December 24, 1927 - October 27, 2022
David Roseman, MD
October 25, 2022 to November 22, 2022
David Roseman, MD
October 25, 2022 to November 22, 2022
The Whitby 42
As I write this, our great old friend Gene is gravely ill (he died 2 days later). This history is based on many conversations with Gene, dating back over about 25 years. Please send any additional information to DLR@eolas.com.
My knowledge of Gene's sailing experiences start with his participation in the Southern Ocean Racing Conference (SORC). He crewed for several years of Mr. Kurt Hansen. Kurt and Doris, his wife, owned the Whitby Boat Works in Whitby, Ontario. As Gene approached age 50, he planned to do extended cruising and designed what he thought was the ideal 42' cruising boat. He asked Kurt to build this, but was told that Kurt only built racers. Anyone who knew Gene would not be surprised that he prevailed, and the result became the Whitby 42.
My understanding is that they required a marine arcitect's certification, and Ted Brewer was consulted. I understand that the basic design was Gene's, although Brewer is widely cited as the designer. Several times, I asked Gene if he had his drawings, but he did not. I speculate that they may have been transferred to Whitby Boat Works or Mr. Brewer.
Gene took delivery of hull #2, the Felicity, and embarked on a 5 year cruise to England, Europe and the Carribean. The Whitby 42 became a popular cruising boat, and about 250 of them were made [1]. There is still a website devoted to the Whitby's and Brewer's [2], and several Whitby 42's are offered for sale on the web.
A Cruising World article, January 12 2009, [3] has extensive information about a subsequent owner of Hull #2. It also states that the boat was first built in 1971
Whitby 42 from Cruising World, 1/12/2009
I had the great pleasure of going to the Bahamas with Gene years ago, and sailing a 41-footer back to Florida. A Whitby 42 was in one the the Bahamian ports, and Gene had a long conversation with the owner. He was fascinated with Gene's involvement with the development of the boat.
The Cruise
My knowledge of Gene's sailing experiences start with his participation in the Southern Ocean Racing Conference (SORC). He crewed for several years of Mr. Kurt Hansen. Kurt and Doris, his wife, owned the Whitby Boat Works in Whitby, Ontario. As Gene approached age 50, he planned to do extended cruising and designed what he thought was the ideal 42' cruising boat. He asked Kurt to build this, but was told that Kurt only built racers. Anyone who knew Gene would not be surprised that he prevailed, and the result became the Whitby 42.
My understanding is that they required a marine arcitect's certification, and Ted Brewer was consulted. I understand that the basic design was Gene's, although Brewer is widely cited as the designer. Several times, I asked Gene if he had his drawings, but he did not. I speculate that they may have been transferred to Whitby Boat Works or Mr. Brewer.
Gene took delivery of hull #2, the Felicity, and embarked on a 5 year cruise to England, Europe and the Carribean. The Whitby 42 became a popular cruising boat, and about 250 of them were made [1]. There is still a website devoted to the Whitby's and Brewer's [2], and several Whitby 42's are offered for sale on the web.
A Cruising World article, January 12 2009, [3] has extensive information about a subsequent owner of Hull #2. It also states that the boat was first built in 1971
Whitby 42 from Cruising World, 1/12/2009
I had the great pleasure of going to the Bahamas with Gene years ago, and sailing a 41-footer back to Florida. A Whitby 42 was in one the the Bahamian ports, and Gene had a long conversation with the owner. He was fascinated with Gene's involvement with the development of the boat.
The Cruise
A summary of the cruise is in a Holland Sentinel article dated August 25, 1980 [5]. This article also corroborates Gene's role in the boat's design.
Barb Davidson provided many files, including some of those above, and:
- The crew and preparations
- The Crossing
- Chart 120 with route and notes
- Newspaper articles
- Great Lakes Sailing Scanner October 1976
- Holland Sentinel August 16, 1980
- Holland Sentinel August 25, 1980
- Unknown source
