Godspeed to one of the Greatest Naval Architects

[motovationcycles]

Thomas Gilmer passed Wednesday in Annapolis MD. I met Thomas Gilmer in the early 80's when he designed a "Chesapeake Pungy Schooner" that the Annapolis Shipwrights Guild was to build in Annapolis. I was really looking forward to building it. But it didn't work out ( thats another story!). His son Charley was also a friend of my fathers.

Naval architect Gillmer leaves sturdy legacy • Top Stories (www.HometownAnnapolis.com - The Capital)

[WanderingStar]

Gilmer designed some interesting and seaworthy boats. There was just a Blue Moon on Ebay.
He left a mark.

[ROSA]

We once owned a Kenner Privateer 26 ketch designed by Mr. Gilmer. What a neat boat. For a small ketch it was a fine sailer which had a surprising ability to point. We became very interested in him after Alan Eddy did the circ with the Seawind 30, Apogee.

We had written to him about the boat back in the late 70's and were excited when he wrote back answering our questions in a very timely, and friendly manner, sending a small book with photos and info on many of his designs.

We have a friend, from whom we purchased our 26, who cruised his Privateer 35 ketch all around the Gulf of Mexico, the Western Carib, up to the Tall Ships in 1976, to the Caribbean by way of Bermuda, and back to New Orleans single handed. He loved the Gilmer designs.

[JohnRPollard]

What a remarkable life! I regret that I never met him. Thank you for the Pride, Mr. Gillmer, and fair winds to you.

Feel free to post your photos of Gillmer-designed boats. In addition to the Privateers, I know we have at least a few Southern Cross owners on board.

Pride of Baltmore II

[JohnRPollard]

I thought I'd call attention to another nice obit from a recent edition of the Washington Post:

Ship historian, naval architect Thomas C. Gillmer dies at 98

I had not realized that the Kalmar Nyckel is also credited to Mr. Gillmer.

[midnightsailor]

Thanks Moto for this post. I am sad to hear of Mr. Gilmers Passing. He will be missed. I have always loved his designs and remember when I first had a chance to see his Blue Moon design many years ago and fell in love with that boat.Tom, " Here's to your tall ship, the star to steer her by, and a quite sleep and a sweet dream, your long trecks over"

[Jeff_H]

I hadn't talked to Tom Gilmer in years. When I first came to town in the early 1980's, he shared office space with Francis Stokes who had just completed the BOC single-handed around the world race in one of Gilmer's designed Southern Crosses. The first time that I met Tom Gilmer, I had gone to his office to meet with Francis Stokes. I was designing a boat for a single-hander who was half-way considering doing a BOC and I wanted to get Francis Stokes thoughts on what he personally would want in a distance racer. As it turned out, Stokes was tied up and was going to be hours late He'd called Tom Gilmer to let me know so I could reschedule or, as it turned out wait for him. Tom was more than delighted to discuss yacht design with me in what became a very lively conversation.

Tom was and I am very opinionated when it comes to our ideas about what a proper globe trotter would be, and although our ideas were quite different, it was a great dialogue. I don't think it changed either of our opinions terribly much but I suspect that the conversation left both of us with a lot to think about. The next time that I saw him, he picked up the conversation right where it left off.

I admired all of these older designers. Yacht design was a gentleman's art, with the words gentleman and art applying strongly to Tom Gilmer. My thoughts go out to Tom's family and all who knew and will miss him.

Jeff

[BubbleheadMd]

I feel like I missed out. I was just reading about Mr. Gilmer in a book about Annapolis and Chesapeake history. I had no idea he was still alive.

[kwaltersmi]

The sailing world has lost two design legends in a short period with the recent passing of Gilmer and Crealock back in September. Both will long be remember by their great designs, particularly by cruising sailors.

[Valiente]

Anyone else notice how long most of the great boat drawers seem to live?

But we've certainly lost a lot of them in the last three or four years: Stephens, Crealock, Gilmer, Bolger, to name a few. I expect to see George Cuthbertson (C&C) at the Boat Show next week, but he's past 80 now, as is, I think, Ted Brewer.