Eight Bells: Peter A. VanDyck

In his own words, “I just want to BLAST OFF,” and so Peter A. VanDyck (PVD) did on May 27, 2015 at 2300GMT. He suffered a full ventricular arrest on May 25th and never regained consciousness (10/23/46 – 05/27/15).

Pete was raised in Connecticut, where he started sailing, and spent many summers in Maine. He received a B.S. in Physics from Roanoke College and went to work for IBM upon graduation.

During the 70’s he was active in offshore racing on most of the premier boats of the era. His expertise with mechanical and electrical systems, combined with his ability to quickly analyze situations, made him an invaluable crew member. Everyone on the boat always looked to and awaited Pete’s input; so much so, that in one race an owner called out for him in the midst of a Chinese Fire Drill. PVD, as it turned out, wasn’t even sailing in that race.

He participated in most of the major regattas during the 70’s: SORC, Trans-Atlantic, Mediterranean and Rio Circuits, Congressional Cup, One Ton, Onion Patch, Bermuda, Chicago-Mac, etc.

In the 80’s Peter relocated to California. As a General Contractor he concentrated on challenging projects that most builders would not entertain. Later, he focused on Residential Technology specializing in the installation of Surveillance Systems and Home Theatres. As technology advanced, Peter ignored retirement so he could assist his clients with constantly needed system upgrades.

Having PVD on board was always a pleasure and he will be missed on all future sails. – Fil Fraser