Gerry Spiess

Gerald F. Spiess (January 24, 1940 – June 18, 2019) was an American school teacher best known for having sailed his 10-foot (3.0 m) home-built sailboat Yankee Girl solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 1979 and across the Pacific in 1981.[1][2]

Gerry Spiess
Born
Gerald F. Spiess

(1940-01-24)January 24, 1940
Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
DiedJune 18, 2019(2019-06-18) (aged 79)
Pine County, Minnesota, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
OccupationSchool teacher
Known forSailing single-handed across the Atlantic Ocean in a 10-foot (3.0 m) sailboat

Spiess designed and built the boat in his garage in suburban White Bear Lake, Minnesota, from plywood. After a test launch in the local lake, Spiess transported the boat to the East Coast for launch.[3] He sailed from Norfolk, Virginia, on June 1, 1979, arriving in Falmouth, England, after a 54-day Atlantic crossing.[4][5]

In 1991, a tribute song [6] was written about Mr. Spiess journey with Yankee Girl.

See also

Tinkerbelle, the story of a similar sailing feat in 1965.

References
  1. http://www.startribune.com/obituaries/detail/0000316054/?fullname=gerald-f-gerry-spiess
  2. http://m.startribune.com/alone-against-the-atlantic-minnesota-adventurer-gerry-spiess-dies-at-79/511925192/
  3. Spiess, Gerry; Bree, Marlin (1981). Alone Against the Atlantic. Minneapolis: Control Data Publishing. ISBN 0-89893-506-7. OCLC 7577810.
  4. Los Angeles Times July 24, 1979
  5. New York Times Notes on People July 25, 1979
  6. Across the Atlantic and Pacific in 10' Sailboat “Yankee Girl”!; Kori Derrick (February 3, 2017)

Further reading
  • Broken Seas. Bree, Marlin. 2005. Marlor Publishing. (ISBN 978-1892147097)
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