EIGHT BELLS: Pat Eudy

Thursday afternoon (June 20), an airplane crash took the life of Pat Eudy, active owner and racer with his Melges 20, J/105, and Lutra 42, all named Big Booty.

As reported in The Post and Courier, the twin-engine plane spiraled into the woods surrounding McClellanville, SC, breaking into five pieces, killing 44-year-old Patrick Eudy of Mount Pleasant, SC and instructor Robert Ulrich, 69, of Idaho, authorities said. Both men died from blunt force injuries, Charleston County Chief Deputy Coroner Bobbi Jo O’Neal said.

Ulrich reportedly was accompanying Eudy on Thursday during a routine outing so Eudy could get re-certified on the aircraft that crashed, a 1977 Rockwell International 690B. Eudy, president and CEO of Matthews, N.C.-based telecommunications firm American Broadband, was an experienced pilot who owned at least three planes, including the 10-seat Rockwell, friends said.

From Priscilla Parker:
We dedicated our Summer Sailstice to Pat Eudy and team Big Booty. He was a very generous man who embraced and supported our sport, we’ll miss him. His family and Team Booty brought out the boat to sail on Saturday night.

Pat had to “censor” the womanly shape for acceptance in parts of the area, but last night they flew the original Big Booty spin with the original graphics, and we, race committee for CORA used the Big Booty flag as the signal flag to start the Summer Solstice race, which we dedicated to Pat.

A memorial service and reception will be held at 4pm Wednesday, June 26 in the Carolina Yacht Club of Charleston.

Sad times … I truly enjoyed taking photos of Pat and Big Booty. Here are some from Saturday…