- I have known Ted Hood since 1966, when I first met him at the London Boat Show. Furthermore, on the race course in Denmark, where the One Ton Cup is held.
- Being involved with 12 Metre boats, it was hard not to be aware of the hegemony of Hood sails over everything and anyone else's canvas. Still later on, at Carter Offshore, we had a Canada's Cup boat that was beaten by Dynamite. Of course, his strings of Robin were always in competition, and racing a lot myself, I have been around many of them. My own Marrakesh Express one-ton design was equipped with his mast and sails. So was Circus Maximus.
- I recently saw Ted in a very different circumstance. Visiting someone at the local clinic about six months ago, this person mentioned that Mr. Ted Hood was hospitalized in the next room. So I went to visit. The gentleman was lying down in bed wearing his blue blazer, quite thinner than I could remember, and he was peacefully reading a newspaper. After presenting myself, he recognized me after a moment, and a short discussion ensued. I asked what he was in for, not thinking of the worst, his simple answer was:" I don't know".
He was the giant in the pleasure boat industry, touching so many venues with unprecedented success. Sail, making, mast making, deck gear, yacht construction, yacht sales, and of course, yacht design.
A little side story.
- I recently saw Ted in a very different circumstance. Visiting someone at the local clinic about six months ago, this person mentioned that Mr. Ted Hood was hospitalized in the next room. So I went to visit. The gentleman was lying down in bed wearing his blue blazer, quite thinner than I could remember, and he was peacefully reading a newspaper. After presenting myself, he recognized me after a moment, and a short discussion ensued. I asked what he was in for, not thinking of the worst, his simple answer was:" I don't know".
He was the giant in the pleasure boat industry, touching so many venues with unprecedented success. Sail, making, mast making, deck gear, yacht construction, yacht sales, and of course, yacht design.
A little side story.
Back in 1979, I was building with Don Schiavone a bunch of boats, including a 54' sailboat literally designed around a wheelchair for the paraplegic owner. I used to travel early in the morning from my office at Newport to what is now the complex of N.E.B and Hinckley/ ex Hood's Little Harbor. At the time, there were only run down WW11 vintage Quonset huts and empty fields. The Bend boat basin was located where NEB is now, and we were building the boats next to what is now the present Melville Grill. So, it is not my surprise that by a miserable, very early morning in November with wind, drizzle, and cold and barely enough light for visibility, I could see in the middle of the field someone who I believe is Ted Hood junior, the son. I stopped the car at some distance to observe and wonder what someone would be doing at this time of the day, trampling the grass under the rain, in the middle of nowhere.
Well, it took another ten years or so before Little Harbor moved from Marblehead to Portsmouth, RI.
Was Ted Jr. looking so far ahead for his Dad? I never approached the subject with him, but maybe someday I will.
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