His Way to Go - Bruce Goldsmith 1936-2007

Sailing lost "one of a kind" on June 3, 2007.  Bruce Goldsmith, winner of 2 World Class Championships and 4 NA Championships in the Lightning Class, and 2 Pan-Am Golds was hit by a swinging boom in a storm during the Commodore Perry Race in Lake Erie last Sunday afternoon. 

I had the privilege of sailing for a short time with Bruce on "Send in the Clowns," the J-29 he raced out of North Cape Yacht Club.  He was one of the finest and yet funniest A-List yachtsmen I've ever known.  Having crewed and skippered Great Lakes sailboats for many years, you develop a short list of people you'll join on a race at the drop of a hat.  Bruce was one of them.

When I got a call today from my oldest and best sailing friend, Dave Williams, filling me in on the news, we both had a great laugh remembering an overnight (Mills Cup, Sisters?) race that we did with Bruce back in the '80's.  We both got to the boat ("Clowns") early, then waited and waited for Bruce to show up.  Finally, he arrived, with an armful of liquid "provisions" for the race.  We were 15 minutes late for the start, but sailed a good race.  Uh, yeah, we had a great time! 

My best wishes to Bruce's family and friends at North Cape and elsewhere.  Bruce will be missed.  But, as his eldest daughter Carrie was reported to have said, he left us while doing what he loved.