Audax (I)

Barry Clark states "this vessel was a Dragon-class sloop. It was built in Norway to contest the 1960 Olympic Trials in that country and was sold after the trials when it was not successful. It was a fast boat from the outset even when crewed by rank amateurs (my father, brother and I in the first year). Dad became friends with Steven Tupper a young, already successful racing skipper. Steve became our skipper and we campaigned the boat through the Pacific Northwest i1962 to 1963.

In 1963, I think we won every regatta in the dragon class. Late in 1963, my father decided to go for the 1964 Olympic Trials to be held in Kingston Ontario in early summer 1964. Unfortunately, my father was transferred to Montreal just before we left for Kingston and was be unable to compete if we were successful. Steve Tupper and I and Alex Harrison crewed the regatta and I believe we finished third. The Audax was sold into Toronto since my father was not to return to Vancouver for a couple of years. Steve Tupper went on to compete in the Olympics and served as the CYA National Team coach for some years. The boat returned to Vancouver eventually and Steve owned it for some time. According to dragon class records (which are not totally accurate) since it has been in Vancouver it has been under a number of names Audax, Summerfugl, Pacifier, Flame and lastly Audax again. The name Audax was selected by me in the summer of 1960. I had failed Latin and had to do a make up exam so was working on my vocabulary. The word Audax meant ‘bold or daring”. "