Bob Schuldenfrei who I blogged about last week, sent me a great selection of photos of RYC back in the 50s and early 60s that his dad had taken. Thanks to Bob for carefully scanning them.
The thing that struck me most about these photos is how little has changed in fifty to sixty years. The clubhouse has been significantly renovated, the dock is bigger and there is now cupola on the end of the dock but the spirit of the club hasn't changed. It's still about active sailing, especially racing. It's still about people working on their own boats in the yard. The boats are bigger and mostly fiberglass but it's still a club run by the members for the members.
Jerry Benson in center of flag officer picture. May be Paul Spens’s SKELDA in background of last picture.
I do indeed remember Paul Spens and Skelda, the yacht that crossed the Atlantic with no motor on Paul’s honeymoon.
My parents were friends with Tony and Doris Leitner. I was a friend of their son Ajax.
My brother Steve had one of the RYC built Blue Jays, #734.
These memories date back over 60 years! Sigh…
Robert Schuldenfrei
Palm Beach, FL
Thanks for posting these, they are great. I noticed one other big change – more women these days! Also, the boats in the yard seem to have grown up.