Today is Olin Stephens' 100th birthday. When I think about American history and sailing (remember, America is still a young country), Olin Stephens should be recognized as a person that has done as much to build and promote the sport as anybody. Let's take Dorade for example. Not since a group of New York City industrialists sent the schooner America to the UK in 1851 (putting American ship-builders on the map and giving birth to the America's Cup) has one boat done so much in creating a positive movement for sailing. Wait a minute, a seaworthy boat with performance attributes that was also beautiful? Design would never be the same again. The performance-cruiser had a profound impact on the industry and has become a true symbol of the sailing lifestyle. As one long-time S&S owner once said to me about one of Mr. Stephens' designs, "Nobody wants to sail a boat that isn't pretty."
Happy 100th Birthday, Olin. You are an inspiration to all who sail and the reason I started tearing ads out of magazines as a kid. May we all be able to list "100 candles" on our list of accomplishments.
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