News & Views for Southern Sailors - Southwinds Magazine

The iconic picture ofMills, Maj. CliffordMcKay (the author’sdad) and Ernie Green,the three men wholaunched the OptimistPram, each with theirspecial roles and talents.Clark Mills and some of his Optimist Prams in the early days.REVIEW YOUR BOATSOUTHWINDS is looking for sailors who like to writeto review their sailboat — whether it is new or old,large or small. It can include the following:■ Year, model, make, designer, boat name■ Specifications: LOA, LWL, beam, draft, sail plan(square footage), displacement■ Sailing performance■ Comfort above and below deck■ Cruiser and/or Racer■ Is it a good liveaboard?■ Modifications you have made or would like■ General boat impression■ Quality of constructionPhotos Essential (contact us for photo specs)We have found that our readers love reviews by thosewho own the boats — comments are more personal and realAll articles must be sent via email or on discFor more information and if interested,contact editor@southwindsmagazine.com or call (941) 795-8704(If you hate your boat, we aren’t interested — you must at least like it)built the rough hull,then we boys scrapedout the casine glue thathad run down thesides, installed thebow thwart and supportknees, the maststep and the cornerbraces. We planed theedges of the rudderand daggerboard andpainted the boats. Afterthe fire that destroyedmost of the fleet andClarke burned themidnight oil to build the 43 replacement boats as fast as possible,he finished the entire hull except for painting. As thedemand grew, he would cut out pieces for 12 or more boats.He’d mount the transom, bow and midship thwart on aheavy jig. The jig held them strong and true as he screwedon the stringers and keel, mounted the daggerboard well,and then attached the plywood with ridged bronze nailsand casine glue. The sturdy wooden boats never leaked,and stood up to the rough treatment of a bunch of boys.When Prams and Optis were built with fiberglass andinterest in wooden prams was waning, Clarke designed andbuilt several large powerboats including a double-hulledfishing boat for daily charter in the Gulf. He said, “I wasn’tsure about the double hull, so I got some Styrofoam, cut outa scale model and pulled it through the water to see how itworked. It must have worked okay since that boat has beenout in all sorts of weather for years now.”Clark Mills was a soft-spoken, unassuming, gregarious,and highly skilled boat designer and builder. He was a mastercraftsman and warm friend. His fame spread far andwide. My favorite story about him was quoted in WoodenBoat magazine. Two sailing yachts passed in the mid-Atlantic. As is tradition, they hailed each other, “Whereaway?” The west-bound yacht answered. “To Clearwater,Florida, to meet Clark Mills.”He was well worth meeting, even if it took sailing anocean to do so. Clark Wilbur Mills was a one-of-a-kind person;capable, unpretentious, and straightforward—verymuch like his little boat that has become the largest onedesignracing class in the world.For more on the building of the first Optimist and Clark Mills, seethe December 2011 article, “I Sailed the first Optimist Pram” byClifford A. McKay, Jr. in Back Issues at www.southwindsmagazine.com.48 May 2012 SOUTHWINDS www.southwindsmagazine.com