This post orginally appeared on the Castine Classics website.
Castine Celebrates Aage Nielsen
Castine, Me.—Leaf, a 38’ Luders 24 sloop sailed by Chris Bouzaid, led the fleet in the Eighteenth Annual Castine Classic Yacht Race to Camden sponsored by the Castine Yacht Club.
The Castine event kicked off three days of classic boat racing, culminating in the Eggemoggin Reach Regatta, and this summer celebrated the famed designs of Aage Nielsen. Seventeen Nielsen yachts built between 1955 and 1969 were on public exhibition in Castine. They ranged in size from two 18’ double ended sloops to the 59’ ocean racer Hound. This was the largest collection in history of Nielsen yachts, according to David Bicks, chairman of the event. “The response of the Nielsen community was overwhelming”, Bicks said.
The Nielsen fleet was honored before a packed audience at the Maine Maritime Academy at a symposium chaired by Douglas Adkins. The symposium featured Tom Jackson, co-author of the leading treatise on Nielsen; Matt Murphy, editor of Wooden Boat magazine; Joy Phillips from Tasmania, owner of Holger Danske; Frank Eberhard, owner of Hound; Taylor Allen of Rockport Marine, owner of Northern Cross; Frank Schattauer from Seattle, owner of Tioga; David Connolly, owner of Taygeta; and Bill Peterson, naval architect. The speakers extolled with affection the remarkable form, detail and seaworthiness of Nielsen’s designs.
Nielsen immigrated from Denmark to the United States in 1925 to work with John G. Alden in Boston. In 1936 he became the sole designer in the Boston office of Sparkman & Stephens. His designs ranged from small craft and keel-centerboard racers to the largest Alden schooners.
