Mark Rudiger, Thad Jones- they led the way

by Rich Roberts for the TransPacific Yacht Club on 21 Jul 2008 The Transpacific Yacht Race and sailing everywhere is mourning the losses of Mark Rudiger and Thaddeus Jones, exceptional navigators of past and present eras who died within 24 hours last week.

Rudiger found his success in Whitbread/Volvo Ocean Races as well as Transpac, while Jones excelled in sailing 22 Transpacs, the record for individual participation.

Rudiger, 53, lived with his wife Lori and son Zayle in Auburn, Calif., near San Francisco. He was hospitalized earlier in the week after he was stricken with a sudden relapse of lymphoma, a cancer of the immune system. He had apparently recovered from a first episode in 2004 to resume his career in 2005 and as recently as February had raced on the Santa Cruz 70 Holua in the Vallarta race from San Diego.

Jones, a resident of Laguna Beach, Calif. had suffered from cancer for several years.

A friend, Kirk Elliott, wrote that besides Transpacs, Jones also did 'numerous Mexican and Transatlantic races, along with cruising Catalina Island and the Pacific Northwest. He generally enjoyed being with his pals at sea.'

Despite all of his ocean racing, Jones noted on the Transpac DVD produced in 1998 that 'I've never been seasick in my life.'

He did most of his navigating the old-fashioned way, with sextants, even when satellite navigation was in its early stages, before GPS arrived.

'He was the best celestial navigator I ever sailed with,' said Transpac Commodore Dale Nordin, who was with Jones on Shadow in the 1985 race. 'His celestial [sightings] were always within two miles of the SatNav. We'd always kid Thad that, 'Well, the SatNav was two miles off.' '

In those days Rudiger was just starting to build his reputation based on navigating five first-to-finish 'Barn Door' victories on John DeLaura's Silver Bullet in 1989 and '93, Hal Ward's Cheval in '95 and Philippe Kahn's Pegasus in 2001 and 2003.

Along the way, Paul Cayard recruited him on three weeks' notice to sail on EF Language in the 1997-98 Whitbread, which they won, and he returned in 2001-02 as co-skipper/navigator on Assa Abloy, which placed second in what was then called the Volvo Ocean Race.

Rudiger said at the time, 'The Whitbread was a wonderful experience. This round-the-world race is the Mount Everest for sailors. My experience really lived up to that, with world-class sailors, challenging sailing and a great adventure. In all the countries we visited we met many different and interesting cultures. It was so rewarding that I am back again.'

Cayard wrote on a Scuttlebutt blog last week: 'I am thinking about you, Rudi, and remembering how tough you were when we had some rough times in the Southern Ocean. I remember being on the bow with you one night struggling to hold onto the number 4 [headsail] in [wind of] 40 true and asking each other how the skipper and navigator got on the bow for this one.'

Rudiger also navigated for Zephyrus IV, the winner and record holder of the 2000 Cape Town-Rio race; the ILC Maxi Sayonara, winner of the 1998 Sydney-Hobart, and was winner in his class in the double-handed trans-Atlantic race in 1990 and second in the single-handed class of the same race in 1988.

Nordin, occasionally a navigator on rival boats, said, 'After the race you could go down to the boats and he would gladly share information with you … the weather patterns he saw and why he did what he'd done. Mark was one of those guys who was always willing to give back to the sport.'

Rudiger's memory also is riding along on two current long-distance races.

Kahn said, 'This Pacific Cup ride [from San Francisco to Hawaii] is for you Rudi, Lori and Zayle. Mark and I sailed West Coast races together up and down the coast … I'd say, 15,000-plus nautical miles. It's fair to say that the reason that I am navigating and double-handing successfully now is because I had Mark as a mentor.'

Rudiger also sailed on Randall Pittman's 90-foot Genuine Risk, which is currently in the Chicago-Mac race on the Great Lakes.

A spokesman for the team said, 'Genuine Risk will sail the Chicago Mac race in honor of Mark Rudiger. Genuine Risk will [display] the nickname 'Rudi' on the boom of the boat as she crosses the starting line of the 100th running of the Chicago- Mac race. Pittman said, 'Rudi loved to race, and this race is for him.' '

Most recently Rudiger was scheduled to race on Jim Swartz's new Moneypenny.

Shortly after Rudiger's passing, Lori Rudiger sent this message to the sailing community: 'Thank you all for your good thoughts and well-wishes. After a very tough battle, Mark chose to trade in his defective body for a beautiful new form and left us this afternoon. At his son Zayle's suggestion, we are going to light candles tonight to remember him and his amazing life energy. If you can, please join us by lighting a candle for Mark. Mark and I were overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and healing energy from all of you around the world. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, we love you all. -- Zayle and Lori Rudiger'

Swartz has set up a non-profit emergency fund for the family. Donations can be made as follows: Christian Center of Park City, P.O. Box 683480, 1100 Iron Horse Drive, Park City, UT 84060 (attn: Emergency Assistance Fund, for benefit of Mark Rudiger).

COMMODORE: Dale Nordin dale.nordin@gmail.com