MONSOON 1963-1967 MANILA
I bought Monsoon in 1963 and began to race it actively with a great crew made up of friends and my two sons. With its 35’ OA rig, she was fast, and being a racer at heart, I always pushed the canvas. She was ready to go for an around the buoys race in October, 1964. My eager crew were juiced up for a win, more so when we stole the start in a light northeast wind. 16 boats trailed us as we rounded the sea buoy off Sangley Pont Naval Air Station. Trident, a 45 foot steel ketch, was hard on our wake as the customary noon wind change to the southeast hit. I looked back at this powerful giant gaining on us, then up at the large genoa we had flying. It should not be flying in 20 knots but if I went for a sail change, Trident would zip right past us as we bobbed along without a headsail.
Minutes passed. We held out own. I headed to windward to keep Trident in my lee. The wind increased to 25 knots. Trident was loving it. Heavy, it was beginning to move at hull speed. I needed to reduce sail, but to do so would take minutes. What to do was suddenly resolved for me.
With a spectacular crash the bowsprit sprung loose, whipped towards the sky as the mast, sails and rigging went over the side. Monsoon came to a grinding stop. Nothing left to do but pop a cold San Miguel beer.
Easy to sail with a sail inventory to fit any wind, as a family, Monsoon was out in Manila Bay every weekend. A great sailing boat, my eye was on a 39 foot Robert Clark Mystery Class sailboat at anchor, Mysterious. Poor Monsoon was soon to become history.
Bill Butler, 2006