom built 58′ catamaran Sea Smoke. Once you’ve gone fast it’s hard to go anything but faster. For two years we raced her on the West Coast – sometimes hitting 35mph in the right weather.

    I can say that once you’ve had a boat of that caliber of performance and crew, you understand what the best is all about. Great boat design, great sail design, great equipment, and a great crew all working in sync like a fine Swiss watch….. what fun! I wish I could do it all over again.

    And Fred, I do remember you. I very much appreciate your interest.

    end

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