Dec 10, 2024

Ed Botterell, born January 24, 1931, a Canadian sailing legend, passed December 2, 2024.

First noted in 1947 when he represented the Royal St Lawrence Yacht Club for the right to represent Canada in the first post war Olympics in the single handed Firefly. Beaten, but just, by Bruce Kirby from Ottawa, who was in turn beaten by Paul McLauglin.

Ed sailed  International 14s in late 1940’s into the ‘50’s and then sailed Lightnings at the international level in the early ‘50’s and then, in 1957 moved to Vancouver and sailed in all the distance races there for 5 years, including 5 Swiftsure races.

Ed returned to Montreal in ’62 and qualified to represent Canada at the ’64 Tokyo Olympics in the Dragon class. He spent ’66 and ’67 vying for the Mallory cup, then the N.A. men’s sailing championship. In ’66 with Roger Hewson and Sicotte Hamilton as crew, they finishing third in Shields at Riverside CT., and second in Saber Scows in Montreal with Sicotte and Ian Bruce in 1967.

In 1968, left Dominion Textile Co., and joined Ted Hood, opening the Canadian Hood loft in Kingston. In the spring of ’68, he was part of the crew of Red Jacket, winning the SORC and putting C&C yachts on the map.

Ed bought the sail loft from Ted in 1978, left Kingston and moved the Hood loft to Toronto. In 1991, Ed left Hood and changed his loft to Doyle, and with his wife Garlyne, ran that loft until she died of cancer in 2002. They closed the loft when Gar became ill, and Ed continued selling sails and servicing Doyle customers.  

Ed has over 45,000 ocean racing miles behind him, including the Fastnet race, 5 Marblehead to Halifax races; 6 Bermuda races, 13 SORC circuits, 6 Key West series, among others. As well; innumerable races on fresh water, including 6 Mackinaw races. Not to mention over 60 years of course racing, with 40 per year average, as a guess.

• Roger Renaud