Dorsey Ownings who sailed his J30 Sea Biscuit in a number of J30 NA's, passed away today after being ill for several months. I will pass along any information as to services and donations.

Larry Christy

That's sad news. Dorsey, Gail, Willy, and the entire Sea Biscuit team were always intensely competitive and great to sail against.

Dorsey Owings was a good man, a pleasure to know, fun to race with or against. Truly salt of the earth. He skippered his J/30 in twelve North Americans finishing in the top ten every year from 1994 to 2003. Sea Biscuit was second three times and won the championship twice in 1997 and 2000, both sailed on Narragansett Bay. Condolences to Gail and all who sailed with him on Sea Biscuit. Dorsey will be missed by all who knew him.

Here is a photo of Dorsey. Please send more photos to dave@j30.us.



Some history of Dorsey sailing in NAs.

http://j30.us/blog/?page_id=133

Godspeed

As John might be able to tell, the photo was taken at the NAs in Bridgeport, 1995.

It's a great loss for the J/30 Class to loose such a great person and hearty competitor. I only met Dorsey when he won the 2000 NAs in Barrington. My condolences to the family.

I'm deeply saddened to hear of Dorsey's passing. He was a true gentleman who loved to race hard, but also maintained a great attitude. Although he had moved from the J/30 to the Mumm 30, he will be missed by many Chesapeake sailors. My condolences go out to Gail and his family.

Fare thee well, sailor...

Yes Dennis, That's a picture of Dorsey Gail and Will at the '95 NAs at Fayerweather Yacht club in '95. The '95 NAs was the first time I met Dorsey and Gail. They were great competitors, but even better friends. Dorsey will be missed. Heart felt condolences to Gail and family. That includes the family of sailors that had the pleasure to cross tacks with Dorsey.

John McArthur

A terrible loss-and a great guy. My favorite Dorsey encounter was during a race at the 2000 NA's in Barrington. We had led the entire race going into the last leg-our first time in that position after several years in the fleet-and Dorsey and his crew got around the last weather mark just ahead of us. We hooked him inside on the rounding, so we proceeded down the final leg parallel and bow to bow on port jibe. The entire way down the leg we traded leads, and Dorsey and Gail cheered us on enthusiastically (without giving an inch) . Unfortunately for us, a massive weather system rolled across the course within a few boatlengths of the finish, heading us both about 30 degrees and giving Sea Biscuit (another) race and championship win . Luck was with him then-I only wish the same luck had been with him this time.

My sincere condolences go out to Gail and all who knew Dorsey-he was a great guy, taken far too soon. He will be missed.

Richard Dorsey Owings
April 16th, 1950 - November 25th, 2009

Richard Dorsey Owings, of Millington, Md., a lifelong farmer and sailor, died Nov. 25 at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. His family was at his side at the time of his passing. He was 59.

Born in Baltimore’s Union Memorial Hospital, the son of Mary Francis and Meredith Dorsey Owings, Dorsey moved to Maryland’s Eastern Shore with his family in 1962 following a year’s adventure aboard a 40-foot sailboat between Annapolis and the Bahamas. That trip, which included competition in the Southern Ocean Racing Circuit with his father, instilled a love of sailing that Dorsey enjoyed throughout his life. He reached the peak of his sailing prowess in 1997 when he and his Seabiscuit team won the J30 national championship staged at Newport Rhode Island. Dorsey and Seabiscuit team won a second J30 National Championship in 2000.

Following the family’s move to the Eastern Shore, Mr. Owings worked side-by-side with his father and sons growing corn, soybeans, wheat, alfalfa, tomatoes, spinach and hogs on several Kent and Queen Anne county farms. When he wasn’t planting, harvesting or sailing, Mr. Owings enjoyed hunting, fishing and crabbing on the Chester River and being with his friends and family.

Mr. Owings was widely recognized for his invention of the Seabiscuit cocktail, named for his boat, a vodka and tonic drink flavored with a slice of cucumber.

He is survived by his wife of 22 years, Gail Webb Owings; two sons, Marshall Dorsey Owings of Chestertown, Md., and Casey Clinton Owings and his wife Megan of Centreville, Md; his father, Meredith Dorsey Owings of Millington; two sisters, Rebecca Owings Forney and her husband, Dennis, of Lewes, Del., and Elizabeth Howard Owings of Chestertown; a brother, Samuel Sheridan Owings of Church Hill, Md; and his beloved hound dog Rosie.

A memorial service for Mr. Owings will be held 1P. M. Saturday, Dec. 5, at Shrewsbury Parrish Hall, Kennedyville, MD. Donations may be made to Johns Hopkins Hospital, the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, or the Chester River Association.
(Reprinted from http://www.fhnfuneralhome.com/)

Dorsey and I first met in the mid 80's at the summer Oxford,Md regatta. He had a J/24 at the time. He asked me if he could call me and talk about J/30's. I had Wooly Bear Hull #2 at the time. He called me at a Dorsey hour of 5:30 am. He later told me he knew I would be home. We became great freinds and after the time came that I sold my boat, I teamed up with him on the J/30 for a short time and then on to the Farr/Mumm 30. Some of you may not know that Dorsey and Gail had purchased another Sea Biscuit, a beautiful trawler on which they were going to cruise during their retirement. Life can be so cruel. To Gail as you know, I have some idea of the problems that face you, I hope that the strength of your family and friends, gets you past this loss. Dorsey's legacy will live forever

I'm having trouble finding a high resolution photo of Dorsey Owings for January's SpinSheet. I only have two days left until we go to print. Does anyone have the originals from the photos above? Thank you!!

you can send photos to molly@spinsheet.com

Terry Rapp, past J/30 Class President wrote a nice article about sailing Seabiscuit at the 2010 Annapolis NOODs in honor of Dorsey. Please see the class website front page to read it. A permanent link is provided here for future reference.