Mir

In 1969, when named Mir and under previous ownership, she was spectacularly dismasted while carrying full sail 250 yards from the Diamond Head finish line of the Transpac Race. Baird Tewksbury stated (Email to Nauticapedia 19/10/2025) that "I was proposed in 1969 for membership in RVYC by a well known sailor of the times, George O’Brian…George was a legendary character, owning many interesting boats including the Australian America’s Cup 12 meter Dame Patty, with which he set the Swiftsure record (cannot remember year)…his most famous event was the 1969 Trans Pac race in which he competed in his 78’ ketch MIR…within one mile of the finish, the boat broached and lost the mainmast…the crew cut away the wreckage and set a small spinnaker off the mizzen and finished the race sailing backwards thus being awarded third place…still a favorite sea story amongst Pacific racers. The photo is by my friend Dick Cleveland whose camera jammed so as to miss the stern-first sail – a copy hangs in the entrance of the Los Angeles YC…Dick died last year (2024)."