Terhune’s take on a winning streak

Allan Terhune Jr., of Annapolis, Maryland, finally found himself among the illustrious short-listers of the 2023 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year award. As a sailmaker 15 years and counting, Terhune has won plenty of regattas as both skipper and crew, but 2023 was especially good, putting up big wins in the MC Scow Class, securing his first 6-Metre World Championship title as ­tactician, and then wrapping up the year with a gold medal in the Lightning Class at the Pan American Games in Chile. One could say he’s getting faster with age, but he’d say, he’s ­simply having more fun.

Why was 2023 such an especially productive year?
A bunch of things came together, but I think what made a difference was that I started doing a few more projects that I wanted to do. The MC Scow changed my perspective on the sport. The class is growing, especially in New Jersey, where I grew up, and a bunch of my friends bought MCs. There is something refreshing about throwing the boat on the car by myself, meeting my buddies somewhere, and just going sailing. There’s no client to manage, and I don’t need to find a crew. It’s just me alone in the boat again, so it kind of reinvigorated everything. – Full report