Gerry Spiess

Gerald F. Spiess (January 24, 1940 – June 18, 2019) was an American school teacher best known for having sailed his 10-foot (3.0 m) home-built sailboat Yankee Girl solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 1979 and across the Pacific in 1981.[1][2]

Gerry Spiess
Born	Gerald F. Spiess January 24, 1940 Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
Died	June 18, 2019 (aged 79) Pine County, Minnesota, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	School teacher
Known for	Sailing single-handed across the Atlantic Ocean in a 10-foot (3.0 m) sailboat

Spiess designed and built the boat in his garage in suburban White Bear Lake, Minnesota, from plywood. After a test launch in the local lake, Spiess transported the boat to the East Coast for launch.[3] He sailed from Norfolk, Virginia, on June 1, 1979, arriving in Falmouth, England, after a 54-day Atlantic crossing.[4][5]

In 1991, a tribute song [6] was written about Mr. Spiess journey with Yankee Girl.

See also

Tinkerbelle, the story of a similar sailing feat in 1965.

References

1. http://www.startribune.com/obituaries/detail/0000316054/?fullname=gerald-f-gerry-spiess
2. http://m.startribune.com/alone-against-the-atlantic-minnesota-adventurer-gerry-spiess-dies-at-79/511925192/
3. Spiess, Gerry; Bree, Marlin (1981). Alone Against the Atlantic. Minneapolis: Control Data Publishing. ISBN 0-89893-506-7. OCLC 7577810.
4. Los Angeles Times July 24, 1979
5. New York Times Notes on People July 25, 1979
6. Across the Atlantic and Pacific in 10' Sailboat “Yankee Girl”!; Kori Derrick (February 3, 2017)

Further reading

• Broken Seas. Bree, Marlin. 2005. Marlor Publishing. (ISBN 978-1892147097)