Lin Pardey and her late husband Larry, who have been inspirations to thousands of liveaboards and sailors all over the world, have been selected as members of the Class of 2022 – US National Sailing Hall of Fame.

Published 2 years ago

Before his death in 2020 in Auckland, New Zealand, Larry and Lin (who still lives in New Zealand) were considered to be among America’s (and the world’s) most knowledgeable and recognized cruising sailors. 

They were known as “America’s first couple of cruising” and together sailed over 200,000 miles, including two circumnavigations east to west and west to east aboard self-built, wooden, engine-free cutters under 30 feet.

Author of a dozen books, countless magazine articles, and co-creators of five cruising documentaries, Lin and Larry shared their sailing experiences with tens of thousands around the globe prompting many to take up the sport and live the dream of the cruising lifestyle.

In the inductee dedication, Greg Jobson wrote that “Lin and Larry Pardey lived the life many sailors aspire to. They circumnavigated the globe two times on boats that they built with their own hands. Larry did most of the boat building while Lin was the writer. Their enviable relationship worked. The boats, Seraffyn and Taleisin were both wooden boats, were under 30 feet in overall length and neither had an engine.”

“They shared their adventures with many thousands of sailors by publishing 12 books, giving hundreds of lectures and producing instructional films. The Pardeys were popular anywhere they made an appearance. Their talks were laced with important tips on how to cruise efficiently. The couple were engaging and made their maritime adventures fun. In fact, Herb McCormick wrote a book about the Pardeys in 2014 and titled the volume, ‘As Long As It’s Fun’. The couple’s stories also include humor. At home in California they once had a pet cat that they named, Dog.”

Larry Pardey died in 2020 at the age of 80 following a stroke a year earlier and after suffering with Parkinson’s disease. During his life Larry and Lin spent 11 years visiting 47 countries on their first circumnavigation. The second voyage around the world lasted 25 years and they visited another 30 countries according to an obituary by Richard Sandomir that appeared in the New York Times (August 28, 2020).

Lin Pardey still lives in New Zealand on Kawau Island in the Hauraki Gulf, north of Auckland.  She recently completed an eight-month long refit of her 12 meter vessel Sahula and is looking forward to exploring the many islands and anchorages of the Hauraki Gulf with partner David.

An Accidental Sailor

Lin told Noonsite that she felt privileged to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, along with her late husband Larry.

“I was an accidental sailor in that I was terrified of surf and the beach but decided to learn to sail to do something different,” she said.

“That was how I met Larry and on our first date he asked me if I would like to see plans for a boat that he wanted to build. I got very excited and asked him how was he going to build something that big. He said you don’t build a boat, you build it bit by bit – it’s a step by step process. From that point on I was hooked.

One More Would Be Greedy

“I was fortunate to have 55 magical years of sailing adventures with Larry. One of my last special memories came when I asked him one day whether he wanted to be out there on the ocean having one last adventure.  He thought about it for awhile, and finally said to me ‘one more would be greedy’.

“Sadly, Larry died in 2020 after a battle with dementia late in his life, but I feel very honoured that we are the first cruising sailors to be inducted into the Hall of Fame and to see our names alongside some of my sailing heroes is a real thrill.
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“Sailing is for everyone and I would encourage anyone thinking about venturing out onto the ocean to get out there and give it a go – our sailing motto was go small, go simple and go now.”

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