Bekking remembers Spikey
by John Curnow 17 Dec 2017 19:20 PST
Spike the Sailmaker © Rick Deppe / PUMA Ocean Racing / Volvo Ocean Race
Even from the depths of the Southern Ocean, whilst they are working hard, Bouwe Bekking takes time to remember the truly inimitable and deeply loved, Peter 'Spike' Dorien. The Volvo Ocean 65s are due in Melbourne on 25/26 December 2017 based on current projections.
"One person came to our minds when we saw a huge Albatross flying by and checking us out: the late Peter Dorien. With Capey and myself "Spike"raced on Movistar in the Volvo Ocean Race. He died many years ago in a freak accident, slipping in the bathroom. He was, first of all, a family man, but then also his dedication for the sport and in particular, his crazy stories about the Sydney to Hobart race, plus his great sense of humour makes it that we never forget Spike."
On April 12, 2010, just one day before what would have been his 39th birthday, I wrote the following:
Peter Spike Doriean - the Friendship Ambassador
The second time you met Peter ‘Spike' Doriean, you were greeted by a big smile and you felt as though you had known this guy for ages. Such was the nature of Spike, that he endeared himself to so many souls during his 38 years.
Yes he was talented and as a result of that, in demand for the toughest of sailing gigs the world over, but he never let his achievements get in the way of himself. Spike had come from modest beginnings just outside of Melbourne, Australia and was simply besotted by boats and sailing. For sure he was an international sailor of super-high regard, but it all began on Port Phillip and Bass Strait.
Ross Lloyd of the North Sails loft in Melbourne has particularly distinct and fond memories of Spike to look back on. In the late 80s, a young Peter began work with him as an apprentice at the Vale Street, St Kilda loft. ‘When he started, he was just a 16 year old kid who was obsessed by sailing. He would sit at the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria in Williamstown and pester people to take him out. It was what he wanted to do. He was very determined.'
Peter had severe dyslexia, which in the 80s was not as widely understood as it is now. Rosco points out, ‘He could not even make a telephone call', which would have made working on the floor of the loft and cutting materials extremely difficult, but Peter ‘… overcame it on the job and we helped him to go to courses and the like. Spike came up through the ranks and by the time he crossed over to pro-sailor, he was a very accomplished sailmaker indeed.'
Another aspect of Peter that became distinctly clear from early on at his time at North Sails, was the formation of strong friendships. Noel ‘Nitro' Drennen and Spike worked together as apprentices at Rosco's loft. Damien King and Simon Cunnington also formed part of a ‘group of comrades of his age, who are the best in the state and country', said Rosco. ‘There were no ups and downs and he just got better and better. Spike contributed to North Sails as a sailmaker and with his service to customers. He certainly was highly regarded by the owners and respected by his peers.'
It definitely was a marvellous achievement of Spike's, in terms of getting onto the global circuit from Melbourne, Port Phillip and Bass Strait, which are not necessarily on the global calendar or map. Perhaps it was these very testing waters and the ‘do your work on the water and talking at the bar' attitude that they foster, which helped Spike break into the Farr 40s initially. ‘It may have been short, but it was a very rich experience', Ross finished with.
In actual fact, to this day that group of friends remains very close-knit, despite Spike being overseas a lot out. On learning of his untimely passing, they were out on boat at Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsula, struggling to get perspective and in a state of disbelief and shock. ‘They had a plan in mind and Spike had everything to live for', was how they put it.
Andy Telford reflected on how Peter had matured into the consummate professional. ‘He never made anyone feel small and was always able to give advice. In the early days he never bought a pack of cigarettes, to the point where his mates would ask ‘How are our smokes going?' He was really happy in Brisbane and that's just great!'
‘Spike had a distinctive laugh and was a real character, always with a smoke in his hand in the early days. There's one thing he definitely was – professional', said Steve Campbell. ‘He would always say ‘Hi' and have a beer at every regatta', Steve commented, as he reflected back to the ‘95 America's Cup when he was with the Japanese syndicate and Spike was sailing with Syd Fischer. ‘He loved his kids and would have found it hard to be away, but he had made his mark and was clear about his job.'
‘Spike's appeal was his affable nature', said Ken Read. ‘It was so good to hang around him. He just had so much fun with his sailing still and that is what it is all about. Perhaps it was because he had just enough kid in him… Spike's sailing family was huge. The tragedy is done. It is truly incomprehensible, as they had their whole life in front of them. There are a whole lot of people who feel the same as me. It was not hard to like him and it is not hard to understand why so many, are doing so much, to assist his family now that they really need it', Ken added by way of explaining how Peter was the sole income earner for his very young family.
Peter married Nicki Passey, who came from a highly regarded Brisbane sailing family, in 2003. They chose the lovely Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron at Manly, just South of Brisbane, which is really rather fitting. It was in the early 90's when the Passey family met Pete through their friend, Grant Warrington, while they were sailing an earlier Wild Thing at the Gold Coast. Jason Passey, Nicki's brother and Pete became good mates, as a result of the camaraderie that sailing brings. He even managed to stay mates with Spike after he had met his sister at the family home in Brisbane. ‘As you can expect, a lot of good humoured banter was then to go on when we were on the rail that year. It seemed everyone had something to say about Pete and Nicki', said Jason.
A few years passed before Pete and Nicki met up again in Europe and from that day forward, they were always together. In the early years they travelled from regatta to regatta as much as they could and whilst the opportunity was there.
It was after the Volvo Ocean Race leg into Sydney as part of the 2001/02 event that Pete proposed. Following the wedding at RQYS, they bought a little cottage down at Mt Martha on the stunning Mornington Peninsula, which is an hour or so Southeast of Melbourne. This was where they lived and based themselves over the next few years, as Pete's skills started to become more sort after, all around the world.
‘Soon they were building a new house and having little Jemima, who is now five. Building a home and new children is stressful at the best of times, but when your husband is preparing for the Volvo Ocean Race, it is even more so. This is where Nicki showed how strong she is and the metal their relationship is built on', Jason commented.
‘When Fox arrived (he's now three), Pete was in the Southern Ocean and they decided it was time they moved back to Brisbane for Nicki to be closer to the family. Pete knew this to be the right thing and took it in his stride, even though he loved Melbourne. When he was home, he always had to have a project on the go and generally I was dragged into it, remodelling the kitchen two days before Christmas and going to Hobart or building a front fence in a week before heading to Europe for a month are some of the exploits he got me into. It was never a dull moment. By the way, as a builder, he made one hell of a great pro-yachty', said Jason with a smile. ‘The main thing was the way he made everyone feel like his friend, from the boys in Melbourne, to Brisbane and all over the world. We will all miss you greatly, but know from now on, all your races will downwind and blowing a gale. Just the way you loved it.'
Not many things are more Australian than Breaker Morant and it is from that movie that we enjoy the line delivered by Edward Woodward, '…live every day as if it is your last. For one day, you are sure to be right!' and I think this is why Spike had such a following and had the kind of life that he did.