Thread: RIP Frank Bethwaite, at 92

Howdy,

As with many people who sailed around the Sydney region I kept running into Frank Bethwaite one way or another.

In the early days of my NS14 racing I first went round to his company, which was in the front yard of a suburban house at Naremburn.

Starboard products at that time was responsible for providing rudder and centreboard blades for many racing classes. They made such a huge difference to my NS14 at the time that I jumped from being in the middle of the pack to having almost undefeatable boat speed. Even in heavy winds where we were the lightest crew.

Also his articles were an education in what really makes boats perform.

The sailing world owes him a great debt.

You can dig up many articles via google.
https://www.google.com/search?ix=aca...hwaite+article

And his Tasar sailing manual ... about the best briefing on modern sailing methods. it is downloadable here. I had a dog eared one given to me by Frank for helping at a boatshow years ago when I was in my late teens.
The Tasar Manual

Thanks Frank.

Michael

Yes, he was a remarkable man, and still researching into his 90's!

Vale Frank Bethwaite DFC OAM, 26.05.1920 - 12.05.2012

RIP

having owed / sailed both NS14 and 29er have thanks for his design and ideas,

northbridge is a great club which he has been part of for over 50yrs