William “Bill” Harding, Sr., 91

Cataumet, Mass.

The avid sailor and racing enthusiast passed away Oct. 5 with his wife Jackie by his side. Bill and the Harding family were an integral part of Buzzards Bay history, and his legacy will continue to be an important part of the region’s future. He followed his love of sailing, starting Harding Sails, in Marion, Mass., and permanently perpetuated the legacy of the Herreshoff 12-1/2, which he so loved, by being the architect of the H Class Association and creator of the Doughdish, a fiberglass rendition of the iconic Nathanael Greene Herreshoff design, and, later, the FRP Stuart Knockabout, an L. Francis Herreshoff design.

So, the next time you sail in a Doughdish or a Stuart Knockabout on Buzzards Bay, say a special thank-you to Bill. He was his own man, and he will be sorely missed. The family is planning a memorial service next summer.