Jerry and Caz started as liveaboards in 2000 when they bought “Mandarina”, a John Alden Offshore 44, and set about restoring her to her former glory. Then followed six years of Mediterranean cruising before getting married in Agios Nikolaos on Crete and joining the Vasco de Gama Rally to venture farther afield. With the rally, they sailed to Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Yemen, Oman and on to India, where the rally finished in Goa.

From India, they sailed on to Sri Lanka, then spent a lot of time in Thailand and Malaysia, before exploring Indonesia, Singapore, and Borneo.

In 2010 during a passage from Labuan to Hong Kong, they suffered a severe knockdown in a tropical storm. “Mandarina” ended up being holed and dismasted. Without power and with a damaged, unserviceable, engine they could no longer make way and had to abandon ship. Just 175 miles south of Hong Kong, they and their dog were rescued from their life raft by a passing tanker and taken to China.

As soon as they returned to Greece they bought another yacht, “Jolini”, a Catalina 42. Agios Nikolaos on Crete was according to Caz “their favorite place in all the World!”, so this became their base as they continued cruising the Greek islands until the end of summer 2015 when Jerry needed a hip replacement.

Fully recovered they enjoyed life aboard having made the decision not to sail anymore; both Jerry and Caz had arthritis and back problems so they felt it was time to change to a powerboat as sail handling was no longer enjoyable. Jerry kept busy with plenty to do, such as hill walking and darts, while on the lookout for the right “gentleman’s powerboat”.

Sadly, however, Jerry never got to try powerboating as he was diagnosed with cancer. Throughout his illness, he was determined to stay aboard his beloved yacht until the end and the local doctor and the marina did all they could to support his wishes. “There was always someone to help me with the wheelchair and the marina made ramps for the pontoon. Too many examples of love and kindness to mention” Caz told us.

Cruiser-friend Tony Cross told us a little about Jerry;

“If you had a problem or were in trouble, whether afloat or ashore, Jerry was the man you most wanted to come to your aid. Not only was he always ready to offer help but he knew how stuff worked and he was able to fix almost anything.

Some years ago a mutual sailing friend had a new holding tank made-to-measure to fit under his v-berth. He’d carefully measured the space in which it was to fit and ensured that it would fit down the companionway when it was delivered. On the day it arrived Jerry and I helped him manhandle it down into the saloon, then we discovered that it wouldn’t fit between the compression post and the door frame! After long discussions with many others, it was decided that lifting the mast, removing the compression post, manhandling the tank into the v-berth and then replacing the mast was the best option.

On the day the crane arrived Jerry, myself and a few others helped disconnect the mast and the crane lifted it a couple of feet off the deck and held it there. Removing the compression post was harder than we’d thought and during a break Jerry came up on deck for a breather. We’d gathered quite an audience by then and someone asked what we were doing with the mast suspended two feet above the deck? Whilst I was wondering how to explain it in simple terms Jerry just said “we’re fitting a holding tank” and went below. I can still see the puzzled look on the face of the man who’d asked, Jerry had replied in his usual deadpan, matter-of-fact way and the guy didn’t dare ask a follow-up question…!”

Jerry will be missed by his many cruising friends and his loving wife, Caz.

A few who have watched me sail away
Will miss my craft from the busy bay;
Some friendly barques that were anchored near,
Some loving souls that my heart held dear,
In silent sorrow will drop a tear;
But I shall have peacefully furled my sail
In mooring sheltered from storm and gale
And greeting the friends who have sailed before
O’er the unknown sea to the unknown shore.