52 replies to this topic

[Philc]

Just saw on the Nine News of the passing of Joe Adams.

i sailed on one of his designs for many happy years.

Will be sadly missed.

[Jethrow]

How sad, he was such a free thinking designer. I did work experience with him back in about '82

[olaf hart]

Just bought an Adams 36.
Sad news, another legend gone ...

[Scarecrow]

Bugger!

[Mel]

My profile pic says it all

Thanks

[Bill E Goat]

I think his proudest moment was when the 66ft Helsal 2 was in front of the 80ft Bumblebee 4 going to Hobart but it was never reported as such. Having a non IOR designed boat in front of the Maxi was just too much for the establishment, it didn't have a masthead rig and tortured stern

But then again the only major concrete ocean racer to win modern ocean races

Or the fact that Ben Lexcen stole one of his designs Spacesailor 42 I think

Or the fact the didn't give a shit about rating rules and designed innovative cruising yachts

[SPORTSCAR]

Sad, sad news indeed. Two of our 'Sportscars' were Joe Adams designs, firstly an Adams Ten which was a revelation to the sport in the late 70's early 80s and still rules the race courses today, some 40 years later so far ahead of its time was her near perfect design. Our second Adams boat was an Adams 11.9 in which we raced hard, inshore and especially offshore, fast and safe and we had so much fun it hurt. I met Joe in Coffs Harbour on his cruising boat many years ago and shared a cuppa and a yarn with him. A delightful man with a depth of knowledge about sailing, the sea and boats that was truly awe inspiring. He put more people into fast fun boats than any other yacht designer in Australian maritime history and for that we all owe him a huge debt of gratitude. May he sail forever on silver seas with a quartering breeze. Joe, thanks from me and the Sporty gang for all those whooping runs in big breezes. What an amazing legacy he has left for sailing in this country.
Will raise a rum for Joe now.
These pics from ancient history ( early 80s) show the A-Ten after our first ever race in her and the A 11.9 hammering across Bass Strait. Great times, great memories.
 Sportscar 2.jpg   29.14K   111 downloads
 Sportscar 3.jpg   264.24K   109 downloads

[adams10]

A great designer and a great guy. I had an Adams 10 for 19 years , just could never find another boat that offered a better all round package . Pity old Joe wasn't a bit taller though - might have had headroom in the ten ! Fair winds old mate.

[Innocent Bystander]

Raced an Adams 13 for a few years. Great "Fast Cruiser". Innovative designer who designed good sailing boats, not rule tortured slabs. Too bad rating rules kept him from being well known outside of Australia.

[Phil]

I know that I'm also a little biased when it comes to the Adams10. having sailed them for too many years, I still think they are one of the best boats for around the harbour. You can sail 'em 2 up as Mel and I did on many an occasion or race them hard with 6 or 7. Yes the design dates back but is there any other that can hold a 10? Just ask some of those in Melbourne in recent times, all the good Sydney boats are ending up there.
Then there's an old school friend who has a Carina44, just a nice cruising boat as ever you will find.

Cheers Joe and thanks for the fun.

[DRIFTW00D]

Adams 10 Metre Association of Australia

[SPORTSCAR]

E D, easily the best sailed Ten I have ever seen and always hard to beat. A 30+ year old design still kicking arse on IRC and AMS. Good boat, good team. Joe would be proud of them.
 7 CM Final Race 2012 ED just ahead 3rd beat.JPG   379.55K   52 downloads

And another nice shot of a Ten going upwind, this one is Serious Yahoo out of Royal Brighton YC.
 A10 Serious Yahoo.JPG   169.27K   49 downloads

[DickDastardly]

I know that I'm also a little biased when it comes to the Adams10. having sailed them for too many years, I still think they are one of the best boats for around the harbour. You can sail 'em 2 up as Mel and I did on many an occasion or race them hard with 6 or 7. Yes the design dates back but is there any other that can hold a 10? Just ask some of those in Melbourne in recent times, all the good Sydney boats are ending up there.
Then there's an old school friend who has a Carina44, just a nice cruising boat as ever you will find.

Cheers Joe and thanks for the fun.

I've often wondered how an updated A10 with a more modern keel and non-overlapping carbon rig would perform. Wouldn't change much else I suspect.

[SPORTSCAR]

I think ED has disproved the idea that you need to modernise the Tens. Stock boat, well prepared, good sails and crew and very well sailed = bloody hard to beat!
You could apply that formula to lots of boats but when you do it with a Ten, you're going to be on the money.

[JimL]

Just came accross this (see linky http://www.mysailing...the-philippines)

I never got to meet him but wish I had. I will have a rum during twilights tonight in our Adams 13 Rhumb Line (see shot in avatar) and tip a rum overboard in honour of Joe.

I have had the pleasure of sailing in Adams 10's and 11.9 (the original Scallywag) and that's why we had the 13 put together by Dave Dillon.

Sail on Joe.

Bad doin's in the Phillippines.

Jim

[SPORTSCAR]

Thanks for the link Jim, but I wish I hadn't seen that. Bad enough that Joe is gone but terrible news to find out how he met his untimely end.

[Phil]

I know that I'm also a little biased when it comes to the Adams10. having sailed them for too many years, I still think they are one of the best boats for around the harbour. You can sail 'em 2 up as Mel and I did on many an occasion or race them hard with 6 or 7. Yes the design dates back but is there any other that can hold a 10? Just ask some of those in Melbourne in recent times, all the good Sydney boats are ending up there.
Then there's an old school friend who has a Carina44, just a nice cruising boat as ever you will find.

Cheers Joe and thanks for the fun.

I've often wondered how an updated A10 with a more modern keel and non-overlapping carbon rig would perform. Wouldn't change much else I suspect.

There is one at LMYC that was built modified. personally, no. It will affect resale and doesn't really help the brand. But there are those who just want to go fast and eh!

[karua]

I've often wondered how an updated A10 with a more modern keel and non-overlapping carbon rig would perform. Wouldn't change much else I suspect.

Yes, I wondered that..not carbon mast but non-overlapping rig, bowsprit, new rudder etc...

Great boats, and what a tragic end.

RIP Joe

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[MR.CLEAN]

what a sad story. anyone have a pic of joe from better days?

[Weyalan]

Rumor is he was murdered...?

[DickDastardly]

http://www.smh.com.a...1017-27q9e.html

I've often wondered how an updated A10 with a more modern keel and non-overlapping carbon rig would perform. Wouldn't change much else I suspect.

Yes, I wondered that..not carbon mast but non-overlapping rig, bowsprit, new rudder etc...

Great boats, and what a tragic end.

RIP Joe

 Torquil_new_sm.jpg   182.39K   76 downloads

Was wondering when you'd out it...!

[Gorn FRANTIC!!]

Link to story

http://www.smh.com.a...1017-27q9e.html

[Trickypig]

Sail on Joe..

I remember him living aboard Hoana with his wife Anne in Newport just off the old dune. One of our halyards went up the rig and Joe jumped aboard and shimmied straight up the rig and pulled it down. I was a kid and was enthralled at the fact that they'd just sailed around the world. He had `tweety bird' he'd carved and painted on the end of the bowsprit.

He told the story of how the noise of the clunking centreplate had driven them mad on the downwind Pacific sail so he just undid the bolt and dropped it to the bottom of the ocean .. problem solved.

I also visited his office in the 80s when it was opposite the Newport Arms and upstairs, he was welcoming and liked to talk boats. He didn't think IOR made for a wholesome or fast boat; (no kidding). I remember the Adams designs just smoking the IOR boats downwind in offshore races.

Hoana...

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[Mel]

 black and white.jpg   59.62K   73 downloads
Note the flag on the backstay
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A Nationals heat
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4 Sailing Chix loving 35 knots
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A Nationals finish in a good breeze

[oops]

Helsal1973 - Brian Curtis & Associates
Joe Adams - October 1984

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[PIL007]

A big part of history down here gone and it seems in terrible circustances......
My family's first yacht 1975..? was a 40ft Adams round bilge full keel steel sloop named "Awenchy"........he wasn't constricted by handicaps and hence his many early planning beasts.
R.I.P. Joe.....Legend.

[savoir]

The rating on the 1970's Adams boats was always abysmal - IOR justplain didn't like them. As a consequence they didn't win much. Despite that, there were plenty around just for the fun of going fast. Sporties didn't exist back then. During the late 1970's an A10 could hold a two tonner downwind at what . . . . . 1/4 the price ? They could beat a one tonner around a triangle.

Great embarassment to the rockstar IOR owners and crew at being pestered by some ratty little 32 footer. No respect ! Those Adams dudes didn't have matching shirts and couldn't tapdance either.

[Mel]

haha savoir you make me laugh! I have a photo from when we won the Adams 10 Nationals. No matching crew shirts..

[Life Buoy 15]

Very Sad news. I owned an A10 with a lid for many years - one of the best boats I have owned and I wish I still had her. Was the first boat I had when I started my sailing school. We used to do 5 day live aboard courses with 4 students and an instructor on board! (Mine was the cabin version)but still pretty cosy on a 'snakebox'. The punters loved it because it was so much fun to sail.
I spent an afternoon aboard Joes boat on the Tweed River many years ago. I had never met him before but he was happy just to shoot the shit about boats with a complete stranger.
A complete Gentalman and one of Australia's greatest designers.
RIP Mr Adams.

[Jiffy Reefer]

Terribly sad news indeed. I recall my first Pittwater to Coffs race - I think in 1986, I was on Impetuous and The Office (Adams design) won by a long way and held the race record until a few years ago. Currently the proud owner of an Adams 10.

[DrNick]

[DtM]

Very very sad news indeed

[Bill E Goat]

This is the Sad bit


He had been living alone in the house after recently letting go his maid because he could no longer pay her, Inspector Acay said.
Mr Adams was last seen walking with the maid to her new employer in the village on Sunday afternoon.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.a...l#ixzz29XakPVQL

[rum gully]

Very sad news. I worked with Joe in the late eighties in the Newport office and learned more in a week about yacht design than I could learn in a year in any yacht design course. He was very innovative but stuck to good principles of construction and design. Exentric to the bone (who calls his cat horse?) And would flat refuse to design a slow boat. You will be missed mate.

[SPORTSCAR]

Sail on Joe..

I remember him living aboard Hoana with his wife Anne in Newport just off the old dune. One of our halyards went up the rig and Joe jumped aboard and shimmied straight up the rig and pulled it down. I was a kid and was enthralled at the fact that they'd just sailed around the world. He had `tweety bird' he'd carved and painted on the end of the bowsprit.

He told the story of how the noise of the clunking centreplate had driven them mad on the downwind Pacific sail so he just undid the bolt and dropped it to the bottom of the ocean .. problem solved.

I also visited his office in the 80s when it was opposite the Newport Arms and upstairs, he was welcoming and liked to talk boats. He didn't think IOR made for a wholesome or fast boat; (no kidding). I remember the Adams designs just smoking the IOR boats downwind in offshore races.

Hoana...

We called in to West Bay on Middle Percy Island on our way up to Airlie Beach last year and took the opportunity to explore the original old hut where the tradition of leaving name boards to mark your passage started. There on the wall was this one. It has a special meaning now.
 Middle Percy Old Hut Joe Adams sign.JPG   279.13K   20 downloads

[laz8888]

In the 70's some of the crew from the CYC and Helsal were having a party. there was a bloke there with a parrot on his shoulder(as one did in the 70's) Joe came to the party of drunken yachties with a balsa half model of his new concept. (the adam 10 or 13, correct me if i am wrong),. when some fool was having a look at the model and holding it up to see the lines , the parrot bit off the nose of the the model.(TRUE)
Well, the party erupted in laughter but joe was quite upset and left.

i owned a 13 with a meter long sugar scoop on the back. i was taking it back to queensland and stopped at Coffs harbour where i met Joe, who looked over my new purchase and gave it the thumbs up. Very polite ,kind man with fartherly advise.'
i will miss him. I was heading north with my wife and 7 year old daughter. it was blowing 20+ outside. joe said "dont leave port til you are happy to do so" dont be pressured into leaving. Of course i left and after an hour or so it blew up more.
I ended up withn 3 reefs and a battened no 3 blade.
In the middel of the night my wife held the handheld gps up in the companionway and we were just sitting on 17 knts SOG. not just bursts on waves but a constant 17 knts for hours.
I did not touch the helm all night ,boom draggin in the water at times, litte rooster tail, water across the deck. the boat was absolutly confidence inspiring.
I realy think the the more it blew and the faster the boat went the better it got. Mind you it was nearly impossible to roll my cigarettes as my hands were so wet!!
At anchorages with the board up i could tuck in behind headlands, too bad i am a tall guy and Joe was not.
Here i am ,years later with a Bene 44.7 and setting it up for cruising/racing, but i do remember that nice guy ,who gave me some back up and good advise which i still use today.
He will be missed and when i next catch a wave on my boat i will raise a glass and toast him and wish him a good journey.
RIP joe.

[JimL]

As promised at post #15 we had a couple (?) of rums last night after the twilights and gave a few rums over the side for Joe.

I also said a few words back at the club before the preso where some had not yet heard the bad news.

Here is a shot after a few rums.

(laz8888 +1 on the 13's. I don't think I could ever part with Rhumb Line, as I understand it we are the last one outa the moulds that was owned by Peter Rigby of Lake Maquarie and put together by Dave Dillon of Taree.)

Cheers,

Jim

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[Ramona]

Joe Adam's yacht designs are all well known. I believe he designed the Leader class dinghy too. Very pleasant boat to sail.

[fivestar]

This is the Sad bit


He had been living alone in the house after recently letting go his maid because he could no longer pay her, Inspector Acay said.
Mr Adams was last seen walking with the maid to her new employer in the village on Sunday afternoon.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.a...l#ixzz29XakPVQL

I find this comment a little strange. An average maid in the Philippines earns approximately US$80.00 per month which is not that significant.

[Don'tCallMeJudge]

My first rides on an Adams 10 were the first two Heaven Can Wait races on Lake Maquarie in 2006 & 2007, as well as the 54 NM delivery sails up and down the coast from Sydney. We were thrilled to hold off bigger and faster (in theory) boats, and even take line honors that first time on board Brigitta.

Finally had the pleasure of getting back on board for a ride two weeks ago on board Sirius for the Wednesday race out of MHYC.

Tip of the hat to Mr. Adams.

[lawriebuck]

A beautiful looking boat.

[SPORTSCAR]

A beautiful looking boat.

Helmed there by the great 'Megga' Bascombe, also RIP

[Trickypig]

As I understand it, and I'm willing to be corrected ... Joe Adams designed Helsal II for Dr Tony Fisher who sat on the plans for a few years. Joe approached Tony with the idea of doing a half scale version of those plans as a one design and that was the genesis of the Adams 10. I've heard that story a few times now and I've repeated it, but I never heard it from Joe.

I sailed on Helsal II when Bill Ferris chartered it in '82 and that boat was `unbroachable'. We were doing 25 knots downwind easily when that would have been a big speed for an 80 footer.

[lawriebuck]

A beautiful looking boat.

Helmed there by the great 'Megga' Bascombe, also RIP

..yep, Megga's outline is/was hard to miss, even from a distance! The both of them sailing into the sunset, somewhere.

[One eye Jack]

Sorry to hear the passing of Joe Adams. I never knew the gentleman , but after checking him out, it looked like he had designed some beautiful boats. Also in my search, I came across that he was living in the Philippines and his death may be a murder. I do hope that he is in a place where the wind never quit, and you always are going down hill. Sir: may you RIP.

[savoir]

Here's a better shot of Megga.


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[SPORTSCAR]

 Adams 11.9 Newcastle Flyer KOD 1983 1.jpg   281.84K   33 downloads

 Adams 11.9 Newcastle Flyer KOD 1983 5.jpg   120.1K   35 downloads

Here is another classic Joe Adams design in full flight. This one is the Adams 11.9 Newcastle Flyer taken on the first reach of the 1983 King of the Derwent. I was sailing on Kanga Birtles Holland 44 Sangaree and we had rounded the weather mark a long long way in front of NF. Looking back I noticed a little blue chute moving at amazing speed in the 25 knots seabreeze we were all enjoying. It only seemed like a couple of minutes late when that little blue kite was powering over the top of us and blasted away into the distance. We guessed she must have been doing close to 20 knots at the time. I told our guys all about this performance and a couple of years later we sold our Ten and bought our own 11.9, ex Ian Gleesons's Terror and went on to enjoy similar exhilirating rides.

[Recidivist]

Joe Adams designed many of my favourite yachts.

"It's a good boat - it's an Adams". How often have you heard that?

Rest in peace Joe. Your name and memory will live long.

[Bill E Goat]

http://www.sail-worl...oe-Adams/104633

[jesposito]

Here's a better shot of Megga.


 medres_82005_GeelongHelm.jpg   70.57K   39 downloads

That's Dan Meyers with a beard

[Yachtrocker]

A modded Adams 10 won IRC Div 2 in the Phuket Kings Cup 2012!
Great boats.
http://www.sail-world.com/Asia/Phuket-Kings-Cup-2012---What-is-old-is-new-again!!/104320

[Jiffy Reefer]

Leilani Adams (Joe's daughter) has posted this on the Adams Ten Metre Facebook page for those interested.

[la86]

Hi All,


I have read the posts on here and I would like to thank all who have Dad in their thoughts and those who paid their own respects to Dad. For those who shared their experiences with his designs and those who shared their personal encounters it was a great pleasure to read your posts. If any of you would like to share your personal photos of yachts owned, sailed aboard or raced or any photos relating to Dad that I would be able to use I would appreciate them. Please email me: leilani_adams@hotmail.com

Thanks to All