Afloat.ie regrets to record the death of Brian Law of Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland, after a long illness which he defied by sailing to the end. In fact, when the terminal diagnosis was confirmed, he resolved to spend his final years as owner-skipper of as many different boats as possible, most notably a classic Laurent Giles 25ft Vertue, a type which had been the dreamship of his youth.
However, it was with the Sparkman & Stephens-designed Finisterre Class 39ft yawl Sai See that he first came to attention in sailing circles by racing her in the three-stage Round Ireland race from Ballyholme in 1975. Distance sailing became a primary interest, and he subsequently sailed Sai See to the Mediterranean and back with Dickie Gomes, who was to become his longtime partner in many high seas ventures, most notably in 1982-83 with the 36ft Dick Newick-designed trimaran Downtown Flyer, which they built themselves.
Subsequently with the 83ft catamaran Novanet, they established a Round Ireland Record in November 1986 which was to stand until September 1993, when it was finally toppled by Steve Fossett's remarkable 60ft trimaran Lakota. Brian Law meanwhile continued working his way steadily through a varied fleet of personal boats, and his slightly eccentric mode of approach to sailing challenges was to be found in his campaigning of the small Albert Strange yawl Redwing in an Azores & Back Race.
Ashore, he was in the core team which — from 1968 onwards — developed Down Cruising Club into the hugely attractive setup which sees the club based in a former lightship in the snug channel at Ballydorn. With his sailing home secured, in later life one of the boats he focused on was a Strangford Lough YC 28.5ft River Class of 1921, which — like all his boats — he meticulously maintained personally in a well-equipped shed beside his home above the lough.
Although a member of Strangford Lough YC, the Irish Cruising Club, the Royal Ulster YC and the Old Gaffers Association, there's no doubt that Down Cruising Club — in which he served in the officer board at all levels — was his home-from-home ashore. He knew how to relax, but equally when he had some task in hand, his application, efficiency and capacity to get the job done — and done very well — were a wonder to behold.
Having been in the building and property development business in a very hands-on way all his working life, his approach to any major "retirement" restoration project in the boat-shed near the house was to have his lunch made up and boxed in the kitchen at home, and then spend the entire working down in the shed for normal working hours.
An excellent seaman and considerate shipmate, he could turn his hand to any task, and was a real pleasure to sail with. Our deepest sympathies and profound condolences are with his wife Rosie and family, and his very, very many friends and former shipmates.
WMN
