Eight Bells: Dan Clapp

Longtime southern California sailing enthusiast Dan Clapp crossed over the bar at the age of 93 on July 7, 2022.

Shortly after his high school graduation, Dan and his buddies built a “Covered Wagon” on an open truck chassis and drove it to Alaska where they worked aboard a riverboat for the summer. Upon his return from Alaska, Dan got his “Dear John” letter and was off to Korea with the US Army where he was a driver for a Brigadier General.

Once discharged, Dan returned home to attend Cal State Los Angeles where he received a B.A. in Business Administration. While attending college, his best friend set him up on a blind date with a gal from Pasadena named Norma Doell. They were married on June 26, 1955.

Dan started in sales with the R.B. Clapp Co., Inc. a family business and rapidly took the helm from his father. His success in business gave him the opportunity to live his dream of building his first boat and teaching himself to sail.

His love of sailing led them to move to the beach when in 1977, Dan and Norma joined Alamitos Bay Yacht Club in Long Beach, CA. Their boats would include a Coronado 15 (Sugarplum), Santa Cruz 27 (Hot Flash), North American 40 (Hot Flash), Capri 25 (Whoosh!), and briefly a Capri 22 (which proved to be too tippy).

Norma would become Commodore of ABYC (1991), with the constant in their lives being sailing and club friends with which they did several bareboat charters in the Caribbean, San Juan’s, New Zealand, and Portugal.

Dan is survived by his two daughters Stacey Ting and Terri Bishop, their husbands Larry Ting and Bob Bishop and four grandchildren; Kelley and Laura Ting, Kate and Peter Bishop.

Up to the end, Dan was in good humor. So when you think of him, mix yourself a Myers and diet Coke and raise your glass to celebrate a live well lived.