Eight Bells: Tom Armstrong

Tom Armstrong, a fixture on the Southern California racing scene for many years, passed away January 6, 2015 in Grass Valley, CA at the age of 87 years. Tom was a long standing member of California Yacht Club (Marina del Rey, CA) and served as Commodore in 1983. In addition to racing his own boats, he was very active in laying the foundation for the world class race management that continues at CYC today.

He started his racing out of King Harbor Yacht Club on a K-38, soon purchasing his first boat, a wooden Lapworth 36, Skaal. Tired of varnishing, he graduated to plastic after joining California Yacht Club, and subsequently owned and raced an Ericson 35, a Peterson 34, and finally a Nelson/Marek 41, Insatiable.

His biggest racing campaign was in the early 80’s with Insatiable and he and his crews won numerous trophies up and down the west coast from San Diego to San Francisco, with three Mexican races thrown in. Many of the best names in Southern California sailing raced on Insatiable at one time or another.

As CYC Commodore, Tom and fifteen founders organized the California Corinthian Foundation. They purchased a Six Meter boat, naming it CALIFORNIA I. California Yacht Club chartered the boat from the Foundation and campaigned it for the first time in the California Cup races to take second, then first place in both the North American Six Meter Championships and the World Championship Cup at Newport Beach.

Tom was part of the team that brought the Star World Championships to CYC in 1983. He served as Prinicipal Race Officer for a myriad of events including the Tornado Pre-Olympic Trials and many national championships including the Laser Nationals in 1988.

Tom’s goal was to make race management at CYC consistent and excellent. He established the position of Senior Race Officer and served in that position for many years. He worked to standardize sailing instructions and race committee procedures for regattas and to get racers involved in the running of races. He also served many years as a Senior Judge.

In 1985 Tom dedicated CYC’s Thomas K. Armstrong Challenge Trophy. The original Deed of Gift was intended to promote team competition between yacht clubs in Santa Monica Bay. Each club was invited to bring their five best boats and crews and compete under a common handicap system. While the format has evolved with the times, the Challenge is still active and is awarded at Cal Race Week to the yacht club whose team has the lowest cumulative combined score.

When he wasn’t sailing, Tom was practicing law or developing property in Southern California. He retired to Grass Valley, CA in 2002 and is survived by his wife, Bonnie Bechtol Armstrong and his children.