Newport Sailor Wins Seamanship Trophy
Sailor Carter Bacon, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, has received the Rod Stephens Seamanship Trophy for his “his meritorious handling” of the sinking of his classic 50-foot K. Aage Nielsen sloop Solution during the return sail after the Newport Bermuda Race last year.
The Cruising Club of America said in a statement: “Abandoning one’s 60-year-old yacht after 24 years after numerous voyages, including several races to Bermuda and a transatlantic crossing, is a difficult decision to make – comparable to losing a family member.
“Bacon put his crew’s safety first and foremost, which he is quick to say was an easy decision for him.
“For what is all too often a dangerous and chaotic event, in a carefully orchestrated manner and with expert support from the US Coast Guard, Bacon and his crew abandoned Solution 200 miles off Cape Cod, bringing everyone home safely.”
The CCA annually awards the Rod Stephens Seamanship Trophy to a sailor “for an act of seamanship which significantly contributes to the safety of a yacht, or one or more individuals at sea.”
