# Tom Blackaller

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American yachtsman (1940–1989)

Tom Blackaller Personal information Born January 6, 1940 Seattle, Washington, U.S. Died September 7, 1989(1989-09-07) (aged 49) Sailing career Sport Sailing Class(es) Star, 6 Metre, 12 Metre

**Thomas David Blackaller Jr.** (January 6, 1940 – September 7, 1989) was a world-champion American [yachtsman](/source/Yachtsman), [America's Cup](/source/America's_Cup) helmsman, sailmaker, and racecar competitor. He was a two-time world champion in the [Star class](/source/Star_(sailboat)) [keelboat](/source/Keelboat), a world champion in the international [Six metre class](/source/Six_metre_class), raced in three separate America's Cup campaigns, and influenced the careers of many other sailors.

## Early life

Blackaller was born January 6, 1940, in [Seattle](/source/Seattle), [Washington](/source/Washington_(U.S._state)). He moved with his parents to the [San Francisco Bay](/source/San_Francisco_Bay) area as a child and began sailing when he was 10 years old.[1]

## Sailing career

Tom Blackaller initially rose to prominence sailing [Star class](/source/Star_(sailboat)) keelboats. He bought his first Star boat in 1957, a chubby hull #2482, named "Spirit." Seeking a faster boat, Blackaller ordered a new boat that winter from boatmaker Carl Eichenlaub. This became boat hull #3938, which he named *Good Grief!* He later obtained a second, newer boat hull (#5150), retaining the boat name *Good Grief!* Sailing this second boat in 1968 he won his first major events, taking a Silver Star at the Western Hemisphere Spring Championship and then a second Silver Star at the North American Championship. Blackaller won district championships (5th District) in 1971 and in 1979. In 1974 and 1980 he won the Star Class world championship, receiving Gold Stars for those wins.[2]

He became known among fellow competitors as [Charlie Brown](/source/Charlie_Brown), because he liked to clown around, and the name of his boat evoked the character of the same name from the *Peanuts* comic strip by [Charles Schulz](/source/Charles_Schulz).[2]

As Blackaller became more accomplished he began competing internationally, initially in the [6-Meter](/source/6_Metre) class. In 1969 the St. Francis Yacht Club became involved in the Australian-American Challenge, a new international 6-Meter competition. The club bought an [Olin Stephens](/source/Olin_Stephens)-designed 6-Meter named *Toogooloowoo IV*, originally owned by John Taylor of Australia. Renamed *St. Francis*, Blackaller helmed her to victory in the November 1970 challenge in [Australia](/source/Australia), defeating the very same John Taylor and his new Stephens Six, *Toogooloowoo V*. The first World Cup in 6-Meters was held in Seattle in 1973, which Blackaller also won.[3]

Blackaller's fame in yacht racing grew largely through sailing [12 Meters](/source/12-metre_class) in his [America's Cup](/source/America's_Cup) campaigns of 1980, 1983 and 1986. Blackaller came aboard as tactician for helmsman Russell Long and his defender entrant *Clipper*, but the boat lost out for the right to represent the [New York Yacht Club](/source/New_York_Yacht_Club) in defense of the America's Cup to Dennis Conner and *Freedom*.[4] In 1983, he skippered *Defender*, but again lost to Dennis Conner, this time sailing *Liberty*, which ultimately lost the Cup to the wing keeled *[Australia II](/source/Australia_II)*.[1] In 1986, Blackaller became skipper of *USA* (US-61), a very fast, experimental design with fore-and-aft rudders and a ballast pod known as "the geek."[5] *USA* (US-61) was one of thirteen yachts that competed to be selected challenger for the America's Cup. She reached the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-finals, where she lost to Conner's *[Stars & Stripes 87](/source/Stars_%26_Stripes_87)*.[6] *Stars & Stripes 87* went on to win [1987 America's Cup](/source/1987_America's_Cup).[7]

By 1988, Blackaller turned to multihull sailing. This marked his shift from quasi-amateur status to paid professional sailor. He began to campaign a Formula 40 catamaran in the $500,000 ProSail Series, which commenced August 11, 1988, in Newport, Rhode Island. The four-day regatta in Newport was the first of three national meets that year that included San Francisco, Oct. 6–9, and Miami, Dec. 8–11. (Lloyd, 1988) In the 1989 ProSail Series, he helmed his catamaran to win two races to one against Randy Smyth, reported at the time as America's top catamaran sailor. Blackaller was preparing to compete in the San Francisco race of that series at the time of his death.[8]

Blackaller was inducted into the [National Sailing Hall of Fame](/source/National_Sailing_Hall_of_Fame) in 2013.[9]

## Motorsports involvement

In addition to his sailing career, Tom Blackaller also raced cars.[10][*[further explanation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify)*] In the early 1980s he drove a [Ralt](/source/Ralt) RT4 in the WCAR Formula Atlantic Championship. He switched to sportscar racing in the IMSA ([International Motor Sports Association](/source/International_Motor_Sports_Association)) Championship. In March 1989, he finished 25th overall in the [12 Hours of Sebring](/source/12_Hours_of_Sebring) in a Spice SE88P-Buick. He went on to drive an Argo JM19-Mazda entered by Jim Downing.

Later in 1989, Blackaller entered a [Swift Engineering](/source/Swift_Engineering) DB2 Sports 2000 with [Sonoma County](/source/Sonoma_County) (California)-based Pfeiffer Ridge Racing for the IMSA 300 Kilometer race to be held at nearby Sears Point Raceway (now [Infineon Raceway](/source/Infineon_Raceway)), on 10 September of that year.

Blackaller suffered a heart attack while practicing for that race.

## Sailmaking career

Blackaller worked as a sailmaker for [Lowell North](/source/Lowell_North), a position that helped to cover the costs of most of his racing as an amateur and quasi-amateur. He managed the North Loft in San Francisco 1973–80 and North Sails West 1980–85. He was considered one of North's most visible and audible "Tigers."[7][11]

## Colorful personality

What made Blackaller so widely known was his extremely colorful, opinionated, free-wheeling, and mischievous personality. Blackaller stories were so prevalent and enjoyed that web pages sprang up following his death to share them. On September 9, 2009, occasioned by the 20th anniversary of his death, a tribute was held by his friends and colleagues at the [Rolex](/source/Rolex) San Francisco Big Boat Series at the St. Francis Yacht Club, recounting many of these tales. The tribute was preceded by a collection of tales at the daily sailing electronic news feed Sailing Scuttlebutt.[12] and by posting of a dedicated website.[13]

## Death

On Thursday, September 7, 1989, Blackaller was practicing for the SCCA Pro Sports 2000 race to be held on September 10 at Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma County when he suffered a heart attack at the wheel of his car. He was a guest driver for Bob Lesnett's team. The car slowed after exiting the famous high speed turn known as the carousel. Witnesses described that the car "parked itself gently" on the left side of the track prior to entering turn 7. The car sustained minimal to no damage due to Tom's efforts to pull safely off the track. Rescuers found Blackaller unconscious. He was immediately transferred by helicopter to Queen of the Valley Hospital in Napa, California, where he later was pronounced dead.[10]

## Family

Blackaller was survived by his wife, Christine; his daughters, Lisa and Brooke, both of San Francisco; his father, Thomas Sr, and his two sisters Nancy Hardie and Lois Wolfe.[1]

## Blackaller Buoy

Following Blackaller's death, members of the St. Francis Yacht Club decided to establish one of their permanent racing marks as the "Blackaller Buoy." It is a buoy that forms an official racecourse mark for yacht racing on San Francisco Bay. The Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay lists it as mark number 16. The buoy is a yellow column-shaped buoy labeled in black letters "Blackaller," 0.2 nautical miles (0.37 km) east of San Francisco's Fort Point. Contemporaries cited his colorful personality along with his demonstrated racing acumen as central to his impact on sailing. YRA Mark 16 was designated the Thomas D. Blackaller Jr. Memorial Buoy by the YRA Board of Directors, and its maintenance is funded by the Thomas D. Blackaller Jr. Fund.[14]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Lloyd_1989_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Lloyd_1989_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Lloyd_1989_1-2) Lloyd, Barbara (September 8, 1989). ["Tom Blackaller, 49, Competitor in America's Cup"](https://web.archive.org/web/20240323092446/https://www.nytimes.com/1989/09/08/obituaries/tom-blackaller-49-competitor-in-america-s-cup.html). *[New York Times](/source/New_York_Times)*. Archived from [the original](https://www.nytimes.com/1989/09/08/obituaries/tom-blackaller-49-competitor-in-america-s-cup.html) on March 23, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2009.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Bolles_and_Allen_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Bolles_and_Allen_2-1) Bolles and Allen

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Six-Metre_3-0)** Street, Tim (December 13, 2005). ["Modern Six-Metre's Newsletter No. 1"](http://www.6mrnorthamerica.com/modernsnewsletter1.html). International Six-Metre Association. Retrieved September 10, 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["The America's Cup Ultimate Sail.Com"](http://www.ultimatesail.com/12Meter/usa2.html).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["1987 America's Cup Results"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110717174313/http://www.usa-61.com/cms3/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=65&Itemid=316). *USA 61: The Revolutionary 12*. Archived from [the original](http://www.usa-61.com/cms3/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=65&Itemid=316) on July 17, 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Cup_6-0)** Bob Fisher and Bob Ross (1987). *The America's Cup 1987: The Official Record*. Pierson. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-947068-05-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-947068-05-8).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Sailing_World_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Sailing_World_7-1) ["Tom Blackaller, Lowell North's First Rockstar Tiger"](https://www.sailingworld.com/racing/tom-blackaller/). *Sailing World*. April 24, 2002. Retrieved April 19, 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Roberts_8-0)** *Roberts, Rich (September 14, 1989). ["Competition Was Enough For Him"](https://web.archive.org/web/20250115020159/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-09-14-sp-130-story.html). *[Los Angeles Times](/source/Los_Angeles_Times)*. Archived from [the original](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-09-14-sp-130-story.html) on January 15, 2025. Retrieved September 10, 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Tom Blackaller Jr. 2013 Inductee"](https://nshof.org/inductees/blackaller-tom-jr/). Nshof.org. Retrieved April 11, 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Motorsport_Memorial_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Motorsport_Memorial_10-1) Motorsport Memorial

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Lloyd_1988_11-0)** Lloyd, Barbara (August 8, 1988). ["Yachting Catamarans in Racing Series"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210828063348/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/08/sports/yachting-catamarans-in-racing-series.html). *[New York Times](/source/New_York_Times)*. Archived from [the original](https://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/08/sports/yachting-catamarans-in-racing-series.html) on August 28, 2021. Retrieved September 10, 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Scuttlebutt_12-0)** Slade, Michelle (September 8, 2014). ["Tribute to Tom Blackaller, Bay Area Sailing Legend"](https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2014/09/08/tribute-tom-blackaller-bay-area-sailing-legend/). *Scuttlebutt Sailing News*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20251211121015/https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2014/09/08/tribute-tom-blackaller-bay-area-sailing-legend/) from the original on December 11, 2025. Retrieved April 19, 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Remember_13-0)** ["Remembering Blackaller 20 Years Later"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110903234416/http://rememberingblackaller.org/Contributions/). *Remembering Blackaller.org*. September 7, 2010. Archived from [the original](http://rememberingblackaller.org/Contributions/) on September 3, 2011. Retrieved April 19, 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Latitude_38_14-0)** ["Central Bay Marks"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090502142320/http://www.latitude38.com/YRASchedule/marks/CentralBay.html). *Latitude 38*. Archived from [the original](http://www.latitude38.com/YRASchedule/marks/CentralBay.html) on May 2, 2009. Retrieved September 10, 2009.

## External links

- Bolles, David; Allen, Skip (June 29, 2003). ["Remembering Tom Blackaller"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090922102513/http://www.starclass.org/artman/publish/article_59.shtml). *Star Class Association*. Archived from [the original](http://www.starclass.org/artman/publish/article_59.shtml) on September 22, 2009. Retrieved September 10, 2009.

- ["Tom Blackaller"](http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/focus.php?db=ct&n=1607), *Motorsport Memorial*, retrieved September 10, 2009

- ["Blackaller"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090927154929/http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/blog/2009/09/tom-blackaller.html), *Scuttlebutt Sailing News*, archived from [the original](http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/blog/2009/09/tom-blackaller.html) on September 27, 2009, retrieved September 10, 2009

- ["Blackaller forum"](https://web.archive.org/web/20091002033554/http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=8054#8054), *Scuttlebutt Sailing News*, archived from [the original](http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=8054#8054) on October 2, 2009, retrieved September 10, 2009

v t e World champions in 6 Metre 1973: Blackaller 1975: Fredell 1977: Petterson 1979: Petterson 1981: no champion decided 1983: Petterson 1985: Dürr 1987: Owen 1989: Kostecki 1991: Carlsson 1993: Favini & Bassani 1995: Piehl 1997: Owen, Howe, Lipsett, Smallridge & Barron 1999: Haissly, Berthoud, Megavand, Pachoud & Bechard 2003: Piehl 2005: Grünau, Batzil & Eich 2007: Haissly 2009: Stenbeck 2011: Marilley 2013: MacDonald, Costa, Kinsey, Vogel & Griffin 2015: Marilley, Berthoud, Schadegg, Dürr & Nicole

v t e World champions in Star 1923: Inslee & Nelson 1924: Robinson & Knapp 1925: Iselin & Willis 1926: Comstock & Gidley 1927: Hubbard & Edwards 1928: Edrington & Gray 1929: G. Johnson & L. Johnson 1930: Knapp & Weed 1931: McHugh & Watkins 1932: Fink & Thorne 1933: Waterhouse & Metcalf 1934: Beardslee & Lehmann 1935: Beardslee & Lehmann 1936: Iselin & Horder 1937: Wegeforth & Phillips 1938: von Hütschler & Weise 1939: von Hütschler & Beyn 1940: J. Cowie & G. Cowie 1941: Fleitz & Severence 1942: Nye & Fahlstrom 1943: Deacon & Roehm 1944: Driscoll & Burnham 1945: Burnham & North 1946: Fleitz & Krug 1947: Knowles & Levin 1948: Pirie & Rugeroni 1949: Nye & Fahlström 1950: Lippincott & Levin 1951: E. W. Etchells & M. Etchelles 1952: Straulino & Rode 1953: Straulino & Rode 1954: de Cárdenas & de Cárdenas Jr. 1955: de Cárdenas & de Cárdenas Jr. 1956: Straulino & Rode 1957: North & Hill 1958: Ficker & Yorston 1959: North & Carlile 1960: North & Skahill 1961: W. E. Buchan & Knight 1962: Stearns & L. Williams 1963: Duplin & Dolan 1964: D. Edler & K. Edler 1965: Bever & Lewsadder 1966: Elvstrøm & Albrechtson 1967: Elvstrøm & Mik-Meyer 1969: Petterson & Schröder 1970: W. E. Buchan & Sutter 1971: Conner & J. Reynolds 1972: Kuhweide & Meyer 1973: North & Barrett 1974: Blackaller & Anderson 1975: Schoonmaker & Ford 1976: Allsopp & Guhin 1977: Conner & Anderson 1978: Melges & Josenhans 1979: Melges & Josenhans 1980: Blackaller & Shaw 1981: Hagen & Hösch 1982: Gorostegui & Doreste 1983: Gorostegui & Doreste 1984: Gorla & Peraboni 1985: W. E. Buchan & Erickson 1986: Brun & Schreiner 1987: Adams & Olsen 1988: Cayard & Erickson 1989: Adler & Falcão 1990: T. Grael & Ferreira 1991: Benamati & Salani 1992: W. C. Buchan & Schreiner 1993: Londrigan & Trinter 1994: MacDonald & Jespersen 1995: M. Reynolds & Haenel 1996: Chieffi & Sinibaldi 1997: Hagen & Ferreira 1998: Beashel & Giles 1999: Doyle & Olsen 2000: M. Reynolds & Liljedahl 2001: Lööf & Finnsgård 2002: Percy & Mitchell 2003: Rohart & Rambeau 2004: Lööf & Ekström 2005: Rohart & Rambeau 2006: Pepper & C. Williams 2007: Scheidt & Prada 2008: Kusznierewicz & Życki 2009: Szabo & Peters 2010: Percy & Simpson 2011: Scheidt & Prada 2012: Scheidt & Prada 2013: MacCausland & Trinter 2014: Stanjek & Kleen 2015: L. Grael & Gonçalves 2016: Diaz & Prada 2017: Melleby & Revkin 2018: Zarif & Hamelmann 2019: Kusznierewicz & Prada 2020: cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2021: Negri & Kleen 2022: Negri & Lambertenghi 2025: Cayard & Kleen

v t e European champions in Star 1932: Aizpurua & De Amibilia 1933: Peytel & de Bagneux 1934: Giannini & Amalfitano 1935: Postiglione & Gianturco 1936: von Hütschler & Weise 1937: Bischoff & Weise 1938: Straulino & Rode 1947: Nordio & Rode 1948: Cosentino & Morelli 1949: Straulino & Rode 1950: Straulino & Rode 1951: Straulino & Rode 1952: Straulino & Rode 1953: Straulino & Rode 1954: Straulino & Rode 1955: Straulino & Rode 1956: Straulino & Rode 1957: Fiúza & Pessoa 1958: Fiúza & Pessoa 1959: Straulino & Rolandi 1960: Pisani & Desaubliaux 1961: Debarge & Calonne 1962: D. M. Bello & F. Bello 1963: Croce & Saidelli 1964: Pinegin & Shutkov 1965: Rolandi & Marino 1966: Duplin & Riess 1967: Wennerström & Lybeck 1968: Petterson & Westerdahl 1969: Larsson & Tell 1970: Wennerström & Christensson 1971: Schoonmaker & Dudinsky 1972: Petterson & Westerdahl 1973: Meier & WunderliI 1974: Blackaller & Anderson 1975: Kuntz & Nusser 1976: Allsopp & Wiler 1977: Schoonmaker & Steinmayer 1978: Raudaschl & Ferstl 1979: Mankin & Muzychenko 1980: Hagen & Hösch 1981: Hagen & Hösch 1982: Gorostegui & Doreste 1983: Hagen & Hösch 1984: Biganishvilli & Zubin 1985: Gorla & Peraboni 1986: Bakker & Vandenberg 1987: Brun & Schreiner 1988: Adams & Hennig 1989: Grael & Ferreira 1990: Nissen & Bartel 1991: Grael & Ferreira 1992: Andersen & Just Mikkelsen 1993: Andersen & Just Mikkelsen 1994: Hestbæk & Heijsberg 1995: MacDonald & Jespersen 1996: Rasmussen & Harsberg 1997: Reynolds & Liljedahl 1998: Reynolds & Liljedahl 1999: Beashel & Giles 2000: Hösch & Fendt 2001: Lööf & Liljedahl 2002: Lööf & Ekström 2003: Grael & Ferreira 2004: Lööf & Ekström 2005: Percy & Mitchell 2006: Mendelblatt & Strube 2007: Marazzi & De Maria 2008: Stanjek & Koy 2009: Scheidt & Prada 2010: Polgar & Koy 2011: Negri & Voltolini 2012: Kusznierewicz & Życki 2013: Negri & Kleen 2014: Merkelbach & Koy 2015: Rohart & Guidoux

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Tom Blackaller](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Blackaller) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Blackaller?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.