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Captain Araldite lets go the helm Sir Tom Clark (1916 – 2005)
Sir Tom Clark, one of the great driving forces behind New Zealand sailing for the last 45-50 years, has died in Auckland at the age of 88 years.
Tom Clark on Infidel
Some years later, and aware
of the need to diversity he convinced the company’s board there was value in
experimenting with ceramics. And one thing led to another and he established
Crown Lynn. At its peak, this extraordinary and visionary industry produced
just about every cup, plate and saucer in the country, as well as industrial
pots and glazes. It was from Crown Lynn that the ‘Buy New Zealand’ campaign
took flight.
He was knighted for his services to industry in 1985 and in typical Clark style refused to take the grander name of Sir Thomas, and choosing to remain plain Sir Tom.
Tom Clark started out in a Grand Prix motor racing career, racing the likes of Stirling Moss before retiring after a crash. True to his “Buy New Zealand” theme he commissioned John Spencer to design and build 'Saracen' in 1964. She proved to be fast, but not fast enough, and became a forerunner to his next boat also John Spencer designed and built 'Infidel'. Known by the unglamorous name of “the Black Box”, Infidel was constructed of two layers of three-eights plywood over stringers spanning a system of bulkheads and laminated floors. She was built almost single-handedly in his Browns Bay yard.
Clark (left) on Buccaneer Although not designed as a “Ranger beater”, Infidel enjoyed a spirited rivalry with the Lou Tercel creation over a period of five years. (See Ranger - 30 years unbeaten.) Controversy seemed to find a happy home with Sir Tom. And, with Infidel it was in the shape of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia which introduced a new scantling rule specifically aimed at plywood boats - when the CYC got wind of an entry from Infidel in the 1969/70 Sydney Hobart race. The matter caused several weeks of controversy in the public media as to sail in the Sydney Hobart Infidel's hull would have to be built up to be two and a half inches thick. Ironically after being sold to US owners and re-named Ragtime, she which went on to enjoy a long racing career and was an icon of the Trans-Pacific Race. Clark's next boat was again by Spencer the 73ft plywood maxi 'Buccaneer' which he campaigned on the world ocean racing circuit, including a win and race-record in the 1971 Sydney Hobart Race.
Sir Tom was a mentor of Sir Peter Blake - backing him in the 81/82 Whitbread Round the World Race with the 'Ceramco New Zealand' campaign - to which Tom (who owned the company) is said to have told his Managing Director, “if you don’t like it then fire me!”.
Two Knights and a Dame - Sir Tom, Sir Peter and Dame Norma Holyoake, who launched Ceramco New Zealand
Tom Clark tells it like it is at the Ceramco
launch
and (right)
Sir Tom spoke of his retirement from ocean racing after the 1980 Sydney Hobart in which he competed about Ceramco New Zealand. In a short interview in NZ Yachting magazine he compared his ride on Ceramco with his Hobarts on Buccaneer. “This time we got the sort of weather which would have suited Buccaneer, but which she never got. But there’s re ally no comparison between the two boats. Buccaneer would have been the equal of this boat reaching, maybe even slightly quicker. But Ceramco is a lot faster flat running and, without a shadow of a doubt, she’d eat Buccaneer upwind.” The Ceramco crew dubbed Clark “Captain Araldite” because of his tendency to stick to the helm of the Farr boat whenever he got the chance. In this department, he commented:
“She’s
unbelievable, beautifully balanced even in conditions of hard running and
tight reaching, when you’d expect enormous amounts of helm. We were flying
in 35 to 40 knots when Buccaneer would have been rounding up in every second
gust.” On his company’s involvement in the Round the World race boat, Clark said: “Few people realise the struggle I had to get my directors to approve this project. Now I’ve got their 100% support because they understand what it’s all about - a national project with a lot of prestige for New Zealand involved.” Why the decision to quit ocean racing? “My directors get very twitchy when I’m on races like this. I see something like the Hobart as a very simple exercise. They regard it as dangerous. “Then my wife is a little unhappy about my further involvement because I’m starting to push it with age you know. I suppose I’ve got to recognise that. “So it’s time for me to pack it in. I’ve sold Buccaneer and now I’ve got a couple of nice little day boats in which to teach my kids sailing and the enjoyment they can get from the sport. “This was my swansong — and, after doing the double, my cup runneth over.”
After the Hobart (Tom is 2nd from left at back)
Always an enthusiast and motivator, Clark was one of the legends of the New Zealand sailing scene. Aside from his Whitbread and America's Cup involvement with Sir Peter Blake, Sir Tom was a strong supporter and trustee of the New Zealand International Yachting Trust, which has funded many fledgling sailors and is recognised as one of the major factors behind the development of New Zealand Yacht talent, particularly in the Olympic scene. Few, if any, New Zealand sailors made it to the Olympic or World Championship podium without some assistance from the International Yachting Trust. A special relationship: Sir Tom and Sir Peter after Lion NZ finished the 1984 Sydney Hobart
Later in the year, he, along with John Street and Trevor Geldard, were honoured with the Sailor of the Year Trophy by Yachting New Zealand on the occasion of it's 50th anniversary, for their contribution to New Zealand sailing. Sir Tom’s sailing career was one of the few, if not the only, to span the great era of New Zealand yachting from the glory days of the A-class keelers in their weekly jousts on the Waitemata Harbour; through the Whitbread era with Ceramco New Zealand setting the model for sponsored yachting and culminating with the six leg wins by Steinlager II; and then through the America’s Cup and the wins in 1995 and 2000. Sir Tom played a vital
role in all these phases either as a sailor, skipper, sponsor, mentor or Board
member. Sir Tom will always be remembered for his hearty laugh, good humour,
ready encouragement and enthusiasm for all who sailed, and were prepared to
help themselves.
Sir Tom (centre) with John Street (left) and Trevor Geldard (right) after the presentation of the Sailor of the Year Award.
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In what proved to be his
final year Sir Tom was thrilled to be invited to the launching of Emirates
Team New Zealand. Seated in the aft end of the media boat, Sir Tom was in a
ebullient mood “this is just how it felt in ‘95” he said repeatedly, to all
within earshot. Clearly Sir Tom was thrilled to be involved in the start of what he believed would be
another Kiwi success.