|
From Good Old Boat Magazine, June 2003
"Jim Sutro (Duckling, Yankee Dolphin # 84) passes this sad note along to the owners of Dolphin sailboats about the death of Jim Huxford who hosted a site for these lovely boats:
"Jim Huxford passed away on Sept 30, 2002 ..."
Jim was the owner of Ile aux Galet (aka "Ceiling Zero"), Yankee Dolphin #221. Her homeport was Boulder Yacht Club, Carlyle, Illinois. Jim was refinishing her when he passed away. Here is a picture of her.
**********************************
In 1995 when your webmaster first got the Dolphin bug I found Jim's website and it was a great comfort to check in with him and the other Dolphin owners. The following is extracted from his 'home page' at his Dolphin website:
Calling all Dolphin sailers, past and present. Please contact us.
"Soundly built in 1971 by John Shoemaker and the craftsmen at Yankee Yachts, including Bill Fodor, chief of production, she had ben sadly neglected for years when we found her a few months ago. Restoration will be a big job but look at these lines!" (Webmaster Note: the photos Jim refers to did not survive their trip to the web archives - or this webmaster does not have the knowhow to retrieve them)
We're renaming her for the island in the Nor'East corner of Lake Michigan just south of Grays Reef, and a memorable night during 1982 Chicago-Mac race. The name translates to 'island of pebbles' and for centuries has been locally pronounced "skilly-go-lay" (Rhymes with Silly-O.K.)"
******************************
Below are 2 links to the part of Jim's site we found in the web archives. In them Dolphin owners may find their emails to Jim with questions about our boats and general Dolphin chatter.
http://web.archive.org/web/20010305164530/homepages.apci.net/~jhuxford/dolphin24.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20010306134601/homepages.apci.net/~jhuxford/iag.html
************************************
The following is from Good Old Boat August 1, 2003 Issue - Mail Bouy. First is a comment by Karen Larson, the GOB Editor, and then a letter from Jim's wife Lyn.
Jim Huxford's Boat and Website
GOB Ed: After running a note in the June newsletter about Jim Huxford, who lost a fight with cancer, we received the following note from Lyn Huxford. Jim managed a site for Yankee Dolphins and was refinishing his own 24-foot Dolphin.
Thanks for sending us the nice note. I am very interested in finding a good home for Jim's boat. It is currently setting on stands at the Boulder Marina. He had taken the cabinetry out to refinish, which he did, but the inside fittings are currently in my basement. I think he completed most of the repairs to the hull that he wanted to do. I really don't know what is a reasonable price in its current condition. It needs someone to give it a lot of loving care. I would like to get approximately $2,000 OBO, but I am not certain this is realistic. If you can help in any way I would greatly appreciate it. My email is ihuxford@mckendree.edu. Please pass it along to anyone who might be interested. Messages can be left at 618-537-6901. Thanks once again. Jim so much loved your magazine, and I as a fledgling photographer, was always in awe of the photography.
The website is down, but I can't find Jim's backup file. I don't know how to pass it along to anyone, but I do have some of the printed Dolphin documentation he had collected that I would be glad to share.
(signed) Lyn Huxford
Webmaster Note: This webmaster has tried to reach Lyn but no luck so far. We are still trying to find out what happened to Ile aux Galet. In October,2007 she was spotted at the Tradewinds Marina in Keyesport, Illinois on Boulder Lake and disappeared again.
.
|
