Carl Halvorsen 1912-2014

[BruceK]

Today`s Sydney Morning Herald features an obituary for Carl Halvorsen, dead at 102. He attributed his longevity to enjoying sardines (he was born in Norway),and a daily glass of red wine.
At 14 he entered the family boatbuilding business, showing great talent for woodworking. At 16 he made a 71ft sailing yacht mast, using an adze and a plane. As the family business expanded, from a small workshop, to a purpose built factory with 7 slipways, to the large sales, rental, maintenance, marina establishment at Bobbin Head on the Hawkesbury river, he became Marketing director. In 1949 he took a 60ft cruiser Tooronga to California seeking to expand sales.
He was a keen sailor, racing 5.5M sailboats, and a range of other keelboats, even well into his 90s. He was a member of numerous yacht clubs, both in Australia and in Norway. Royal Sydney Yacht Club(one of Australia`s most prestigious Clubs) awarded him life membership, he was active in Club racing in Sydney, and philanthropic, founding the Carl Halvorsen Scholarship at Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, near Sydney, to provide support for up and coming young sailors. In 1991 he was knighted in Norway for his work on the restoration of the Kathleen Gillett, a sailing yacht of Norwegian design restored at the expense of the Norwegian Govt. as its bicentennial gift to Australia, now kept by the National Maritime Museum As late as 2000, he and brothers Magnus and Trygve were awarded the Australian Sports Medal.
Vale Carl Halvorsen,whose love of boating may be seen in the many facets of his long and illustrious life.

[Note: this article draws upon his obituary written by R. Svensen and J Mellefont published in the SMH,I hope they don`t mind]

[kthoennes]

A life lived to its fullest.

[Andy G]

102, that's a grand age.

What a life he led. I'll raise a glass to you Carl Halvorsen.