R.I.P. Laurie Davidson

[Panoramix]

He drew many fast boats but just as importantly they looked damn sexy just standing still.

A firm proponent of the they have to sail well and look right school of yacht design.

SAIL ON Laurie, you had to shout cause he couldn’t hear to well the last few years.

Exactly and this seems a very Kiwi thing... simple efficient and good looking!

 

[sledracr]

Appropos of nothing...what was Pendragon-V?

Off the top of my head, I've got
-- Pendragon (57975), Davidson 34, 1978
-- Pendragon II (77177), Davidson 44, 1981
-- Pendragon III (97000), Davidson 40/1-tonner, 1985
-- Pendragon IV (77000, Davidson 52, 2001 (one of the inspirations for the TP-52 class)
-- Pendragon V _____?
-- Pendragon VI (7744), Davidson 70, 2009

 

 

[Hitchhiker]

Appropos of nothing...what was Pendragon-V?

Off the top of my head, I've got
-- Pendragon (57975), Davidson 34, 1978
-- Pendragon II (77177), Davidson 44, 1981
-- Pendragon III (97000), Davidson 40/1-tonner, 1985
-- Pendragon IV (77000, Davidson 52, 2001 (one of the inspirations for the TP-52 class)
-- Pendragon V _____?
-- Pendragon VI (7744), Davidson 70, 2009

 

Farr 40, IIRC.

 

[silent bob]

Appropos of nothing...what was Pendragon-V?

Off the top of my head, I've got
-- Pendragon (57975), Davidson 34, 1978
-- Pendragon II (77177), Davidson 44, 1981
-- Pendragon III (97000), Davidson 40/1-tonner, 1985
-- Pendragon IV (77000, Davidson 52, 2001 (one of the inspirations for the TP-52 class)
-- Pendragon V _____?
-- Pendragon VI (7744), Davidson 70, 2009

 

Farr 40, IIRC.

And everybody forgets the Fastest Davidson / Franklin yacht…..

The one that could make it to the West End in less than an hour…..

And then make it to Doug’s Harbor Reef for Buffalo Milks…..

 

[Hitchhiker]

One of my favorite photos and, frankly, IMNSHO, about the most beautifully proportioned lines of that era

View attachment 466229

Infamously won PHRF B and PH overall in '93 Transpac.  IIRC a Hoover was used to declare (incorrectly) a clean sweep!

 

[Bob Perry]

 

[bigrpowr]

I agree sled. JJF is one of my all time favorite designs.

yep, and NZ blew it leaving it off the team for 82' clipper cup.

 

[longy]

I don't remember her doing that well under IOR?? Fast downwind but couldn't hang upwind?

15th overall. But better than the team boats.

 

[jhc]

Alta Vita

 

[PHM]

Fair winds after a life lived to the fullest and full of good friends. I was doing bow on a 1 tonner typical of the era during a wet wednesday at MDR when the first purple Pendragon came out for the first time. As Pendragon (sailing in 3/4 ton trim) literally left us gasping in her wake right off the starting line, the owner of the one tonner said: "that's all she wrote...we and every other boat out here are now completely obsolete". How many people in any profession have that kind of dramatic impact?

 

[Dibley]

View attachment 466351

Alta Vita

Frank Pong ended up with her and called her 'Jelik 5'. He cleaned up the Asian circuit with her for many years before selling her to Ernest Echauz who renamed her 'Standard Insurance Centennial 3' and again cleaned up the Asian circuit for a number of years. We did a number of appendage and Sail Plan reconfigurations during those times but she's still a hot boat.....

 

[Crash]

As Sloop's Aunt said, "Getting old ain't for sissys"...

I hope, when my time comes, I've lived half the life, and done half the things that Laurie and Ted did.

They lived it well, and I raise my glass to the both of them...well done lads!

 

[Priscilla]

 

[Priscilla]

 

[Priscilla]

 

[12 metre]

View attachment 466398

Below is Stardancer from another angle. :blink:

Always have to include this photo when she is mentioned.

Moved to PNW maybe 10 years ago.  She sold a couple of years ago.  Wonder where she ended up?  Back to California or hidden away somewhere in PNW?

 

[SPORTSCAR]

Raced the QT Cup here in Melbourne in 1983 on the mighty Davidson QT "Ocean Racer Chaser" for 3rd overall, just behind another Davidson, QuarterFlash which was 2nd overall. Great boats, fun to sail. RIP Laurie Davidson, one of the greats in World yacht design.

 

[JBE]

Riada in the Yagasa, Southern Lau, Fiji. 2019.

1973 design launched 75.

 

[Hitchhiker]

View attachment 466404

On my "I want that boat" list.

 

[SloopJonB]

I didn't know he did some ferro's.

Anybody got pics?