David Walters, 75

Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

David Walters passed away Jan. 17. His impact on the marine industry was profound, and will endure for many years to come. He was the founder of David Walters Yachts, designer and builder of the Cambria series of popular cruising yachts, and co-founder of Shannon Yachts. For David, his career was more than a profession: it was a lifelong passion, and one he was always eager to share. He touched many lives both professionally and personally.

Dave’s passion for sailboats, and talent as a winning helmsman and able crew member spanned 63 years, first evident in 1953 competing in junior one-design classes from his home Riverside (Conn.) Yacht Club. Racing his Blue Jay Boomerang in 1960, Dave amassed the highest percentage winning average of any junior sailor in any class on Long Island Sound. Two years later he won the Blue Jay Class National Championship.

Dave founded and led Bucknell University’s sailing team to numerous intercollegiate victories including a Middle-Atlantic team racing regatta at the U.S. Naval Academy noted by “Sports Illustrated” in November 1964. In 1967 Dave sailed with Dick Carter on Rabbit II on the U.S. Admiral’s Cup team and with E.W. “Skip” Etchells on the prototype of what is now the International Etchells Class in Travemunde, Germany, during the IYRU selection trials for a new 3-man Olympic keelboat.

Following decades of offshore racing, including campaigning his Chance 30-30, also named Boomerang, Dave sailed his final of scores of races to Bermuda in 2016, this from Annapolis on Brad Duncan’s Cambria 46, Pandion.